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CORNELL 

UNIVERSITY 

LIBRARY 


BOUGHT  WITH  THE  INCOME 
OF  THE  SAGE  ENDOWMENT 
FUND     GIVEN     IN     1891     BY 

HENRY  WILLIAMS  SAGE 


3   1924  028  914  384 
olin 


Cornell  University 
Library 


The  original  of  tiiis  book  is  in 
the  Cornell  University  Library. 

There  are  no  known  copyright  restrictions  in 
the  United  States  on  the  use  of  the  text. 


http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028914384 


HISTORY 

OF 

DAVENPORT 


AND 


SCOTT  COUNTY 

IOWA 


Harry  E.  Downer 


ILLUSTRATED 


VOLUME  II. 


CHICAGO 
THE  S.  J.  CLARKE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 


BIOGRAPHICAL 


'  JOE  R.  LANE. 

There  is  no  problem  more  difficult  than  character  analysis.  Psychic  research 
often  fails  to  clearly  elucidate  the  problem  and  yet  there  is  no  truth  more  evident 
as  the  result  of  careful  and  analytical  contemplation  of  successful  lives  than  that 
results  have  been  achieved  through  intelligence  and  energy.  What  special 
phases  of  nature  causes  a  man  to  take  up  a  certain  line  or  lines  of  activity  it  is 
impossible  to  determine,  but  in  the  execution  of  a  clearly  defined  purpose  it  is 
inevitable  that  unfaltering  energy  and  intelligent  appreciation  of  opportunity 
must  constitute  the  vital  forces.  It  is  these  qualities  that  have  carried  Joe  R. 
Lane  to  the  eminent  position  which  he  now  occupies  as  a  man  of  notable  business 
sagacity  and  as  a  political  leader  whose  wisdom  and  resourcefulness  have  en- 
abled him  to  accomplish  seemingly  impossible  results.  His  interests  are  never 
so  self-centered  as  to  exclude  active  participation  in  affairs  of  moment  to  the 
community  at  large,  for,  on  the  contrary,  he  has  been  an  active  participant  in  those 
activities  which  have  promoted  the  material,  political  and  social  life  of  the  com- 
munity and  which  are  matters  of  civic  virtue  and  civic  pride. 

Mr.  Lane  was  born  in  Davenport  in  May,  1858,  a  son  of  James  T.  and  Annie 
J.  (Reed)  Lane,  and  a  brother  of  Mrs.  lies.  His  father,  who  is  mentioned  else- 
where at  length  in  this  volume,  was  long  a  representative  member  of  the  bar  and 
died  in  Denver  in  1890.  Passing  through  consecutive  grades  in  the  public 
schools,  Joe  R.  Lane  eventually  became  a  high-school  pupil  and  later  attended 
Knox  College  at  Galesburg,  Illinois,  from  which  he  was  graduated  with  the  class 
of  1878.  He  began  preparation  for  the  practice  of  law  as  a  student  in  the  office 
of  Davison  &  Lane,  of  which  firm  his  father  was  the  junior  partner.  Subse- 
quently he  matriculated  in  the  State  University  Law  School,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  in  1880,  when  he  became  assistant  in  the  office  of  Davison  &  Lane,  thus 
continuing  until  January,  1881,  when  Charles  Davison  and  Joe  Lane,  the  sons  of 
the  respective  partners,  were  admitted  to  the  firm.  In  the  following  August, 
Charles  Davison  went  to  North  Dakota  and  in  1889  James  T.  Lane  withdrew  from 
the  firm  on  account  of  failing  health.  The  relation  between  the  older  Davison 
and  Joe  R.  Lane  continued  uninterruptedly  and  in  1893  Charles  Davison  reen- 


6  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

tered  the  partnership,  the  firm  remaining  Davison  &  Lane  until  1900,  when  the 
death  of  the  senior  member  occurred,  while  two  years  later  Charles  Davison  also 
passed  away.  Mr.  Lane  was  left  alone  to  care  for  an  increasing  practice  that 
had  already  brought  him  distinction  as  one  of  the  most  eminent  representatives 
of  the  Iowa  Bar.  Soon  afterward  he  was  joined  by  Judge  Waterman,  who 
resigned  his  position  as  a  member  of  the  Iowa  supreme  court  to  enter  into  part- 
nership relations  with  Mr.  Lane  under  the  firm  style  of  Lane  &  Waterman.  A 
contemporary  writer  has  said  in  this  connection:  "Possibly  no  higher  testimonial 
to  the  standing,  business  value  and  reputation  of  the  practice  which  Mr.  Lane 
had  helped  to  upbuild  and  of  which  he  had  become  the  head  could  be  given  than 
is  embodied  in  Judge  Waterman's  action.  Few  positions  are  more  earnestly  cov- 
eted; none  considered  higher  in  judicial  dignity;  scarcely  any  offer  more  assured 
social  position  or  surer  and  more  commensurate  recompense  than  the  supreme 
judgeship,  yet  Judge  Waterman  resigned  all  these  to  become  Mr.  Lane's  part- 
ner. Comment  would  be  superfluous."  The  public  voice  names  this  firm  as  the 
most  prominent  in  Davenport  and  one  of  the  most  distinguished  of  the  state. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  enumerate  all  the  interests  which  have  felt  the  stimulus 
of  Mr.  Lane's  cooperation,  keen  sagacity  and  liberal  business  policy!  Banking, 
manufacturing,  lumber  and  real  estate  are  among  those  interests  which  have 
claimed  his  time  and  attention  and  in  furthering  his  individual  interest  along 
these  lines  he  has  contributed  in  substantial  measure  to  Davenport's  growth 
and  expansion  along  normal  and  healthy  lines.  He  is  the  president  of  the  Joe 
R.  Lane  Investment  Company,  which  erected  the  Lane  office  building  at 
Third  and  Main  streets;  president  of  the  Building  Society  of  the  new 
Commercial  Club;  a  director  of  the  Davenport  Hotel  Company;  vice  pres- 
ident and  director  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Davenport;  and  finan- 
cially interested  in  numerous  other  commercial  enterprises.  His  labors 
have  constituted  a  most  important  feature  in  the  railroad  development  of 
this  section,  for  he  was  treasurer  of  the  Davenport,  Iowa  &  Dakota  Rail- 
road at  the  time  of  its  construction  and  was  also  manager  and  had  charge 
of  the  building  of  the  Davenport,  Rock  Island  &  Northwestern  Railroad 
bridge,  which  gave  the  road  entrance  to  Rock  Island  and  Moline.  His  realty 
investments  are  most  extensive  and  in  all  of  his  business  connections  he  has 
proven  himself  a  man  of  action  rather  than  of  theory. 

Moreover,  Mr.  Lane  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  influential  members  of 
the  republican  party.  With  full  recognition  of  the  duties  and  obligations  as  well 
as  the  privileges  of  citizenship,  unlike  many  of  the  men  today  who  are  controlling 
extensive  professional  and  business  interests,  he  finds  time  for  active  participa- 
tion in  public  aflfairs  upon  which  hinge  the  political  stability  and  welfare  of  the 
country.  As  a  political  leader  he  has  always  put  public  needs  and  party  benefit 
before  self  interests.  He  has  served  in  the  ranks  from  preference  and  only  held 
office  when  it  has  been  clearly  shown  him  that  it  was  a  duty  which  he  owed  his 
fellow  citizens  and  for  which  he  could  obtain  no  substitute.  Several  terms  he 
«at  in  the  council  as  alderman  and  his  labors  were  always  to  the  advantage  of  his 
ward  and  the  city  at  large.  During  his  term  of  service  in  congress,  to  which  he 
was  elected  in  1898,  he  never  forgot  his  allegiance  to  his  state  nor  his  duty  to 
his  constituents.     He  has  frequently  served  as  a  member  of  the  republican  exec- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  7 

utive  committee  and  always  to  his  party's  benefit.  He  holds  decided  views  on 
public  questions  and  expresses  them  clearly,  cogently  and  logically  when  occa- 
sion demands,  but  it  is  always  the  timely  word  which  he  speaks.  As  a  diplomat 
he  has  cemented  party  and  business  fractures,  healed  internal  dissensions  in 
various  financial  and  political  vetures  and  unified  and  solidified  acute  divisions 
in  numerous  enterprises  where  to  all  appearances  such  action  was  hopelessly 
looked  upon.  As  a  political  leader  he  has  led  his  party  to  victory  in  ward,  city, 
county  and  state  campaigns  and  added  his  share  to  national  victories.  And  all 
this  he  has  done  without  claiming  individual  credit  or  demanding  personal  recog- 
nition. 

Mr.  Lane  was  married  in  1881  to  Miss  Jennie  Richardson,  a  daughter  of  D.  N-. 
Richardson  and  a  native  of  Davenport.  They  have  three  children :  Dick  R.,  who 
is  now  associated  with  the  firm  of  Lane  &  Waterman;  Jeanette,  student  in  St. 
Katherine's  school,  a  private  institution;  and  Reed,  who  is  attending  the  Iowa 
State  University  Law  School.  Mr.  Lane  has  attained  the  highest  degrees  in 
Masonry,  and  is  also  connected  with  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 
He  likewise  belongs  to  the  Outing  Club  and  the  Arsenal  Golf  Qub.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Business  Men's  Association  and  a  patron  of  the  many  public 
beneficiaries  which  exist  in  Davenport.  He  is  without  sham  or  pretense,  yet 
there  is  not  the  least  shadow  of  mock  modesty  about  him.  He  stands  as  a  high 
type  of  the  American  business  man  and  citizen,  whose  ideals  are  high,  whose 
methods  are  practical,  who  is  active  and  energetic  in  all  public  and  private  work 
and  with  laudable  ambition  for  his  own  success  displays  a  helpful  and  broad- 
minded  interest  in  public  aflfairs  that  has  constituted  his  services  of  wide  benefit 
to  the  city  and  state. 


EDWIN  W.  BRADY. 


In  the  years  of  Davenport's  early  development  Edwin  W.  Brady  became  one 
of  its  residents  and  continued  throughout  his  remaining  days  as  one  of  its  repre- 
sentative citizens,  his  labors  beingt  a  tangible  element  for  the  growth  and  better- 
ment of  the  community  at  large.  He  was  bom  in  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  Febru- 
ary 22,  1826,  and  was  therefore  a  young  man  of  twenty-eight  years  when  he 
arrived  in  Davenport  in  1854.  Throughout  his  life  he  stood  for  those  things 
which  uplift  hiunanity,  which  advance  progress  and  promote  improvement.  He 
was  a  stalwart  champion  of  the  cause  of  temperance,  laboring  along  practical, 
effective  and  far-reaching  lines  to  curb  and  suppress  the  liquor  traffic.  About 
1880  he  purchased  the  Blue  Ribbon  News  from  Dr.  Morgan.  This  was  a  journal 
devoted  to  the  cause  of  temperance  amd,  changing  its  name  to  the  Northwestern 
News,  Mr.  Brady  continued  its  publication  for  some  time.  His  sons  were  in- 
terested with  him  in  this  enterprise  and  later  they  founded  the  Daily  Times,  with 
which  the  father  was  financially  connected.  At  a  still  later  date  the  sons  went  to 
New  York  to  become  stockholders  in  McQure's  Magazine  Company  and  have  since 
been  associated  with  that  enterprise,  helping  to  build  up  the  business  and  make 
the  magazine  what  it  is  today — one  of  the  most  interesting,  entertaining  and  in- 


8  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

stiuctive  popular  magazines  of  the  country..  When  the  sons  removed  to  the  east 
the  father  retired  from  business,  spending  his  remaining  days  in  the  enjoyment 
of  well  earned  rest. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  i860,  Edwin  W.  Brady  was  imited  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Lydia  Frances  Weaver,  a  daughter  of  John  Weaver,  who  died  December  9, 
1908,  at  the  remarkable  old  age  of  ninety-six  years.  He  was  born  in  Fairfield 
county,  Ohio,  April  16,  1812,  and  was  there  reared  and  educated.  After  arriving 
at  years  of  maturity  he  was  married  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  on  the  30th  of  June, 
1837,  to  Miss  Julia  Ann  Warrington  Fuller,  who  died  March  I,  1899,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  ninety-three  years.  For  an  extended  period  John  Weaver  was  em- 
ployed in  a  wholesale  grocery  house  in  Cincinnati  and  was  then  appointed  post- 
master of  Little  Mill  Creek  by  President  Polk.  He  acted  as  postmaster  for  four 
years,  serving  first  at  Little  Mill  Creek  and  afterward  at  Ostrander,  Ohio.  While 
there  he  also  filled  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  and  his  opinions  were  strictly 
fair  and  impartial.  The  year  1853  witnessed  his  arrival  in  Davenport,  after  which 
time  he  did  not  again  engage  in  active  business.  All  of  the  family  lived  to  an  old 
age.  His  wife's  father  was  one  of  the  life  guard  of  George  Washington  and  was 
once  shot  while  serving  his  country.  He  recovered  his  health,  however,  and  lived 
for  some  time  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  labor,  reaching  the  age  of  ninety-nine 
years.  UntO'  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Weaver  were  bom  four  children :  Mrs.  Lydia 
F.  Brady,  C.  W.,  Albert  and  Mrs.  Melissa  Jennings. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brady  were  born  six  children :  Oscar  W. ;  Albert  B.,  who  is 
deceased;  Mrs.  Carrie  B.  Tagge;  Edwin  B.;  Ella  F. ;  and  Curtis  P.  As  previously 
stated,  the  surviving  sons  became  associated  with  their  father  in  newspaper  publi- 
cation and,  continuing  their  eflforts  in  the  field  of  magazine  publication,  all  are 
associated  with  the  conduct  and  management  of  McQure's,  Curtis  P.  being  the 
business  manager  of  the  magazine. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Brady  occurred  on  the  i6th  of  January,  1909,  and  thus 
passed  from  Davenport  one  whose  record  was  of  benefit  to  the  city  in  many 
essential  ways.  He  placed  a  correct  valuation  upon  life,  its  purposes  and  its  oppor- 
tunities and  was  never  a  self-centered  man  who  found  his  happiness  in  the  ac- 
quirement of  success!  to  be  used  alone  for  his  own  efiForts,  but  on  the  contrary 
knew  that  joy  which  comes  of  service  for  others,  and  from  practical,  effective 
effort  for  the  world's  uplift. 


JAMES  E.  LINDSAY. 


Prominent  for  many  years  among  the  mill  operators  of  the  Mississippi  river 
were  James  E.  Lindsay  and  John  B.  Phelps,  who  as  Lindsay  &  Phelps  were  for 
nearly  forty  years  connected  with  the  manufacture  of  lumber  at  Davenport. 

James  Edwin  Lindsay,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  at  Schroon,  Essex 
county.  New  York,  April  12,  1826.  His  ancestors  came  from  Scotland  in  1731 
and  settled  at  Argyle,  New  York.  His  great-great-grandfather  was  Donald 
Lindsay,  who  was  interested  in  the  grant  which  was  extended  to  Laughlin  Camp- 
bell and  was  one  of  the  hundred  founders  of  that  early  Argyle  community.     His 


^. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  11 

training  between  1826  and  1847  terminated  with  one  year's  schooling  in  civil  en- 
gineering at  Norwich,  Vermont.  His  father  was  a  hotel  keeper,  farmer  and 
lumber  manufacturer  combined.  Young  Lindsay  worked  at  measuring  and  the 
hauling  of  logs  at  his  father's  mill,  a  water  power  affair  propelled  by  the  old 
style  "flutter  wheel."  This  sawmill  was  facetiously  called  the  "Thunder  Shower 
Mill"  on  account  of  its  utter  inability  to  operate  unless  a  frequent  rain  would 
kindly  fill  the  small  creek  dam  from  which  it  drew  its  water  power.  Young 
Lindsay  was  in  an  atmosphere  that  was  apt  to  make  him  a  lumberman  and  in- 
cluded among  his  neighbors  Israel  Johnson,  the  inventor  of  the  much  used  "mu- 
lay"  saw,  and  Philetas  Sawyer,  the  long  time  prominent  lumberman  and  for 
many  years  United  States  senator  from  Wisconsin.  Logs  in  those  days  meas- 
ured about  two  standards  to  the  log,  a  standard,  according  to  Dimock's  rule,  being 
measured  on  the  basis  of  thirteen- foot  log,  nineteen  inches  at  the  top  end.  They 
were  made  up  of  perhaps  twenty-five  per  cent  clear  at  fifty  dollars  a  thousand; 
twenty-five  per  cent  second  clear  at  forty  dollars;  twenty-five  per  cent  select  at 
twenty  dollars;  and  twenty-five  per  cent  common,  worth  fourteen  dollars.  Be- 
fore his  twenty-first  birthday  anniversary  young  Lindsay  already  had  some  ex- 
perience in  the  logging  business  in  partnership  with  his  brother-in-law  John 
Tompkins.    The  firm  was  named  Lindsay  &  Tompkins  and  existed  for  four  years. 

In  the  fall  of  1856,  the  year  he  was  thirty  years  old,  he  came  west,  and  with 
his  savings  and  what  had  been  entrusted  to  him,  secured  about  seven  thousand 
dollars  worth  of  lands  through  land  warrants  in  the  Black  River  Falls  (Wis- 
consin)  country. 

In  March,  1861,  Mr.  Lindsay  located  permanently  at  Davenport,  Iowa,  and 
his  Black  river  timber  was  logged  and  rafted  to  Davenport,  where  it  was  sawed 
into  lumber  by  the  thousand  at  the  mills  at  that  place.  He  had  formed  a  part- 
nership with  E.  Harris,  of  Queensberry,  New  York,  the  understanding  being — 
as  above  referred  to — that  Mr.  Lindsay  was  to  come  west  and  look  about  and 
take  an  interest  in  whatever  looked  most  favorable.  The  absolute  trust  of  his 
partner  in  Mr.  Lindsay's  judgment  seems  to  have  colored  his  subsequent  career. 
He  had  not  only  his  own  interests  to  further  but  also  had  absolutely  in  his  keep- 
ing the  interests  of  another.  This  tended  to  make  him  conservative,  and  he  has 
always  been  a  conservative  man.  This  conservatism,  however,  should  not  be 
misjudged,  for  he  has  ever  had  an  aggressive  and  enthusiastic  confidence  in  the 
future  values  of  timber  lands. 

Later  in  1861  Mr.  Lindsay  secured  a  lease  of  the  Renwick  mill  in  Daven- 
port. Shortly  afterward  John  B.  Phelps  bought  Mr.  Harris'  interest  and  the 
firm  became  Lindsay  &  Phelps,  and  it  has  so  continued — barring  its  incorpora- 
tion in  1890 — for  nearly  fifty  years.  In  1866  Lindsay  &  Phelps  built  a  mill  at 
Davenport.  It  started  with  a  circular  saw;  a  gang  saw  was  added  in  1867,  at 
that  time  the  only  gang  mill  in  this  section  of  the  country ;  and  later,  in  1880,  a 
band  mill  was  added  and  other  necessary  machinery  for  a  more  modern  plant. 
The  mill  at  Davenport  continued  in  operation  until  the  close  of  the  season  of 
igo4 — a  period  of  thirty-nine  years.  The  corporation  of  Lindsay  &  Phelps 
Company  is  still  being  maintained,  the  present  officers  being  J.  E.  Lindsay,  presi- 
dent ;  R.  E.  Lindsay,  vice  president ;  Fred  Wyman,  secretary  and  treasurer ;  and 


12  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

George   F.  Lindsay,  assistant   secretary  and  treasurer.     John   B.   Phelps,   Mr. 
Lindsay's  long  time  partner,  died  in  July,  1900. 

Mr.  Lindsay's  confidence  in  pine  timber  was  of  the  broader  kind,  and  as  early 
as  1882,  with  his  close  friend  and  associate,  C.  R.  Ainsworth,  of  Moline,  Illinois, 
he  personally  located  the  first  holdings  of  the  Lindsay  Land  &  Lumber  Company 
in  Arkansas.  Perhaps  it  may  be  due  to  Mr.  Lindsay  and  Mr.  Ainsworth  that 
they  be  called  the  pioneer  northern  lumbermen  in  Arkansas,  and  surely  they 
were  among  the  earliest  to  purchase  timber  lands  in  that  section.  The  company's 
first  officers  were  J.  E.  Lindsay,  president;  C.  R.  Ainsworth,  vice  president;  J. 
B.  Phelps,  secretary ;  William  Renwick,  treasurer.  The  late  Hon.  D.  N.  Richard- 
son, a  newspaper  man  and  close  associate  in  those  early  days  of  investment  in 
the  south,  asked  Mr.  Lindsay  in  conversation  one  day,  "Is  there  a  chance  for  an 
outsider  to  put  some  money  in  your  southern  timber  company,  Mr.  Lindsay?" 
"Not  for  you,  a  newspaper  man,"  was  the  reply,  "for  it  takes  long  patience  and 
years  of  constant  outgo  of  money  to  work  out  a  proposition  of  this  kind,  and  you 
who  are  accustomed  to  annual  dividends  would  lack  the  'sand'  to  stay  with  such 
a  proposition."  Without  hesitancy  Mr.  Richardson  replied,  "We  have  the  sand 
and  only  ask  you  to  make  the  opportunity."  Mr.  Richardson  went  in  and  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death  that  quality  of  sand  first  shown  was  ever  apparent. 

Resulting  from  Mr.  Richardson's  enthusiasm  later  came  the  Richardson  Land 
&  Timber  Company,  with  D.  N.  Richardson  as  its  first  president.  The  present 
officers  are  J.  J.  Richardson,  president ;  Fred  Wyman,  vice  president ;  and  M.  N. 
Richardson,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  directors  are  J.  E.  Lindsay,  Rebecca 
Renwick,  J.  J.  Richardson,  Fred  'Wyman  and  J.  B,  Richardson.  This  company 
made  purchases  in  Little  River,  Dalls,  Sevier  and  Howard  counties,  Arkansas, 
and  later  extended  its  operations  into  Mississippi.  At  one  time  its  holdings 
amounted  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  acres  in  Arkansas  At  this  time 
it  owns  nearly  fifty  thousand  acres  in  Mississippi. 

In  1884  when  Renwick,  Shaw  and  Crossett  went  north  to  Cloquet,  Minne- 
sota, and  organized  the  Cloquet  Lumber  Company  with  George  S.  Shaw  as  its 
manager,  Mr.  Lindsay  and  Mr.  Phelps  became  members  of  that  company,  Mr. 
Lindsay  now  being  a  director. 

The  big  trees  of  the  Pacific  coast  next  attracted  Lindsay  &  Phelps'  atten- 
tion and,  associated  with  Weyerhaeuser  &  Denkmann  and  the  Richardson  inter- 
ests, they  organized  the  Sound  Timber  Company  on  December  23,  1899.  The 
officers  are  J.  E.  Lindsay,  president ;  Fred  C.  Denkmann,  vice  president ;  George 
F.  Lindsay,  secretary  and  treasurer;  and  with  F.  Weyerhaeuser,  Joe  R.  Lane 
and  M.  N.  Richardson  form  its  board  of  directors.  This  company  owns  some- 
thing over  fifty  thousand  acres  of  fir,  cedar  and  spruce  in  Skagit,  Snohomish, 
Whatcom  and  King  counties,  Washington,  and  Lane  county,  Oregon. 

Interest  was '  again  directed  to  the  south  in  1901,  and  Mr.  Lindsay,  with 
Weyerhaeuser  &  Denkmann,  the  Laird,  Norton  Company,  Dimock,  Gould  & 
Company,  and  the  Richardson  interests,  formed  the  Southland  Lumber  Company 
on  May  4  of  that  year,  for  the  purchase  of  timber  lands  in  Louisiana.  Its  offi- 
cers are :  F.  E.  Weyerhaeuser,  president ;  F.  C.  Denkmann,  vice  president ;  George 
F.  Lindsay,  secretary  and  treasurer ;  Fred  Wyman,  assistant  secretary  and  treas- 
urer.   The  directors  are  F.  Weyerhaeuser,  E.  P.  Denkmann,  H.  A.  Ainsworth, 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  13 

J.  E.  Lindsay,  F.  S.  Bell,  F.  H.  Thatcher,  Fred  C.  Denkmann,  Calvin  Ainsworth, 
Joe  R.  Lane,  M.  N.  Richardson  and  Fred  Wyman.  The  present  holdings  are  in 
southwestern  Louisiana  and  approximate  one  hundred  and  thirty  thousand  acres 
of  longleaf  yellow  pine. 

The  Southern  Lumber  Company  of  Arkansas  was  organized  January  28, 
1902,  by  Weyerhaeuser  &  Denkmann,  Dimock,  Gould  &  Company,  the  Richard- 
son interests  and  J.  E.  Lindsay,  purchasing  the  holdings  of  the  Lindsay  Land  & 
Lumber  Company,  previously  referred  to,  and  has  at  the  present  time  a  sawmill 
in  active  operation  at  Warren,  Arkansas,  and  seventy  thousand  acres  of  short- 
leaf  yellow  pine.  The  officers  are  F.  E.  Weyerhaeuser,  president;  E.  P.  Denk- 
mann, vice  president;  George  F.  Lindsay,  secretary;  Fred  Wyman,  treasurer; 
N.  H.  Clapp,  Jr.,  assistant  secretary  and  treasurer  and  general  manager.  The 
directors  are  F.  Weyerhaeuser,  C.  H.  Ainsworth,  J.  E.  Lindsay,  F.  E.  Weyer- 
haeuser, E.  P.  Denkmann,  Calvin  Ainsworth,  Joe  R.  Lane,  Fred  Wyman  and 
M.  N.  Richardson. 

Mr.  Lindsay  is  still  active  in  business,  keeping  in  touch  with  the  affairs  of 
the  companies  with  which  he  is  connected,  and  spending  several  hours  daily  at 
his  office.  Local  enterprises  have  always  received  the  strong  support  of  Lind- 
say &  Phelps,  and  Mr.  Phelps  was  before  his  death,  and  Mr.  Lindsay  now  is, 
identified  with  many  local  organizations. 

Mr.  Lindsay  married  in  1858  Mary  Helen  Phelps  at  Schroon  River,  Essex 
county.  New  York.  Three  children  were  born  of  this  union;  Ralph  E.  Lindsay; 
Mrs.  Fred  W)mian,  who  died  in  1905;  and  George  F.  Lindsay.  Mr.  and  Mrs^ 
Lindsay  have  two  grandchildren,  Edith  Helen  Wyman  and  Edwin  Blair  Lindsay. 

Mr.  Lindsay  has  always  manifested  a  deep  interests  in  the  religious  and 
charitable  institutions  of  the  community.  He  is  identified  with  the  Baptist  church, 
having  been  one  of  its  most  loyal  supporters  for  many  years.  His  interest  in 
young  men  was  evidenced  by  his  liberal  contribution  to  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association. 

The  results  of  environment  are  very  apparent  in  a  man  of  Mr.  Lindsay's 
character.  Long  years  of  association  with  kindly  mother  nature  as  exemplified 
in  her  vast  forests  have  intensified  in  him  those  inherent  qualities  which  are 
characteristic  of  the  grandest  forest  growth.  Their  physical  qualities  find  their 
counterpart  in  his  mentality — strength  of  purpose,  uprightness  of  character  and 
those  other  admirable  traits  which  are  typified  by  the  giants  of  the  forest  and  the 
stalwarts  among  men.  He  has  a  minute  knowledge  of  lumber  and  logs  which 
always  he  is  glad  to  share  generously  with  his  friends  and  of  which  they  par- 
take with  the  utmost  confidence  in  his  judgment,  notably  in  his  home  city,  the 
center  of  a  great  lumber  interest,  where  and  in  the  adjoining  cities  of  Rock  Is- 
land and  Moline  between  the  members  of  the  Lindsay  &  Phelps  Lumber  Com- 
pany and  all  competitive  lumber  and  logging  interests  in  the  three  cities  Mr. 
Lindsay's  thorough  knowledge  and  sterling  character  are  well  known  and  highly 
honored. 

While  of  a  modest  and  retiring  disposition,  one's  first  impression  of  Mr. 
Lindsay,  unconsciously  conveyed  by  him,  is  that  of  personal  dignity;  yet  he  is 
always  approachable.  He  is  never  hasty  in  judgment  and  his  decisions  are  al- 
ways the  result  of  intelligent  deliberation.    Perhaps  the  only  voluntary  exercise 


14  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

of  his  innate  qualities  that  needs  restraint  is  his  ready  generosity,  his  practical 
sympathy  for  misfortune.  In  the  sense  that  makes  the  characteristic  a  strongly 
commendable  one,  he  is  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  figures  in  the  lumber  m- 
dustry  of  the  middle  west. 


EMANUEL  PHILLIP  ADLER. 

Emanuel  Phillip  Adler,  as  president  of  the  Lee  Newspaper  Syndicate,  repre- 
sents that  spirit  of  organization  and  coordination  of  forces  that  constitutes  one 
of  the  most  forceful  and  vital  elements  in  the  business  life  of  the  times.  It  is 
but  another  expression  of  the  truth  of  the  old  adage  that  "in  union  there  is 
strength,"  for  with  combined  interests  the  expenditure  of  time,  labor  and  ma- 
terial is  reduced  to  a  minimum  in  the  accomplishment  of  maximum  results. 
Bending  his  eiforts  to  administrative  direction  and  executive  control  as  head  of 
the  Lee  Newspaper  Syndicate,  Mr.  Adler  has  justified  his  adoption  of  the  print- 
ing business  as  a  life  work,  for  in  this  field  he  has  advanced  from  a  humble 
position  to  one  of  leadership.  He  was  born  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  September  30 
1872,  and  was  taken  to  Ottumwa,  Iowa,  by  his  parents,  P  E.  and  Bertha  Adler, 
in  1874.  His  youthful  days  were  therefore  passed  in  this  state,  and  in  Ottumwa 
he  pursued  his  education  in  the  common  schools  to  the  age  of  fourteen  years, 
when  he  began  learning  the  printer's  trade.  He  afterward  secured  a  position 
in  a  Chicago,  newspaper  office  as  "sub"  when  seventeen  years  of  age,  and  later, 
returning  to  Ottumwa  he  secured  a  position  as  printer  on  the  Ottumwa  Courier. 
In  1894  he  was  given  a  trial  as  "cub"  reporter  on  the  Courier  and  proving  his 
worth  was  promoted  from  time  to  time  serving  successively  in  the  position  of 
editor,  managing  editor  and  business  manager.  In  1900  A.  W.  Lee,  publisher 
of  the  Courier,  purchased  the  Davenport  Times  and  established  the  Lee  News- 
paper Syndicate,  and  in  January,  1901,  Mr.  Adler  was  sent  to  Davenport  as  pub- 
lisher of  the  Times.  The  policy  which  he  inaugurated  in  its  management  made  it 
one  of  the  profitable  journals  of  the  state  and  the  evidence  of  business  ability 
which  he  thus  displayed  led  to  his  election  to  the  presidency  oif  the  syndicate 
upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Lee  in  1907.  Five  daily  papers  constitute  this  syndicate: 
the  Davenport  Times ;  the  Ottumwa  Courier ;  the  Muscatine  Journal ;  the  La- 
Cross  Tribune ;  and  the  Hannibal  Courier-Post. 

Mr.  Adler's  activities  extend  to  political  circles,  wherein  his  labors  have 
largely  advanced  the  interests  of  the  republican  party  in  Iowa.  He  was  made 
state  central  committeeman  from  the  second  district,  was  chosen  secretary  of  the 
committee  and  given  charge  of  the  press  bureau  in  the  Taft  campaign.  To  prac- 
tical politics  he  brings  the  results  of  business  experience  and  that  wise  direction 
of  forces  which  have  been  salient  elements  in  the  general  movement  toward 
placing  the  republican  party  in  Iowa  beyond  the  pale  of  possible  diminution  of 
power. 

On  the  5th  of  February,  1902,  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Adler  to  Miss 
Lena  Rothschild,  a  daughter  of  the  late  David  R.  Rothschild,  president  of  the 
Rothschild  Grain  Company.     Their  only  son,  Phillip  David  Adler,  is  now  a  lad 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  15 

of  six  years.  Mr.  Adler's  social  nature  finds  expression  in  his  membership 
in  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  the  Arsenal  Golf  Club,  the  Out- 
ing and  Rock  Island  Clubs — assiociations  which  also  indicate  the  nature  of 
his  recreation.  Moreover,  he  is  prominent  in  the  Davenport  Commercial  Club, 
serving  as  its  vice  president  and  as  a  member  of  its  board  of  directors.  He  is 
active  in  all  projects  looking  to  the  development  of  the  city  along  many  lines 
of  general  improvement  and  has  done  much  in  promoting  desired  results. 


ALFRED  CHRISTIAN  MUELLER. 

Fortunate  is  the  man  who  has  back  of  him  an  ancestry  honorable  and  dis- 
tinguished, and  happy  is  he  if  his  lines  of  life  are  cast  in  harmony  therewith. 
In  person,  in  talents  and  in  character  Alfred  Christian  Mueller  is  a  worthy 
scion  of  his  race.  He  is  a  representative  in  the  maternal  line  of  a  family  that 
has  figured  conspicuously  in  connection  with  the  legal  history  of  Davenport  for 
fifty-seven  years,  and  in  his  personal  connection  with  the  bar  he  has  demon- 
strated the  possession  of  those  qualities  which  win  success  in  law  practice — 
close  application,  comprehensive  study  of  legal  principles  and  unfaltering  devo- 
tion to  the  interests  of  his  clients. 

Mr.  Mueller  was  born  in  Davenport,  June  14,  1875,  a  son  of  Christian  and 
Elfrieda  (Claussen)  Mueller.  The  father,  for  many  years  a  leading  lumber  mer- 
chant and  prominent  and  beloved  citizen  of  Davenport,  is  mentioned  at  length  on 
another  page  of  this  volume.  The  mother  was  a  daughter  of  Hans  Reimer 
Claussen,  who  in  1853  was  the  founder  of  the  present  law  firm  with  which  A.  C. 
Mueller  is  now  connected.  The  business  has  descended  by  legacy  or  purchase 
to  son  and  grandson  to  the  present  time  and  the  firm  has  ever  stood  as  one  of 
the  most  successful  and  representative  among  the  practitioners  of  the  Daven- 
port bar.  Hans  Reimer  Qaussen,  the  founder  of  the  firm,  was  born  in  Schles- 
wig-Holstein,  in  1804,  and  prepared  for  the  practice  of  law  as  a  student  in  the 
LTniversity  of  Kiel  between  the  years  1824  and  1829.  The  following  year  he 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  entered  upon  the  active  duties  of  the  profession 
near  his  old  home.  In  1834  he  opened  an  office  in  Kiel,  where  he  remained  in 
active  practice  until  1851,  when  he  was  exiled  by  the  King  of  Denmark,  then  ruler 
of  Schleswig-Holstein.  He  had  served  as  a  member  of  the  legislature  of  Hol- 
stein  from  1840  until  185 1  and  in  1848-9  was  a  member  of  the  German  parlia- 
ment, which  convened  in  May  of  the  former  year.  For  the  prominent  part 
which  he  took  in  the  discussion  of  governmental  affairs,  and  because  his  son 
Ernest  fought  in  the  ranks  of  the  revolutionists  of  1848,  the  family  were  exiled. 
America,  the  refuge  of  so  many  political  exiles  from  Germany,  offered  shelter 
and  opportunity  to  H.  R.  Claussen,  who,  arriving  in  Davenport  in  1851,  began 
the  study  of  the  English  language  and  two  years  thereafter  was  admitted  to  the 
bar.  His  son  Ernest  became  his  law  partner  and  the  firm  soon  took  rank  with 
the  leading  representatives  of  the  legal  profession  in  this  city.  In  1869  Hans  R. 
Claussen  was  elected  to  the  state  senate  for  a  four  years'  term,  and  his  knowledge 
of  the  law  enabled  him  to  take  active  part  in  the  revision  of  the  court  in  1873. 


16  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

He  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  upon  the  laws  enacted  during  his  con- 
nection with  the  general  assembly  and  also  upon  the  history  of  the  republican 
party,  aiding  largely  in  shaping  its  history  in  this  state.  In  May,  1832,  he  married 
Anna  Rahbeck,  a  daughter  of  a  Danish  civil  officer  and  niece  of  a  celebrated 
Danish  poet.  Ernest  Claussen,  who  became  his  father's  law  partner  and  was 
an  uncle  of  A.  C.  Mueller,  was  born  in  1833,  spent  the  first  two  years  in  Amer- 
ica in  St.  Louis  and  then  became  a  resident  of  Davenport.  Following  his  father's 
retirement  from  the  bar  in  1870  he  continued  in  practice  alone  until  his  son  Al- 
fred became  his  associate.  Moreover,  he  was  prominent  in  connection  with  munic- 
ipal affairs  and  that  his  fellow  townsmen  recognized  his  devotion  to  the  public 
welfare  is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  he  was  for  five  terms  mayor  of  Davenport. 

From  a  family  of  lawyers,  therefore,  Alfred  Christian  Mueller  was  de- 
scended in  the  maternal  line.  At  the  usual  age  he  became  a  pupil  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  and  afterward  attended  Duncan's  Commercial  College,  while  for  one 
year  he  was  a  student  in  the  polytechnic  school  at  Hanover,  Germany.  His 
literary  course  completed,  he  took  up  the  study  of  law  and  afterward  pursued 
his  reading  for  one  year  under  the  direction  of  Julius  Lischer.  He  next  entered 
the  law  school  of  the  Iowa  State  University,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
1897  and  afterward  spent  one  year  in  the  office  of  Lischer  &  Bawden.  He  next 
went  to  New  York  and  pursued  a  three  years'  course  in  law  in  Columbia  Uni- 
versity, from  which  he  was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1901.  Returning  to  Daven- 
port, he  became  associated  with  the  Mueller  Lumber  Company  as  auditor,  but  in 
1903  entered  actively  upon  the  practice  of  law  and  became  the  successor  of  his 
cousin,  Alfred  Claussen,  thus  continuing  the  firm  which  was  founded  by  his 
grandfather. 

On  the  2ist  of  January,  1903,  Mr.  Mueller  was  married  to  Lulu  May  Ells- 
worth, a  native  of  New  York  city  and  i  daughter  of  Albert  Starr  and  Cora  Ells- 
worth, who  were  of  English  descent.  Mr.  Mueller  takes  little  active  part  in 
politics  but  is  a  member  of  the  school  board  and  is  much  interested  in  the  cause 
of  education,  recognizing  the  full  value  of  public  instruction  as  one  of  the  bul- 
warks of  the  nation. 


EDWARD  SAVAGE  CROSSETT. 

The  lumber  industry  occupies  a  most  important  relation  to  the  development 
of  the  United  States.  One  of  the  most  interesting  chapters  in  our  national  his- 
tory is  that  recounting  the  origin  of  this  far-reaching  activity,  the  struggles  of 
its  pioneers,  their  privations  and  triumphs  and  the  marvelous  growth  which  the 
business  has  now  attained  in  certain  sections  of  our  common  country.  Employ- 
ing, as  it  does,  literally  an  army  of  men ;  offering  channels  of  investment  for  mil- 
lions of  dollars ;  this  branch  of  trade  takes  easily  front  rank  as  one  of  the  wealth 
producing  agencies  of  America.  One  of  the  captains  in  this  great  industry  is 
the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

When  one  has  spent  the  fifty  most  active  years  of  his  effective  life  in  one 
section  of  the  country  and  in  the  pursuit  of  a  single  enterprise  which  has  issued 


/i^^p-^t^ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  19 

in  ultimately  fortunate  results  to  himself  and  those  associated  with  him,  he 
most  certainly  has  contributed  to  the  development  of  the  industry  and  has  won 
for  himself  a  large  and  merited  place  in  the  history  of  that  locality.  Such  a 
man  is  Edward  Savage  Crossett  of  Davenport,  Iowa.  For  half  a  century  he 
has  played  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  lumber  business  of  the  entire  Mississippi 
valley  and  is  a  masterful  factor  in  council  and  conference  wherever  in  that  entire 
section  men  interested  in  yellow  pine  foregather. 

Mr.  Crossett  was  born  in  West  Plattsburg,  Clinton  bounty,  New  York,  Feb- 
ruary 4,  1828,  near  the  scene  of  the  battle  of  Plattsburg,  historic  in  the  war  of 
1812.  His  father,  John  Savage  Crossett,  participated  actively  in  that  war  as  a 
soldier  in  the  American  army.  The  subject  of  our  sketch  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  and  in  an  academy  .  His  first  employment  was  in  the 
printing  office  of  Bardwell  &  Kneeland,  at  Troy,  which  work,  however,  he  aban- 
doned on  account  of  failing  health.  His  new  position  as  clerk  in  a  shoe  store 
brought  him  the  munificent  salary  of  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  each  month 
and  board.  In  1846,  when  eighteen  years  of  age,  he  became  clerk  in  the  village 
store  at  Schroon  Lake,  New  York,  and  two  years  later  he  and  his  brother  pur- 
chased the  establishment.  It  was  here  that  he  first  became  interested  in  the 
lumber  business,  handling  pine  and  spruce  lumber  in  small  quantities. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-two  Mr.  Crossett  turned  his  business  over  to  his  brother 
and  started  west.  From  Cincinnati  he  journeyed  to  St.  Louis  by  steamer,  and 
in  the  spring  of  1852  on  to  St.  Paul,  going  soon  to  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin,  where 
he  remained  one  year  and  six  months.  In  the  meantime  business  matters  had 
not  gone  well  in  the  east,  his  brother  had  sold  the  property  at  a  loss  and  young 
Crossett  was  under  the  handicap  of  debts,  if  anything  can  handicap  one  so 
strong  and  courageous.  With  the  restiveness  of  an  honest  nature  smarting  under 
the  sense  of  unmet  obligations,  he  assumed  the  entire  burden  and  eventually 
paid  the  last  dollar. 

In  the  fall  of  1853  Mr.  Crossett  went  to  Black  River  Falls,  Wisconsin,  where 
he  took  charge  of  a  supply  store  for  lumbermen.  He  was  in  entire  command  of 
this  enterprise,  from  the  making  contract  for  supplies  to  the  sale  of  the  goods. 
His  experience  as  a  merchant  in  the  Adirondacks  served  him  well,  and  so  satis- 
factory were  the  results  that  his  employers  united  their  four  stores  into  one  and 
gave  him  its  management.  From,  1854  to  1856  he  was  postmaster  of  Black 
River  Falls,  and  in  the  latter  year  he  associated  himself  with  W.  T.  Price  in  a 
supply  store  busifiess  of  their  own,  returning,  however,  a  year  later  to  his  former 
employers. 

Then  came  a  period  of  reverses  in  which  Mr.  Crossett  suffered  heavy  losses. 
The  freshet  of  the  following  year  swept  the  company's  logs  down  the  river  and 
out  of  reach;  as  a  result  the  company  was  forced  to  suspend  operations  and  go 
into  bankruptcy.  A  portion  of  Mr.  Crossett's  capital  and  two  years  salary  were 
sunk  in  the  general  collapse.  In  1859  he  started  a  supply  store  of  his  own,  but 
shortly  after  was  burned  out  with  the  complete  loss  of  stock  and  building.  Still 
undaunted  and  unafraid,  Mr.  Crossett  gathered  up  the  threads  of  his  raveled 
business  and  attempted  to  again  weave  them  together.  Succeeding  in  obtaining 
the  equivalent  of  some  bills  due  him,  in  the  shape  of  lumber  and  hewn  timber, 
he  rafted  it  down  the  river  in  1861  and  sold  it  where  he  could,  but  was  obliged 


20  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

to  take  in  payment  "stump  tail  currency,"  which  depreciated  largely  before  he 
could  dispose  of  it.  Thus  Mr.  Crossett's  first  eight  years  in  the  west  brought 
him  little  but  valuable  experience. 

In  this  same  year  Mr.  Crossett  was  employed  to  assist  J.  E.  Lindsay,  who  was 
shortly  thereafter  joined  in  partnership  by  J.  B.  Phelps;  and  subsequently  he 
was  connected  with  other  concerns  until  1870.  For  several  years  he  ran  the 
yards  of  Isaac  Spaulding  in  East  St.  Louis,  spending  his  winters  in  picking  up 
stock  on  Black  river.  From  1870  to  1875  he  was  engaged  in  scaling  logs  and 
estimating  timber;  purchasing  for  himself  parcels  of  timber  land  whenever  such 
were  available  and  seemed  valuable. 

In  1873  Mr.  Crossett  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Harmony  E.  Clark, 
of  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts,  and  from  that  auspicious  day  dates,  as  he  declares, 
his  real  prosperity.  The  two  made  their  home  in  Nielsville,  Wisconsin,  until 
February,  1875,  when  they  removed  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  where  Mr.  Crossett 
became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Renwick,  Shaw  &  Crossett.  Their  son,  Edward 
Clark  Crossett,  was  born  at  Davenport,  August  7,  1882.  The  same  year  marks 
Mr.  Crossett's  first  investment  in  yellow  pine,  as  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
Lindsay  Land  &  Lumber  Company. 

In  1884  Renwick,  Shaw  &  Crossett  bought  a  sawmill  and  some  pine  land 
at  Cloquet,  Minnesota.  Two  years  later  Mr.  Crossett  sold  his  interest  to  Mr. 
Shaw,  taking  in  payment  ten  thousand  acres  of  Arkansas  land  covered  with 
yellow  pine.  His  friends  were  confident  that  he  had  made  a  serious  mistake  in 
acquiring  Arkansas  property,  but  the  soundness  of  his  judgment  was  speedily 
vindicated.  Convinced  by  personal  inspection  of  the  great  possibilities  in  yellow 
pine,  he  became  extensively  interested  in  other  companies  operating  in  the  south. 
Already  a  heavy  stockholder  in  the  Eagle  Lumber  Company,  of  Eagle  Mills, 
Arkansas,  and  in  the  Gates  Lumber  Company,  of  Wilmar,  Arkansas,  he,  in 
company  with  C.  W.  Gates  and  Dr.  J.  W.  Watzek,  purchased  in  1892  the  Fordyce 
Lumber  Company,  of  Fordyce,  Arkansas. 

In  the  principle  of  cooperation  Mr.  Crossett  has  always  been  interested. 
With  William  Morris,  its  modern  apostle,  he  has  believed  that  the  profits  accru- 
ing from  any  enterprise  should  in  some  equitable  way  be  divided  among  those 
producing  them.  In  1899  the  Crossett  Lumber  Company  was  organized  on  a 
cooperative  basis,  not  as  the  result  of  any  dreaming  of  a  modern  Utopia,  but 
as  a  business  proposition,  and  partly  no  doubt  because  of  his  own  long  bout  with 
the  "slings  and  arrows  of  outrageous  fortune."  In  the  cooperative  organization 
Messrs.  Crossett,  Watzek  and  Gates  held  three-fourths  of  the  stock  and  certain 
employes  the  other  one-fourth.  In  recognition  of  Mr.  Crossett's  generosity, 
his  fine  sense  of  justice  in  this  self-centered  age,  and  of  his  wise  council  and 
cooperation  always  so  freely  given,  his  associates  named  the  new  town  in  his 
honor,  and  Crossett,  Arkansas,  came  upon  the  map. 

After  eight  years  of  actual  operation,  this  town  has  come  from  the  virgin 
forest  to  be  one  of  the  "show  towns"  of  the  entire  south.  Here  dwell  a  pros- 
perous people,  numbering  upward  of  two  thousand,  each  in  a  home  good  enough 
for  the  best  and  at  rents  that  return  to  the  corporation  only  a  very  low  interest 
rate  on  the  investment.    The  town  rejoices  in  a  fine  public  school  costing  upward 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  21 

of  fifteen  thousand  dollars,  a  well  equipped  hospital  worth  thirty-five  thousand 
dollars,  two  good  churches  well  supported  and  effective,  and  a  clubhouse  and 
swimming  pool  costing  something  like  fifteen  to  twenty  thousand  dollars,  these 
latter  the  personal  gift  of  Mr.  Crossett  to  the  youth  and  manhood  of  the  town. 
There  is  a  five-mile  liquor  law  and  it  is  enforced ;  the  finest  type  of  labor  gravi- 
tates here  naturally,  and  it  is  to  be  doubted  if  any  finer  specimens  of  life  and 
character  can  be  found  in  any  lumber  town  in  the  world  than  flourish  and  mature 
in  this  favored  spot.  While  much  credit  for  these  conditions  is  surely  due  to 
the  splendid  men  whom  Mr.  Crossett  has  associated  with  him,  the  fact  still  re- 
mains that  it  is  due  to  his  influence,  his  ideals  and  his  character  that  the  town 
is  what  it  is. 

More  recently  Mr.  Crossett  has  extended  his  holdings  and,  as  an  influential 
member  of  the  Jackson  Lumber  Company,  of  Lockhart,  Alabama,  has  with  his 
associates  invested  in  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  acres  of  virgin  timber  in 
Alabama  and  Florida.  In  cooperation  with  Messrs.  Watzek  and  Gates,  the  two 
remaining  members,  a  large  sawmill  plant  was  built  at  Lockhart,  and  the  prop- 
erty otherwise  developed  and  increased.  In  1906  the  Crossett  Timber  Company, 
of  Davenport,  Iowa,  was  organized  for  operation  in  the  Pacific  northwest,  with 
holdings  chiefly  in  Washington  and  Oregon.  Mr.  Crossett  not  only  organized 
and  projected  this  company  but  retains  a  controlling  portion  of  the  stock  and 
direction  in  management  through  his  son,  Edward  Clark  Crossett,  its  president. 
Believing  that  a  man  should  dispose  of  his  property  and  provide  for  his  family 
during  his  lifetime,  while  still  in  his  early  seventies  Mr.  Crossett  organized  the 
Crossett  Land  &  Investment  Company  as  a  holding  company  for  the  greater 
part  of  his  property  and  gave  his  wife  and  son  equal  shares  with  himself. 

Religiously  Mr.  Crossett  has  always  been  known  as  a  sincere  and  earnest 
worshiper  of  the  God  of  the  forests.  Reared  as  a  Methodist,  and  a  member  of 
the  Baptist  church  from  the  age  of  twenty-five,  his  sympathies  have  always  been 
with  all  genuine  men  of  whatever  name  or  creed.  It  would  be  expected  that  a 
man  of  such  robust  personality  and  breadth  of  vision  would  have  fellowship 
with  all  good  men,  and  hence  his  interests  and  beneficences  have  outrun  all  de- 
nominational bounds.  He  was  a  member  of  the  building  committee  of  St.  John's 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  Davenport,  of  which  his  wife  and  son  are  com- 
municants, and  his  generosity  and  liberality,  with  that  of  one  or  two  others, 
made  that  superb  structure  possible.  His  proposition  to  give  fifty  thousand 
dollars  to  a  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  building  in  Davenport,  providing 
the  citizens  would  contribute  an  equal  amount,  was  the  means  of  securing  for 
his  home  city  one  of  the  best  equipped  structures  in  the  middle  west,  while  his 
private  benevolences,  about  which  even  his  right  hand  knows  not,  are  perpetual 
and  broadcast. 

Mr.  Crossett  is  that  type  of  manhood  for  which  America  is  most  famed  and 
for  which  she  may  well  be  proud ;  yet  only  now  and  then  in  a  century  is  she  able 
to  grow  one  of  his  superfine  qualities.  Born  with  little  promise  of  what  was  to 
be,  with  little  to  assure  him  such  a  future  as  has  been  his,  little  save  his  rugged, 
stalwart  character  and  his  tireless  determination,  all  graciously  shot  through 
with  his  changeless  trust  in  God.  Honest  to  the  core,  circumspect  in  life,  genial 
in  spirit,  alert  in  mentality,  helping  everybody  and  hindering  none,  wronging  no 


22  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

man  that  he  might  himself  gain,  but  enriching  all  others  by  his  own  prosperity, 
he  lives  an  honored  and  conspicuous  type  of  that  noblest  of  all  men — an  Ameri- 
can gentleman. 


GEORGE  W.  CABLE. 


George  W.  Cable,  since  1866  a  resident  of  Davenport  and  for  many  years 
one  of  the  most  prominent  representatives  of  the  lumber  trade  in  the  city,  is 
now  practically  living  retired  but  still  has  large  investments  and  commercial  in- 
terests. He  was  born  in  Athens  county,  Ohio,  June  Vj,  1831,  his  parents  being 
Hiram  and  Rachel  (Henry)  Cable.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Jefferson  county, 
New  York,  and  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  Washington  county,  Ohio.  The 
family  is  of  English  lineage  and  was  founded  in  America  by  James  Cable,  the 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  who  came  from  England  in  1770  and  settled  in  Mas- 
sachusetts, whence  representatives  of  the  name  removed  to  other  localities  and 
established  other  branches  of  the  family.  Mrs.  Rachel  Cable,  the  mother  of 
George  W.  Cable,  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent  and  was  a  lady  of  high  charac- 
ter, whose  influence  has  been  one  of  the  potent  forces  in  the  life  of  her  son. 
Hiram  Cable,  prominent  in  public  affairs,  labored  along  practical  and  effective 
lines  for  the  advancement  and  improvement  of  the  section  of  the  state  in  which 
he  lived".  Various  public  enterprises  were  promoted  by  him  and  commercial 
activity  was  also  stimulated  by  his  efforts  through  the  years  in  which  he  was 
engaged  in  merchandising  in  Athens  county,  Ohio.  Later  he  became  one  of 
the  projectors  of  the  Piqua  &  Indiana  Railroad,  now  a  branch  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Central,  and  was  one  of  the  largest  contractors  in  its  construction.  He 
also  served  for  nine  years  as  a  director  of  the  company.  He  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  picturesque  town  of  Cable  in  Champaign  county  and  in  many 
ways  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  for  good  upon  the  development  and 
substantial  upbuilding  of  that  section  of  the  state.  A  republican  in  politics,  he 
represented  his  district  in  the  state  legislature  and  did  not  a  little  toward  mold- 
ing public  thought  and  action.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  character,  fearless  in 
defense  of  what  he  believed  to  be  right  and  his  championship  of  any  measure 
was  an  effective  force  for  its  accomplishment. 

George  W.  Cable  acquired  a  good  English  education  in  the  schools  of  Ur- 
bana,  Ohio,  and  commenced  business  life  as  a  farmer  in  Champaign  county, 
where  he  successfully  conducted  agricultural  interests  for  two  years.  He  then 
sold  out  in  1857  and  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  for  nine  years  he  de- 
voted his  energies  to  general  agricultural  pursuits.  In  1866  he  came  to  Daven- 
port and  with  his  father  engaged  in  the  coal  business  and  lumber  trade.  Extend- 
ing the  scope  of  their  activities  to  include  an  extensive  and  up-to-date  lumber 
manufacturing  enterprise,  George  W.  Cable  has  since  been  actively  or  financially 
interested  in  the  business.  In  1874  his  father  retired  and  was  succeeded  by  John 
Hornby,  under  the  firm  name  of  Hornby  &  Cable.  This  association  was  main- 
tained until  the  death  of  the  senior  partner  in  1879,  in  which  year  the  business 
was  reorganized  under  the  name  of  the  Cable  Lumber  Company,  with  George 


"^  ry.  ^oJij-L^ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  25 

W.  Cable  as  president.  The  business  grew  to  mammoth  proportions,  the  Cable 
Company  becoming  a  power  in  lumber  circles.  The  enterprise  was  developed 
along  modern  business  lines,  its  ramifying  trade  interests  reaching  out  to  various 
sections  of  the  country,  while  the  close  conformity  of  the  house  to  a  high  stan- 
dard of  commercial  ethics  has  made  its  reputation  an  unassailable  one.  By  the 
stimulus  of  his  exertions  Mr.  Cable  aroused  the  enterprise  of  others  and  through 
this  means  added  to  his  own  efforts,  while  at  the  same  time  he  furnished  many 
with  remunerative  employment.  His  strict  integrity,  business  conservatism  and 
judgment  have  always  been  so  universally  recognized  that  he  has  enjoyed  pub- 
lic confidence  to  an  enviable  degree  and  naturally  this  has  brought  him  such  a 
lucrative  patronage  that  through  times  of  general  prosperity  and  general  adver- 
sity alike  he  has  witnessed  a  steady  increase  in  his  business  until  the  Cable  Lum- 
ber Company  now  controls  one  of  the  most  important  enterprises  of  this  charac- 
ter in  the  middle  west.  Now,  owing  to  failing  health,  Mr.  Cable  has  retired  from 
active  work,  his  interests,  however,  being  carefully  guarded  and  augmented  by 
his  son.  As  the  years  went  by  he  made  other  investments  of  an  important  char- 
acter, including  some  of  the  milling  enterprises,  banking  and  telephone  interests. 
He  was  likewise  a  director  in  several  railroads  and  his  cooperation  in  any  pro- 
ject has  been  taken  as  proof  of  its  worth  because  of  his  business  discernment 
and  known  reliability. 

On  the  i8th  of  October,  1854,  Mr.  Cable  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Eliza  E.  Baldwin,  a  daughter  of  Richard  Baldwin,  of  Champaign  county,  Ohio. 
Their  only  son  and  Mr.  Cable's  namesake  is  his  worthy  successor  in  business. 
Active  in  the  Presbjrterian  church,  Mr.  Cable  practices  charity  without  ostenta- 
tion and  Christianity  without  cant.  His  name  is  unsullied  and  there  is  no  man 
who  occupies  a  more  enviable  position  in  industrial  and  financial  circles.  His 
rise  in  the  business  world  has  been  continuous  and  has  been  the  legitimate  out- 
come of  methods  that  neither  seek  nor  require  disguise. 


HON.  GEORGE  W.  SCOTT. 

Hon.  George  W.  Scott,  mayor  of  the  city  of  Davenport,  whose  experiences 
have  been  wide  and  whose  course  has  been  marked  by  continuous  progress,  was 
born  on  a  farm  near  Le  Roy,  in  Oldtown  township,  McLean  county,  Illinois, 
January  31,  1861.  His  parents  were  William  H.  and  Eunice  B.  (Lebo)  Scott, 
the  former  of  Irish  descentv  and  the  latter  of  French  hneage.  The  maternal 
grandfather  was  bom  in  France,  and  some  of  the  Lebo  family  were  participants 
in  the  Revolutionary  war  and  the  war  of  1812,  while  brothers  of  Eunice  B.  Lebo 
served  in  the  Civil  war. 

William  H.  Scott  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  carried  on  agricultural 
pursuits  and  stock-raising  on  an  extensive  scale.  He  died  March  19,  1889,  near 
Lincoln,  Nebraska,  which  city  was  at  that  time  his  home.  His  widow  now  re- 
sides with  a  daughter  near  Enid,  Oklahoma.  Their  family  numbered  four  sons 
and  two  daughters,  five  of  whom  are  living :  George  W. ;  Ira,  who  is  on  a  farm 
near  Cashion,   Oklahoma;  Wilson  H.,  living  near  La  Cygne,   Kansas;  Orris, 


26  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

whose  home  is  near  Norfolk,  Nebraska;  and  Emma,. the  wife  of  John  Hollar, 
near  Enid,  Oklahoma. 

George  W.  Scott  was  reared  to  farm  life  and  attended  the  district  schools 
until  nineteen  years  of  age,  when  he  continued  his  studies  in  the  Evergreen  City- 
Business  College,  at  Bloomington,  Illinois,  pursuing  a  commercial  course.  He 
afterward  entered  the  Illinois  State  Normal  University  at  Normal,  Illinois, 
and  there  pursued  a  two  years'  course.  He  afterward  engaged  in  teaching  in 
the  country  and  graded  schools  for  three  years  and,  making  advance  in  this 
field  of  labor  as  he  has  in  every  other  to  which  he  has  directed  his  attention,  he 
became  principal  of  the  graded  schools  at  Morton,  Ilhnois.  After  a  short  time 
he  was  appointed  superintendent  of  the  Indian  school  and  special  disbursement 
agent  at  Fort  Stevenson,  Dakota,  now  North  Dakota.  He  continued  in  that 
position  from  October  28,  1885,  until  January  8,  1889,  when  he  was  appointed 
superintendent  by  Hon.  J.  D.  C.  Atkins,  commissioner  of  Indian  affairs,  and 
at  the  same  time  received  appointment  as  special  disbursing  agent  from  the 
Hon.  L.  Q.  C.  Lamar,  secretary  of  the  interior  during  President  Cleveland's 
first  administration. 

Shortly  after  reaching  Fort  Stevenson  Mr.  Scott  was  appointed  first  post- 
master of  the  fort  by  General  Adlai  E.  Stevenson,  first  assistant  postmaster- 
general.  This  was  an  old  military  fort  established  in  1868  and  when  Mr.  Scott 
received  this  appointment  the  military  reservation  was  set  off,  in  charge  of  the 
interior  department,  for  school  purposes  and  he  was  placed  in  charge  as  its 
first  bonded  officer.  He  not  only  had  charge  of  the  school  and  reservation  but 
also  established  an  industrial  school  to  which  he  brought  many  Indian  children 
who  were  there  taught  the  different  trades  and  industries.  On  the  8th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1889,  by  order  of  the  secretary  of  the  interior  and  commissioner  of  Indian 
affairs,  Mr.  Scott  was  transferred  to  the  superintendency  of  the  Chilocco  Indian 
Training  School  at  Chilocco,  Indian  Territory,  with  an  annual  increase  of  salary 
of  three  hundred  dollars.  At  the  time  that  was  one  of  the  largest  Indian  train- 
ing schools  in  the  service,  having  an  enrollment  of  some  three  hundred  boys  and 
girls.  General  John  H.  Oberly  had  charge  of  the  Indian  affairs  and  the  Hon. 
William  Vilas  was  secretary  of  the  interior.  Mr.  Scott  remained  in  charge  of 
the  school  until  December  i,  1889,  when  he  resigned  to  devote  his  attention  to 
the  reading  of  law.  At  the  school  he  had  had  thirty-five  employes  under  him, 
had  conducted  a  farm  of  five  hundred  acres,  had  carried  on  stock-raising  quite 
extensively  and  had  superintended  all  the  manual  and  graded  school  work.  He 
was  one  of  the  pioneers  in  the  work  of  the  Indian  training  schools  and  suc- 
ceeded in  demonstrating  their  worth  in  the  civilizing  of  the  red  race. 

While  thus  engaged  Mr.  Scott  read  law  in  his  leisure  moments.  His  read- 
ing was  directed  by  C.  T.  Atkinson,  at  Arkansas  City,  Kansas,  and  after  his 
admission  to  the  bar,  on  the  20th  of  April,  1890,  he  practiced  there  until  April, 
1 89 1,  when  he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  which  position  he  continued  to 
fill  tmtil  elected  county  attorney,  January  i,  1893.  He  filled  the  latter  position 
for  two  years  and  following  his  retirement  from  office  removed  to  Davenport 
on  the  1st  of  February,  1895,  and  has  since  been  a  representative  of  the  bar  in 
this  city.  While  engaged  in  teaching  and  also  while  pursuing  his  studies  Mr. 
Scott  devoted  some  time  to  the  newspaper  business,  being  correspondent  for  the 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  27 

Bloomington  Bulletin.  He  also  worked  for  the  Pekin  (Illinois)  Times  and 
while  in  Kansas  he  was  for  a  time  associate  editor  of  the  Arkansas  City  Val- 
ley Democrat  and  correspondent  for  a  number  of  years  for  other  papers.  Dur- 
ing the  fifteen  years  of  his  connection  with  the  legal  profession  of  Davenport 
he  has  made  substantial  advance  and  has  conducted  many  important  litigated  in- 
terests. He  formed  a  partnership  with  William  Theophilus  which  continued 
itntil  April  i,  1898,  when  Mr.  Scott  was  appointed  city  attorney  at  Davenport, 
holding  the  position  until  April  i,  1900.  He  was  then  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  law  alone  until  January  i,  1905,  when  he  formed  partnership  relations  with 
B.  I.  Salinger  and  William  Theophilus  under  the  firm  name  of  Salinger,  Scott 
&  Theophilus,  which  relation  was  maintained  until  May  17,  1909.  On  the  ist 
of  April,  1906,  Mr.  Scott  was  appointed  city  attorney  of  Davenport,  which  office 
he  held  until  the  election  of  1908,  when  he  was  chosen  to  the  highest  official 
position  in  the  gift  of  the  city,  being  elected  mayor  for  a  two  years'  term.  In 
1904  he  was  the  democratic  nominee  for  county  attorney  but  was  defeated  by  one 
hundred  and  eighty-one  votes.  He  ran  far  ahead  of  his  ticket,  however,  as  is 
indicated  in  the  fact  that  Roosevelt  in  the  same  year  was  given  a  majority  of 
twenty-five  hundred. 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1887,  Mr.  Scott  was  married  to  Miss  Rosemary  Spier, 
of  Peoria,  Illinois,  and  they  have  six  children:  Walter  Howell,  Maris  Stella, 
Coaina  Marie,  Eunice  Marie,  Sylvester  Hackney,  and  George  Winans.  The 
family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  church  and  Mr.  Scott  holds  membership  with 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  the  Woodmen  of  the  World,  the  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen,  the  National  Union,  the  Modem  Brotherhood  of  America, 
the  Odd  Fellows'  society  and  the  Elks,  and  has  filled  nearly  all  of  the  chairs  in 
nearly  all  of  these  organizations.  He  was  exalted  ruler  of  the  Elks  lodge  for 
two  years,  was  district  deputy  of  the  southern  division  of  Iowa  and  was  one  of 
the  board  of  directors  of  the  Elks  Building  Association.  He  has  also  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Elks  grand  lodge.  He  has  taken  a  very  active  part  in  society  and 
political  affairs  and  has  been  called  upon  to  deliver  many  speeches  and  ora- 
tions, both  in  the  lodges  and  during  political  campaigns.  He  has  been  attorney 
for  a  number  of  corporations  in  this  city  and  has  met  with  eminent  success  as 
a  criminal  lawyer.  He  stands  as  a  splendid  representative  of  the  men  whose 
strength  of  character  and  ability  have  enabled  them  to  work  their  way  upward. 
Mr.  Scott  provided  for  his  own  education  and  though  he  has  met  with  many 
hardships  and  difficulties  in  life,  he  has  made  continuous  advancement  and  is 
today  a  forceful  character  in  the  professional  and  political  circles  of  his  adopted 
city. 


HENRY  MOELLER. 

Henry  Moeller  is  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  wealthy  of  the  many  suc- 
cessful agriculturists  of  Cleona  township,  although  he  has  now  forsaken  the 
active  work  of  the  farm,  to  which  he  devoted  himself  with  such  energy  for  so 
many  years  and  now  makes  his  home  in  the  village  of  Walcott.  He  was  bom 
in  the  province  of  Mecklenburg,  Germany,  September   17,  1848.     His  parents. 


28  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

John  and  Caroline  Moeller,  were  also  natives  of  the  fatherland  and  came  to  the 
United  States  in  1854.  Immediately  after  their  arrival  in  this  country  they  came 
to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  locating  in  Blue  Grass  township,  where  Mrs.  Moeller  died. 
She  was  not  able  to  withstand  the  hardships  of  travel  in  those  early  days  when 
there  was  nothing  to  shorten  the  tiresome  journey  across  the  ocean,  and  the  means 
of  crossing  the  mountains  and  prairies  were  most  primitive.  Mr.  Moeller  him- 
self did  not  live  to  see  the  great  change  which  transformed  the  character  of 
this  county  for  he  passed  away  seven  years  after  his  advent  here.  Only  two 
sons  were  bom  to  him  and  his  wife — Henry,  the  subject  of  this  review;  and 
Charles,  a  resident  of   Shelby,  Iowa. 

Henry  Moeller,  when  being  deprived  of  his  father's  guidance  in  his  youth, 
found  employment  and  a  home  upon  his  uncle's  farm,  where  he  remained  until 
he  reached  man's  estate,  ,and,  having  married,  was  filled  with  the  natural  desire 
to  make  a  home  of  his  own.  Accordingly  he  bought  a  large  tract  of  land  in 
Cleona  township,  to  whose  cultivation  he  devoted  himself  assiduously  until 
May  22,  1906,  when  he  felt  that  a  large  income,  the  generous  return  of  his 
years  of  labor,  entitled  him  to  the  respite  from  toil  he  desired  and  he  took  up  his 
residence  in  Walcott.  He  had  previously  built  a  fine  residence,  whose  many 
modern  conveniences  indicate  the  progressive  spirit  which  was  as  potent  a  fac- 
tor in  his  success  as  the  industry  and  frugality.  In  addition  to  operating  his 
own  place,  Mr.  Moeller  improved  and  cultivated  a  fine  tract  of  one  hundred  and 
thirty-four  acres  belonging  to  his  wife  and  another  of  sixty  acres  owned  by  his 
mother-in-law. 

On  the  6th  of  February,  1875,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Moeller 
and  Miss  Caroline  Feuerbach,  who  was  born  in  Cleona  township,  this  county,' 
April  14,  1858,  and  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Elizabeth  (Dietz)  Feuer- 
bach. Her  father  was  a  native  of  Hesse-Darmstadt,  Germany,  where  his  birth 
occurred  May  20,  1817,  and  he  came  to  the  United  States  in  1853.  He  was  ac- 
companied by  his  sister  Lizzie,  who  later  became  the  wife  of  Jacob  Adomey  and 
was  the  only  other  member  of  his  family  to  come  to  America.  She  like  her  hus- 
band has  now  passed  away.  Mr.  Feuerbach  had  learned  the  trade  of  a  carpenter 
in  the  land  of  his  birth,  but  after  coming  to  this  country  worked  in  the  mines 
of  Pennsylvania  while  that  state  was  his  home,  and  when  he  took  up  his  resi- 
dence in  Scott  county,  Iowa,  devoted  himself  exclusively  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits. He  first  bought  forty-eight  acres  of  land  in  Cleona  township,  to  which  he 
added  extensively  in  the  course  of  years  until  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  owned 
five  hundred  acres.  This  is  now  in  the  possession  of  his  widow  and  part  of  it 
is  operated  by  his  son  Henry.  In  Pennsylvania,  July  11,  1853,  Mr.  Feuerbach 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Elizabeth  Dietz,  who  was  also  born  in 
Hesse-Darmstadt,  Germany,  December  18,  1832.  In  1853  she  came  to  America 
with  her  parents,  John  and  Marie  Elizabeth  (Mock)  Dietz,  who  settled  in  the 
Keystone  state  and  latter  came  to  Scott  county,  where  they  passed  the  remainder 
of  their  lives.  Caroline,  who  is  the  wife  of  Mr.  Moeller,  and  Henry,  of  whom 
mention  is  made  elsewhere  in  this  work,  were  the  children  granted  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Feuerbach. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moeller  have  seven  children,  namely:  Willie,  who  resides  upon 
his  father's  farm ;  Bertha,  who  is  the  wife  of  John  Hein,  of  Cleona  township ; 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  29 

Amelia,  the  wife  of  Louis  Gibson,  of  Blue  Grass  township;  Theresa,  who  mar- 
ried Julius  Hein,  a  brother  of  John  Hein,  and  a  resident  of  Cleona  township; 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Adolph  Rodgens,  of  Cleona  township;  Ella,  who  mar- 
ried George  Reisen,  of  Fulton  township,  Muscatine  county,  Iowa;  and  Fer- 
dinand, who  lives  with  his  brother  Willie  on  the  home  farm. 

Mr.  Moeller  is  one  of  the  most  substantial  representatives  of  the  German 
race  who  have  come  to  this  country,  and  through  the  strong  traits  of  their  char- 
acter have  raised  the  standard  of  citizenship  here,  while  at  the  same  time  they 
have  contributed  to  the  sum  total  of  the  prosperity  which  distinguishes  this 
county  and  state. 


JOHN  W.  JAMISON. 


John  W.  Jamison,  residing  at  No.  1019  Scott  street  in  Davenport,  has  lived 
retired  for  more  than  two  decades  and  is  one  of  the  oldest  residents  of  the  city. 
His  birth  occurred  in  Allegheny  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  2Sth  of  July,  1822, 
his  parents  being  Francis  and  Nancy  (Wallace)  Jamison,  who  were  natives  of 
Ireland  and  America  respectively.  The  father  was  a  farmer  and  miller  by  occu- 
pation. John  W.  Jamison  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native 
county  and  after  putting  aside  his  text-books  worked  with  his  father  on  the  farm 
and  in  the  mill.  He  likewise  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade  and  worked  at  that 
occupation  in  Allegheny  county  until  his  removal  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  in  1855. 
After  a  residence  O'f  three  months  in  this  county  he  returned  to  the  Keystone  state 
for  his  wife  and  children  and  on  establishing  his  home  in  Davenport  obtained  em- 
ployment in  a  mill.  Subsequently  he  entered  the  service  of  Dawson  &  Greggs,  a 
shoe  concern,  with  whom  he  remained  for  about  five  years,  on  the  expiration  of 
which  period  he  opened  a  shoe  factory  in  association  with  Mr.  Murdock.  Several 
years  later  they  dissolved  partnership  and  for  a  long  time  Mr.  Jamison  remained 
the  sole  proprietor  of  the  enterprise.  Later  he  became  associated  with  his  son, 
George  W.  Jamison,  and  thus  continued  an  active  factor  in  commercial  circles 
until  his  retirement  from  the  shoe  business  in  1877.  During  the  following  ten 
years  he  was  employed  in  a  clerical  capacity  by  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific 
Railway  but  since  severing  his  connection  with  that  corporation  he  has  lived  in 
honorable  retirement. 

On  the  nth  of  February,  1845,  Mr.  Jamison  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Rebecca  Kelso,  who  was  bom  in  Pennsylvania  on  the  8th  of  September,  1816,  her 
parents  being  Geoirge  Washington  and  Nancy  (Murdock)  Kelso.  Her  graiid- 
father  participated  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jamison  became  the 
parents  of  six  children,  the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows :  George  W.,  the  eldest, 
is  now  a  resident  of  St.  Louis.  At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war,  when  but  eighteen 
years  of  age,  he  enlisted  for  one  hundred  days'  service  in  the  Union  army  and 
reenlisted  in  1864,  becoming  a  member  of  Company  G,  Twentieth  Iowa  Volunteer 
Infantry.  He  participated  in  a  number  of  hotly  contested  engagements  and  when 
the  supremacy  of  the  Union  had  been  established  was  honorably  discharged.  He 
married  Miss  Matilda  Hartung,  by  whom  he  has  four  children,  namely :  Lottie, 


30  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

the  wife  of  Edward  Owens;  Edmund  K.,  a  resident  of  Moline,  Illinois,  who 
wedded  Miss  Emma  Barroclough  and  has  one  child,  Raymond;  Archie,  who 
makes  his  home  in  St.  Louis;  and  Wliliam,  who  is  in  the  United  States  navy. 
Francis  Jamison,  who  lives  in  Moline,  Illinois,  wedded  Miss  Mary  Binder  and 
has  three  children :  Ida,  who  is  the  wife  of  George  Sauni  and  has  three  children — 
Mabel,  Margaret  and  Mary ;  Minnie,  a  twin  sister  of  Ida ;  and  Amy,  who  gave 
her  hand  in  marriage  to  Charles  Berry  and  has  one  child,  Beatrice.  The  other 
children  of  Mr.  Jamison  of  this  review  were :  John,  who  has  passed  away ;  Robert, 
who  makes  his  home  in  California;  Benjamin,  who  is  likewise  deceased;  and 
Nancy,  at  home.  Mrs.  Rebecca  Jamison  passed  away  on  the  25th  of  March, 
1907,  and  her  loss  was  deeply  and  sincerely  mourned  by  all  who  knew  her. 

Mr.  Jamison  is  a  stalwart  democrat  in  his  political  views  and  held  the  office 
of  city  assessor  in  1877.  He  joined  the  Masonic  fraternity  in  1858  and  is  one 
of  the  oldest  representatives  of  the  craft  here.  He  belongs  to  all  the  branches 
of  the  order,  has  attained  the  thirty-second  degree  of  the  Scottish  Rite  and  is 
past  grand  treasurer  of  the  grand  lodge  of  Masons.  He  is  likewise  past 
grand  chancellor  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodge.  For  many  years  he  served 
as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  of  the  United  Presbyterian  church  and 
has  always  been  one  of  its  most  active  and  valued  members,  holding  various 
official  positions  therein.  He  assisted  in  the  erection  of  the  first  house  of  worship 
and  was  one  of  the  two  men  who  contributed  the  funds  for  the  seating  of  the 
edifice.  He  is  now  in  the  eighty-eighth  year  of  his  age  and  is  one  of  the  most 
venerable  as  well  as  respected  residents  of  Davenport,  which  city  has  remained 
his  home  for  fifty-five  years.  His  record  as  a  business  man  and  as  a  private 
citizen  has  been  so  honorable  that  he  has  gained  the  confidence  and  good  will  of 
all  with  whom  he  has  been  brought  in  contact. 


COLONEL  HENRY  EGBERT. 

Henry  Egbert,  "a  peer  among  men,"  with  a  wide  acquaintance,  and  honored 
wherever  he  was  known,  left  his  impress  for  good  upon  the  city  which  he  made 
his  home  and  which  was  stimulated  in  its  growth  and  progress  along  many 
lines  by  his  cooperation,  his  keen  business  insight  and  his  unselfish  devotion  to 
all  that  contributes  to  the  welfare  of  the  individual  and  the  community.  A 
successful  business  man,  his  commercial  and  financial  interests  represented  to 
him  but  the  one  phase  of  life.  There  was  something  higher  and  of  more  worth 
for  him  in  life  than  the  accumulation  of  wealth,  and  with  the  passing  years  he 
used  every  opportunity  to  aid  his  fellowmen,  to  alleviate  human  suffering,  to 
ameliorate  the  hard  conditions  of  life  for  the  individual,  and  to  heighten  those 
joys  and  pleasures  which  are  of  real  value  to  man.  All  these  things  contributed 
to  give  to  Colonel  Henry  Egbert  a  hold  on  the  affection  of  his  fellowmen  that 
was  rare  and  notable,  causing  the  news  of  his  death  to  be  received  with  a  sense 
of  personal  bereavement  throughout  the  entire  city. 

A  native  of  Delaware,  Colonel  Egbert  was  born  in  New  Castle,  December 
22,  1826,  a  son  of  Christian  and  Elizabeth  (Austin)   Egbert.     The  father  was 


£^((l€<-^ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  33 

a  native  of  Amsterdam,  Holland,  and  came  alone  to  America  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen years.  From  that  time  forward  he  was  dependent  entirely  upon  his  own 
resources,  and  following  the  sea  for  years,  finally  became  captain  of  sea-going 
craft. 

Colonel  Egbert,  one  of  a  family  of  three  children,  spent  his  early  boyhood  in 
his  father's  home,  attending  school  until  bereft  by  death  of  both  parents.  At 
fifteen  years  of  age  he  went  to  Philadelphia  and,  though  but  a  youth  in  years, 
soon  engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  which  occupied  his  attention  until  he 
attained  his  majority.  Continuing  on  his  westward  way,  in  1847  he  went  to 
Hocking  river,  seven  miles  from  Logan,  Ohio,  and  there  operated  a  sawmill. 
While  residing  in  that  locality,  he  was  married  on  the  12th  of  May,  1850,  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  G.  Sudlow,  a  daughter  of  Richard  and  Hannah  Sudlow  and  a 
native  of  New  York.  They  began  their  domestic  life  near  Logan,  where  they 
remained  until  1856,  when  they  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa.  It  was  still  in 
some  respects  a  frontier  district,  although  the  seeds  of  civilization  had  been 
planted  many  years  before  and  were  already  bearing  good  fruit. 

Colonel  Egbert  purchased  a  farm  in  Cleona  township  and  gave  his  time  and 
labors  to  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of  the  fields  until  August  14,  1861, 
when,  aroused  by  the  spirit  of  patriotism,  he  abandoned  the  plow  and  offered 
his  services  to  the  government.  His  military  record  is  one  of  which  any  man 
might  be  proud  and  well  serves  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  Colonel  Egbert  in 
Iowa.  He  enlisted  in  Company  C,  Second  Iowa  Cavalry,  August  14,  1861,  as 
first  sergeant  and  seven  days  later  was  elected  captain  of  his  company.  At  the 
battle  of  Farmington,  Mississippi,  he  was  severely  wounded,  a  piece  of  shell 
striking  him  in  the  left  leg.  He  was  compelled  to  return  home  on  sick  fur- 
lough, but  all  the  time  he  was  anxious  for  recovery  that  he  might  again  engage 
in  active  service  for  his  country.  Forty  days  from  the  date  of  his  home-coming 
found  him  on  his  way  back  to  the  field  and  after  rejoining  his  regiment  he  par- 
ticipated in  all  of  its  battles  until  May,  1863,  when  he  was  again  compelled  by 
wounds  and  illness  to  return  to  his  home.  He  did  not  leave  the  service  per- 
manently, however,  but  in  1864  again  went  into  the  field  as  lieutenant  colonel 
of  the  Forty-fourth  Iowa  Infantry  and  on  the  ist  of  March  was  appointed  pro- 
vost marshal  of  the  second  district  of  Iowa.  In  that  capacity  he  closed  up  the 
provost  marshal  business  of  the  entire  state  and  on  January  i,  1866,  received 
his  honorable  discharge  from  the  service. 

The  war  ended,  Colonel  Egbert  quietly  resumed  the  pursuits  of  civil  life, 
again  taking  up  the  work  of  the  farm,  to  which  he  gave  his  attention  until  the 
fall  of  1869,  when  his  fellow  citizens  gave  expression  of  their  desire  for  his 
service  in  a  public  capacity  by  electing  him  treasurer  of  Scott  county.  He  held 
that  responsible  position  for  four  years  and  about  the  close  of  his  term  engaged 
in  the  printing,  binding  and  blank  book  business  as  the  senior  member  of  the 
firm  of  Egbert,  Fidlar  &  Chambers.  In  the  fall  of  1879  he  was  elected  on  the 
republican  ticket  as  Scott  county's  representative  to  the  Iowa  legislature,  and  his 
course  in  the  general  assembly  was  characterized  by  the  same  loyalty  and  fidelity 
which  had  marked  him  in  other  offices,  both  civil  and  military.  He  was  from 
its  founding  deeply  interested  in  the  Soldier's  Orphans'  Home  at  Davenport,  and 
while  a  member  of  the  legislature  worked  earnestly  and  successfully  to  secure 


34  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

such  enactments  as  would  insure  the  permanency  and  still  greater  usefulness  of 
that  institution.  For  several  years  he  was  the  locall  member  and  president  of 
its  board  of  trustees. 

In  politics  Colonel  Egbert  was  always  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  republican 
party,  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  issues  of  the  day  and  ready  at  all  times 
to  support  his  position  by  intelligent  argument.  In  addition  to  his  other  ofifices 
he  served  as  postmaster  of  Davenport  during  the  Harrison  administration.  In 
his  later  years  he  was  prominently  known  as  a  representative  of  the  banking 
interests  of  the  city,  becoming  president  of  the  Davenport  National  Bank  and 
Union  Savings  Bank.  The  complex  problems  of  banking  were  quickly  and  cor- 
rectly solved  by  him  and  he  remained  at  the  head  of  these  institutions  to  the 
time  of  his  demise. 

Colonel  Egbert  was  a  prominent  and  popular  member  of  Davenport  Lodge, 
No.  37,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  manifesting  in  his  life  the  beneficent  spirit  of  this 
society.  He  belonged  to  the  Loyal  Legion  and  always  gave  it  hearty  support. 
He  was  a  firm  believer  in  Christianity,  had  strong  religious  convictions,  and  ex- 
emplified them  fully  in  his  daily  life.  In  early  manhood  he  became  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  continued  to  render  active  and  loyal 
service  therein  until  the  end.  His  first  membership  was  in  the  Wharton  Street 
church  in  Philadelphia.  Thereafter  it  was  in  the  First  Methodist,  later  the 
Central  Methodist  church,  of  Davenport,  Iowa.  The  church  was  very  dear  to 
him,  and  he  gave  to  it  liberally,  both  in  time  and  means. 

He  was  a  lover  of  the  quiet  and  freedom  of  life  in  the  country  and  this  led 
him  in  later  years  to  again  make  his  home  there.  He  chose  a  sightly  spot  on  the 
river  bluffs  above  the  city,  within  easy  reach  of  its  activities,  and  there  built  a 
home  and  surrounded  it  with  those  things  which,  with  him,  made  best  for  life's 
true  enjoyment,  and  here  he  spent  the  last  five  years  of  his  busy  life.  Here  he 
and  his  cherished  wife  and  helpmeet  lived  to  celebrate  their  golden  wedding  an- 
niversary. May  12,  1900.  The  death  of  Henry  Egbert  occurred  on  the  23d  of 
February,  1901. 

"He  was  one  of  the  finest  men  that  ever  lived  in  Davenport,"  was  the  opin- 
ion uniformly  held  throughout  the  city.  Kindly  and  generous,  the  extent  of  his 
good  works  will  never  be  known,  but  they  have  won  for  him  a  place  in  the  hearts 
of  his  fellows  that  is  more  to  be  coveted  than  the  honors  of  the  statesman  or  the 
success  of  the  captain  of  industry.  He  stood  for  all  that  is  highest  and  best 
in  citizenship,  in  business  and  in  social  life,  and  though  he  has  passed  away, 
his  memory  will  be  enshrined  for  years  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  knew  him. 


HENRY  F.  WUNDER. 


In  a  history  of  Blue  Grass  it  is  imperative  that  mention  be  made  of  Henry  F. 
Wunder,  its  present  mayor,  who  has  occupied  that  office  since  the  incorporation 
of  the  town  in  1903,  and  is  also  serving  as  the  efficient  cashier  of  the  Blue  Grass. 
Savings  Bank,  while  he  is  at  the  same  time  identified  with  other  financial  and  in- 
dustrial enterprises.     One  of  Scott  county's  native  sons,  his  birth  occurred  on 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  35 

the  4th  of  September,  1859,  his  parents  being  WiUiam  and  Catherine  (Schlap- 
kohl)  Wunder,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  the  former  on 
the  25th  of  March,  1823,  and  the  latter  on  the  13th  of  May,  1822.  The  father 
crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America  in  1851,  locating  first  in  Sheboygan,  Wisconsin, 
where  he  remained  for  one  year  and  then  came  to  Scott  county,  where  he  worked 
at  the  carpenter's  trade  until  1859.  In  that  year  he  purchased  a  farm  in  Blue 
Grass  township,  to  which  he  removed  and  upon  which  he  resided  until  1886, 
when  he  put  aside  the  active  work  of  the  fields  and  lived  retired  in  Davenport 
until  he  passed  away  on  the  4th  of  July,  1907.  The  demise  of  his  wife  had 
occurred  in  this  city  on  the  12th  of  October,  1891. 

In  the  district  schools  of  Scott  county  Henry  F.  Wunder  acquired  his  pre- 
liminary education  and  later  benefited  by  study   at  the  Littlebridge   Business 
College  of  Davenport,  completing  the  course  in  1878  and  being  thus  well  equipped 
to  take  up  the  practical  and  responsible  duties  of  life.    Returning  home,  he  took 
charge  of  the  homestead  farm  for  his  father  and  was  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits  until  the  organization  of  the  Blue  Grass  Savings  Bank,  when  he  was 
elected  cashier  of  that  institution  and  has  so  continued  to  the  present  day.    The 
bank,  which  opened  for  business  on  the  6th  of  January,  1902,  was  first  capitalized- 
for  fourteen  thousand  dollars,  but  its  growth  has  been  so  rapid  during  the  inter- 
vening years  that  on  the  22d  of  June,  1909,  its  capital  was  increased  to  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars.    It  is  today  one  of  the  safe,  reliable  and  well  known  banks 
of  the  community  and  in  the  capacity  of  cashier  Mr.  Wunder  has  proven  himself 
a  very  capable  and  faithful  official.    His  accuracy  and  business  ability,  combined 
with  integrity  and  fidelity  to  the  interests  of  the  bank,  have  won  for  him  the 
appreciation  and  high  regard  of  the  other  officials,  while  his  uniform  courtesy 
and  promptness  in  the  discharge  of  all  business  have  made  him  very  popular  with 
the  patrons  of  the  institution.    He  is  furthermore  a  stockholder  in  the  Guaranty 
Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  of  Davenport  and  a  director  in  the  Blue  Grass 
Repair  &  Implement  Company,  both  of  which  organizations  have  profited  materi- 
ally by  his  wise  counsel  and  business  sagacity.  Upon  the  cieath  of  his  father  in  1907 
he  came  into  possession  of  the  old  homestead  farm,  which  he  still  owns  and  which 
annually  returns  to  him  gratifying  rental.    His  various  business  interests,  carefully 
managed,  have  brought  him  a  most  gratifying  measure  of  success  and  today  he 
stands  among  the  substantial,  influential  and  representative  citizens  of  the  com- 
munity. 

Mr.  Wunder  belpngs  to  Hillside  Camp,  No.  2470,  M.  W.  A.,  of  Blue  Grass, 
and  is  a  prominent  and  active  member  thereof.  He  cast  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  Garfield  and  since  that  time  has  voted  a  mixed  ticket.  His  fellow  citizens, 
recognizing  his  personal  worth,  have  called  him  to  various  offices  of  trust  and 
he  served  for  six  years  as  township  clerk  and  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  for 
ten  years.  In  1903,  at  the  time  of  the  incorporation  of  the  town  of  Blue  Grass, 
his  fellowmen  conferred  upon  him  the  greatest  honor  in  their  power  to  bestow, 
electing  him  mayor  of  the  town,  in  which  office  he  has  since  continued  to  serve. 
He  has  made  an  excellent  record  during  his  incumbency  in  that  office,  giving  to 
the  town  a  businesslike,  progressive  and  beneficial  administration.  He  has  also 
inaugurated  many  reforms  and  improvements  and  in  the  discharge  of  his  public 
duties  has  ever  been  true  to  the  trust  reposed  in  him  by  his  fellow  townsmen. 


36  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

In  the  business  circles  of  Blue  Grass  few  men  are  more  prominent  or  more 
widely  known,  and  his  prosperity  is  well  deserved,  as  in  him  are  embraced  the 
characteristics  of  an  unbending  integrity,  unabating  energy  and  industry  that 
never  flags. 


JUDGE  G.  C.  R.  MITCHELL. 

A  scholar  in  the  breadth  of  his  own  wisdom  and  the  appreciation  of  knowl- 
edge, a  statesman  in  his  understanding  of  the  vital  problems  of  government,  a 
lawyer  of  superior  ability  and  a  gentleman  because  of  the  innate  refinement  of 
his  nature  that  rejected  everything  opposed  to  good  taste,  the  names  of  Gilbert 
Chris  Russell  Mitchell  is  written  large  on  the  pages  of  Davenport's  early  his- 
tory and  his  influence  was  a  most  potent  element  in  shaping  the  early  progress 
of  the  city  in  professional,  social,  educational  and  moral  lines.  The  intensely 
human  side  of  his  nature,  that  which  held  friendship  inviolable  and  expressed 
itself  in  acts  of  kindness  and  deeds  of  generosity,  was  never  in  any  way  over- 
shadowed by  the  strength  of  his  intellect,  which,  however,  was  far  in  advance 
of  the  great  majority  of  men  of  his  day.  Born  in  Dandridge,  Jefferson  county, 
Tennessee,  December  26,  1803,  he  was  the  only  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Ann 
(Rhea)  Mitchell.  The  father  was  born  in  Albemarle,  now  Nelson  county,  Vir- 
ginia, in  1778.  During  the  war  the  records  in  the  courthouses  of  Virginia  wei'e 
burned,  consequently  little  is  known  of  his  ancestry  but  many  of  the  name  of 
Mitchell  from  Virginia  are  on  the  Revolutionary  honor  roll.  The  family  is  of 
Scotch  lineage.  The  father  was  a  man  of  sterling  qualities,  honorable  and  high 
minded.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  holding  the  rank  of  colonel.  His  wife 
was  born  in  New  River  county,  Virginia,  in  1783  and  was  a  daughter  of  Archi- 
bald Rhea.  Later  the  family  removed  to  Tennessee,  settling  about  a  mile  above 
Knoxville,  and  it  was  in  Knox  county  that  she  became  the  wife  of  Nathaniel 
Mitchell.  The  progenitor  of  the  Rhea  family  belonged  to  the  Scotch  house  of 
Argylle — Matthew  Campbell  by  name.  Known  as  "The  Rebel,"  he  fought  in 
many  wars  in  Scotland  and  was  finally  obliged  to  flee  to  the  north  of  Ireland, 
where  he  changed  his  name  to  Rhea.  Members  of  the  Rhea  family  were  re- 
markable for  attaining  influence  and  honor  wherever  they  lived  in  this  country. 
Coming  of  Scotch  covenanter  stock,  there  was  a  strong  tendency  toward  the 
Presbyterian  ministry.  In  a  single  generation  not  only  one  son  but  two  or  three 
would  enter  upon  that  calling.  Mrs.  Ann  Mitchell  was  a  devoted  Presbyterian 
and  became  one  of  the  ten  charter  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Daven- 
port in  1839  and  assisted  in  building  the  first  chapel.  The  Rhea  family  were  very- 
prominent  in  the  upbuilding  and  development  of  the  south. 

It  was  among  the  "over  mountain  people"  that  G.  C.  R.  Mitchell  spent  his 
boyhood  and  early  manhood.  Though  the  early  settlers  of  that  locality  are  rec- 
ognized as  having  been  of  an  unusually  high  type,  it  is  rather  surprising  that 
almost  before  the  echo  of  the  Indian  war  cry  died  away,  it  was  possible  for  a 
boy  to  be  as  finely  educated  as  was  Gilbert  Mitchell.  As  a  child  he  was  sin- 
gularly beautiful.    His  health  was  delicate,  so  that  he  was  carefully  nurtured  and 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  39 

during  these  early  years  he  was  laying  the  foundations  for  his  thorough  mental 
attainments  and  accomplishments.  He  spoke  French  and  German  and  was- 
versed  in  Greek  and  Latin ;  in  his  boyhood  he  learned  to  play  the  flute  and  the 
violin,  and  also  understood  surveying.  For  a  time  the  family  lived  in  Russell- 
ville,  Alabama,  and  in  1818,  then  fifteen  years  of  age.  Judge  Mitchell  was  attending 
school  in  Knoxville.  He  was  afterward  a  student  at  East  Tennesee  College,  now 
the  University  of  Tennessee,  where  the  curriculum  was  highly  academic,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  first  graduating  class  in  the  fall  of  1822.  He  was  always  an  apt 
student,  at  the  head  of  his  classes,  and  the  fine  "speeches"  which  he  delivered 
in  those  days  show  that  he  was  already  thinking  out  along  broad  lines  relative 
to  the  country,  its  development  and  welfare.  He  was  particularly  interested  in 
the  Mississippi  river  country,  for  even  in  boyhood  his  thoughts  were  turned  to 
the  west.  Some  of  his  college  speeches  are  still  preserved  and  are  well  worthy 
of  perusal,  showing  a  marked  difference  from  the  present  in  habits  of  thought ; 
all  show  a  remarkable  command  of  language  and  clearness  of  thought,  qualities 
which  were  afterward  of  value  to  him  in  his  legal  career.  He  also  wrote  verses, 
but  whether  at  this  period  or  later  is  not  known. 

Following  his  graduation  Mr.  Mitchell  went  to  Moulton,  Lawrence  county, 
Alabama,  where  his  parents  were  then  living,  and  took  up  the  study  of  law  in  the 
office  of  Judge  A.  F.  Hopkins.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1825  and  prac- 
ticed successfully  in  Alabama  for  several  years  while  living  in  Moulton.  Here 
he  was  a  partner  of  David  A.  Smith.  For  the  greater  part  of  that  period  he 
was  clerk  of  the  circuit  court  and  was  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  circuit  judge 
but  was  defeated.  In  1828  he  traveled  in  the  west  with  the  idea  of  settling  there. 
He  returned,  however,  to  Alabama  and  was  living  in  Courtland  in  1830  but  he 
had  not  given  up  the  idea  of  going  west.  In  1832  he  went  again  to  St.  Louis 
but  returned  to  Courtland,  where  he  lived  until  1834,  in  the  meantime  selling  his 
land,  with  the  idea  of  leaving  there  permanently.  Investigation  into  possibilities 
of  the  middle  west  at  length  brought  him  to  Davenport  and  from  the  time  that 
he  came  to  the  city  he  sprang  into  instant  prominence.  However,  he  spent  a  year 
in  a  tour  among  eastern  cities  before  coming  west  permanently  but  did  not  find 
that  section  of  the  country  attractive  to  him.  While  living  in  the  south  he  was 
seriously  ill  with  typhoid  fever  and  a  change  of  climate  was  advised.  This  gave 
him  his  opportunity.  He  visited  St.  Louis,  Fort  Dearborn  (Chicago),  Galena 
and  Dubuque,  then  came  to  Stevenson,  as  Rock  Island  was  called,  in  May,  1835. 
In  that  year  he  purchased  a  squatter's  right  in  Davenport — the  tract  of  land  which 
was  later  known  as  Mitchell's  addition.  He  built  thereon  a  little  pioneer  home, 
which  he  occupied  until  1837.  His  parents  followed  him  to  Davenport  in  1836 
and  his  father  bought  land  also.  An  old  record  seems  to  indicate  that  he  pur- 
chased land  of  Antoine  LeClaire  but  most  of  his  property  was  obtained  by  tak- 
ing up  a  regular  squatter's  claim  and  then  buying  from  the  government  when 
the  land  was  placed  on  the  market.  When  this  was  done  the  claims  that  had 
been  taken  up  by  the  early  settlers  did  not  conform  to  the  government  surveys, 
which  were  made  about  1840.  The  land  office  was  opened  at  Dubuque  and  the 
settlers  of  Davenport  and  vicinity  agreed  that  Judge  Mitchell  should  purchase 
all  the  lands  that  were  thus  conveyed.  Thus  by  a  mutual  give  and  take  system 
each  owner  was  bounded  by  the  section  lines  of  the  survey.     As  Judge  Mitchell 


40  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

had  the  confidence  of  all,  his  dictum  settled  all  discontent.  There  were  many 
instances  in  the  early  history  of  the  community  where  Judge  Mitchell  was  called 
upon  to  settle  difficulties,  his  legal  knowledge  and  fair-mindedness  giving  him 
unusual  equipment  for  arbitrator.  He  was,  moreover,  "the  leading  practitioner 
of  law  in  Davenport  from  his  earliest  settlement."  On  the  23d  of  February, 
1836,  a  meeting  was  held,  presumably  at  the  home  of  Colonel  George  Davenport, 
on  Government  Island,  to  found  the  town  of  Davenport,  on  which  occasion  Judge 
Mitchell  was  present.  The  instrument  was  executed  in  his  fine,  clear  hand- 
writing and  is  now  in  possession  of  Louis  A.  LeClaire,  a  nephew  of  Antoine 
LeClaire.  In  an  account  of  Davenport  in  1836  the  Democrat-Gazette  of  1889 
in  speaking  of  Judge  Mitchell  said:  "Our  first  lawyer  had  no  taste  for  office. 
Attractive  in  ways  of  chat,  scholarly,  intelligent,  at  home  in  classic  lore  or 
modern  thought,  a  thorough  jurist,  observant  of  the  country's  men  and  laws  and 
politics,  quick  to  see,  faithful  'in  memory,  yet  shunning  the  crowd  he  loved  his 
home,  his  papers  and  his  books.  With  these  he  constantly  communed.  His 
library  was  the  best  in  Davenport  and  its  owner  knew  its  contents." 

At  this  time  Iowa  was  a  part  of  the  territory  of  Wisconsin  and  there  is  in 
existence  a  document  executed  February  15,  1837,  by  Henry  Dodge,  governor  of 
the  territory  of  Wisconsin,  appointing  G.  C.  R.  Mitchell  master  in  chancery  of 
the  county  of  EHibuque.  This  office  carried  with  it  the  title  of  judge.  At  the 
time  that  Rockingham  and  Davenport  each  sought  to  become  the  county  seat 
Judge  Mitchell  was  nominated  for  representative  to  the  legislature  but  was  de- 
feated. However,  it  was  acknowledged  that  he  was  "largely  instrumental  in 
securing  for  Davenport  the  enviable  distinction  of  being  made  the  county  seat  of 
Scott  county."  With  all  that  pertains  to  the  early  life  of  the  city  and  the  upbuild- 
ing of  this  section  of  the  state  Judge  Mitchell  was  closely  identified.  Although 
not  a  Catholic  at  the  time,  he  gave  liberally  toward  the  building  of  St.  Anthony's 
church,  which  was  dedicated  May  23,  1838.  It  was  for  many  years  the  largest 
public  edifice  in  the  town  and  was  used  by  all  large  assemblies  to  deliberate 
upon  matters  of  public  interest.  It  was  there  that  the  first  district  court  met. 
Father  Pelamourgues,  the  priest  in  charge,  "deemed  it  no  desecration  of  the 
holy  place  to  have  it  temporarily  used  as  a  temple  of  justice." 

G.  C.  R.  Mitchell  and  Jonathan  Parker  were  the  lawyers  for  the  defense 
in  the  first  case  docketed  in  the  Scott  county  district  court  and  the  answer  of  the 
defense  is  in  the  plain,  leisurely  written  hand  of  Judge  Mitchell.  He  also  wrote 
the  document  and  his  was  the  first  signature  to  an  agreement  made  October  9, 
1838,  by  the  members  of  the  Iowa  bar  regarding  the  return  of  court  notices.  In 
1838  or  1839  Judge  Mitchell  became  one  of  three  directors  of  what  was  called 
"the  Rock  River  and  Mississippi  Steam  Navigation  Company,"  an  enterprise 
that  did  not  prove  a  profitable  venture.  In  1840  he  was  one  of  three  who  issued 
a  call  to  organize  an  Agricultural  Society  and  became  its  vice  president.  He 
was  also  among  the  first  to  advertise  in  the  Iowa  Sun,  which  was  printed  in  1838. 
This  publication  was  succeeded  by  the  Davenport  Gazette  in  1841.  In  the  Daven- 
port Academy  of  Science  are  now  found  bound  volumes  of  the  Burlington  Haw- 
keye  of  1843  and  1844,  which  are  Judge  Mitchell's  copies.    When  the  Judge  died 

one  room  in  his  house  was  entirely  filled  with  files  of  newspapers  in  perfect  order 

a  notable  collection — and  the  most  valuable  of  these  files  was  that  of  the  Niles 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  41 

Register,  published  in  Baltimore  during  the  period  following  the  Revolution. 
At  his  death  the  Register  was  given  to  St.  Ambrose  College. 

Judge  Mitchell  never  sought  office  and  in  fact  preferred  to  leave  office  hold- 
mg  to  others.     Yet  he  had  no  patience  with  those  who  evaded  public  duties. 
When  he  was  nominated  for  judge  the  Iowa  State  Democrat  said :  "Judge  Mit- 
chell is  a  man  who  never  seeks  office  and  has  never  shown  any  desire  for  official 
honors  but  such  men  are  just  the  proper  persons  to  be  nominated  and  they  have 
no  right  to  decline,  unless  the  sacrifice  of  accepting  office  is  too  great."    In  1843 
Judge  Mitchell  was  again  a  candidate  for  the  territorial  legislature  on  the  whig 
ticket.     When  that  party  dissolved  Judge  Mitchell  affiliated  with  the  democratic 
party.     He  was  elected  as  representative  of  Scott  county  to  the  sixth  territorial 
legislature  which  convened  in  Iowa  City,  December  4,  1843.     If  the  life  of  a 
people  is  reflected  in  the  laws  they  frame  the  proceedings  of  a  legislature  are 
a  valuable  index  to  the  times.     In  his  message  the  governor  made  reference  to 
the  removal  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians  to  the  "west  of  the  temporary  boundary 
of  Iowa"  and  deplored  the  vicious  habits  of  the  Winnebagoes.     He  also  spoke  of 
health  conditions  in  the  state  and  urged  ascertaining  the  wishes  of  the  people  in 
regard  to  framing  a  state  constitution.     This  matter  was  taken  up  during  the 
session  and  referred  to  a  select  committee,  on  which  Judge  Mitchell  served.    He 
was  also  prominent  on  the  committee  to  which  was  referred  the  protection  of 
the  frontier,  for  at  that  time  militia  officers  were  negligent  in  reporting  the  num- 
ber and  equipment  of  their  respective  commands,  so  that  it  was  impossible  for 
the  war  department  to  furnish  them  with  the  arms  to  which  proper  returns  would 
entitle  them.     Judge  Mitchell  was  on  three  standing  committees,  the  judiciary, 
military  affairs  and  engrossing  bills.     He  was  also  on  a  committee  of  one  from 
each  electoral  district  to  prepare  rules  for  the  government  of  the  house  and  later 
when  the  standing  committee  on  the  library  was  appointed  he  served  on  it.    The 
judiciary  committee  has  always  been  the  most  important  and  his  work  in  that 
connection  was  evidence  of  his  great  ability  in  legal  matters.     He  was  chair- 
man of  a  special  committee  to  which  was  referred  a  bill  to  amend  the  law  then 
in  force  regarding  grand  and  petit  jurors,  and  served  on  a  committee  of  three 
appointed  to  report  on  such  alterations  of  the  law  regulating  wills  and  adminis- 
trators as  might  be  deemed  necessary.    To  the  judiciary  committee  was  referred 
a  bill  to  district  the  county  of  Scott  for  the  election  of  county  commissioners ;  a 
bill  to  amend  an  act  for  the  election  of  constables  and  the  defining  of  their  duties ; 
and  a  bill  relative  to  proceedings  in  chancery,  Judge  Mitchell  was  one  of  two 
appointed  as  committee  of  conference  regarding  the  last  named  bill.     The  judi- 
ciary committee  dealt  also  with  a  bill  to  amend  an  act  defining  crimes  and  punish- 
ments.    All  these  questions  show  more  or  less  clearly  the  formative  condition 
which  then  prevailed  and  Judge  Mitchell  was  active  in  framing  laws  and  in- 
stituting measures  which  have  been  important  forces  in  the  state's  development 
and  government.     Among'  the  petitions  presented  by  Judge  Mitchell  from  Scott 
county  was  one  praying  for  the  establishment  of  a  "territorial  road"  between 
Davenport  and  Iowa  City.     He  introduced  a  memorial  to  the  postmaster  general 
for  additional  mail  facilities,  and  most  important  of  all  was  the  bill  he  introduced 
for  the  purpose  of  abolishing  imprisonment  for  debt,  supplementary  to  a  law  on 
the  same  subject  previously  passed.     Several  divorces  were  applied  for  and  re- 


42  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

ferred  to  the  committee  on  judiciary.  The  legislature  had  heretofore  granted 
divorces.  The  committee  offered  a  resolution  to  the  effect  that  in  their  opinion 
such  matters  should  be  brought  before  a  judicial  tribunal  rather  than  before  the 
legislature.  The  report  made  on  the  subject  is  voluminous  and  reflects  the 
universal  seriousness  with  which  divorce  was  then  regarded. 

In  1846  Judge  Mitchell  received  the  whig  nomination  for  congressman  at 
large  from  the  state.  The  Gazette  of  that  date  says :  "G.  C.  R.  Mitchell,  Esquire, 
is  so  well  and  favorably  known  from  his  long  residence  in  the  territory — having 
lived  here  when  it  was  embraced  in  that  of  Wisconsin — that  it  is  needless  for  u? 
to  speak  of  his  qualifications.  As  a  jurist,  a  scholar  and  an  honest  man  we  doubt 
if  Mr.  Mitchell  has  a  superior  in  the  territory.  The  whigs  can  rest  assured  that 
in  him  they  will  find  a  faithful  exponent  of  their  principles.  As  representative 
from  this  county  to  the  legislature  he  gave  general  satisfaction."  He  was,  how- 
ever, defeated  by  the  democratic  candidate.  Throughout  these  years  Judge 
Mitchell  continued  in  the  practice  of  law,  occupying  his  place  as  "the  foremost 
lawyer  of  Davenport  in  the  early  days." 

On  the  14th  of  April,  ,1852,  G.  C.  R.  Mitchell  was  married  in  St.  Anthony's 
church  to  Miss  Rose  Anna  Clarke,  daughter  of  William  and  Catherine  Clarke. 
She  was  born  December  23,  1823,  near  the  town  of  TuUamore,  Kings  county, 
Ireland,  and  in  her  early  girlhood  her  parents  brought  the  family  to  this  country, 
settling  near  Cincinnati,  in  Brown  county,  Ohio.  Her  eldest  sister,  Mary,  be- 
came the  wife  of  George  Meyers,  one  of  the  earliest  residents  of  Rock  Island,  and 
a  second  sister,  Sarah  A.,  married  George  L.  Davenport.  Theirs  was  the  first 
in  the  record  of  marriages  of  St.  Anthony's  church.  When  Rose  Clarke  was 
eighteen  years  of  age  she  came  to  Davenport  by  steamboat  from  St.  Louis  in 
1842,  and  for  ten  years  she  lived  with  her  sister,  Mrs.  Davenport.  Judge  Mitchell 
was  the  first  gentleman  she  met  after  her  arrival.  The  fame  of  her  beautiful 
voice  had  preceded  her  and  for  years  she  was  a  prominent  member  of  St.  An- 
thony's choir,  to  which  Judge  Mitchell  also  belonged.  There  was  no  organ  or 
no  melodeon  in  those  days  but  they  had  flute,  clarionet,  'cello  and  violin.  Later 
when  St.  Anthony's  secured  a  melodeon.  Rose  Clarke  played  on  it,  singing  while 
she  played.  She  was  also  an  accompHshed  horsewoman  and  rode  a  great  deal  in 
her  younger  days.  Judge  Mitchell  and  his  bride  went  south  for  their  wedding 
trip.  It  is  said  that  while  they  were  in  St.  Louis  they  spent  one  thousand  dollars 
in  furnishing  their  new  home,  which  was  then  considered  a  very  unusual  outlay. 
Most  of  this  furniture  was  finely  carved  mahogany  and  a  mahogany  rocking 
chair  which  was  a  wedding  gift  from  George  L.  Davenport  is  now  in  possession 
of  their  daughter,  Mrs.  William  J.  McCullough.  After  living  for  a  time  on  the 
west  side  of  Main  street,  between  Fourth  and  Fifth  streets,  Judge  Mitchell  and 
his  family  removed  to  the  corner  of  Eighth  and  Marquette  streets.  Separate 
from  the  house  but  on  the  same  grounds  was  the  office,  built  so  after  the  soulhern 
custom.  Later,  removal  was  made  to  the  present  location  of  St.  Mary's  Home. 
Mrs.  Mitchell  and  Mrs.  Davenport,  the  "Qarke  sisters,"  were  considered  the 
best  housekeepers  in  Davenport. 

Recognizing  the  needs  of  the  city  in  many  directions,  Judge  Mitchell  devoted 
and  found  time  to  support  and  cooperate  in  movements  that  met  these  needs. 
In  1854  he  became  engaged  in  a  new  venture,  becoming  associated  with  C.  S. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  43 

Whisler  in  establishing  a  ferry  after  obtaining  a  ten  years'  charter  from  Iowa. 
In  the  winter  of  1854-55  they  made  an  effort  to  obtain  a  charter  from  the  Illinois 
legislature  but  failed.  Having  authority  to  carry  but  one  way,  business  was  un- 
profitable but  in  the  latter  year  they  sold  their  Iowa  franchise  to  their  competi- 
tors for  two  thousand  dollars  and  afterward  disposed  of  their  boat,  the  lone.  It 
was  also  in  1854  that  Charles  E.  Putnam  came  to  Davenport  and  studied  law 
under  Judge  Mitchell,  by  whom  he  was  admitted  to  a  partnership  that  existed 
until  1857,  when  Mr.  Mitchell  became  district  judge.  From  1855  until  1857  his 
activity  in  public  life  reached  its  height.  Old  files  show  that  on  the  ist  of  March, 
185s,  a  meeting  of  Scott  county  democrats  was  called  by.G.  C.  R.  Mitchell,  G.  E. 
Hubbell  and  others,  for  the  formation  of  a  democratic  club.  In  the  same  year 
he  was  a  member  of  the  city  council.  At  that  time  Davenport  was  plunged  into 
bonded  indebtedness  beyond  its  constitutional  limit.  Judge  Mitchell  was  very 
conservative  and  opposed  increasing  the  indebtedness  in  all  the  votes  he  gave  as 
alderman.  In  1856  he  was  elected  mayor  and  in  his  official  capacity  appointed 
a  corrtmittee  to  commence  action,  enjoining  the  continuance  of  the  bonded  in- 
debtedness. The  action  succeeded  and  the  injunction  was  made  perpetual.  The 
following  spring  a  bar  convention  held  in  Lyons  offered  him  the  nomination  for 
judge  of  the  fourteenth  judicial  district.  This  was  the  first  attempt  in  the  dis- 
trict to  take  the  election  of  judges  out  of  politics,  a  plan  now  followed.  In  the 
Iowa  State  Democrat  appeared  the  following  editorial  comment:  "G.  C.  R. 
Mitchell  is  too  well  known  in  all  the  three  counties  of  this  district  to  render  it 
necessary  to  speak  of  his  abilities.  He  has  one  of  the  best  judicial  minds  of  any 
man  in  the  district-  and  he  is  the  soul  of  honor.  His  most  intimate  and  dearest 
friend  could  never  move  him  to  any  act  of  partiality  so  long  as  he  should  wear  the 
ermine.  So  spotless  is  his  reputation  in  this  respect  that  no  man  will  be  found 
with  hardihood  enough  to  question  it."  Another  newspaper  characterized  him 
as  a  man  "of  eminent  qualifications  for  the  post  to  which  he  had  been  nominated." 
Though  the  Gazette  tried  to  make  the  election  a  party  issue.  Judge  Mitchell  was 
elected  by  a  handsome  majority — a  fact  indicative  of  his  personal  popularity  and 
the  high  regard  entertained  for  him  in  a  professional  way,  for  he  was  the  only 
democrat  elected.  Though  he  resigned  from  the  office  of  judge  in  the  fall  of 
the  year  in  which  he  went  upon  the  bench,  he  left  a  strong  and  lasting  impression 
upon  the  judicial  history  of  Iowa.  Davenport  Past  and  Present,  in  a  biography 
of  Judge  Mitchell  published  before  his  death,  says :  "As  a  jurist  Judge  Mitchell 
takes  a  high  position.  He  is  profoundly  discriminative,  a  keen,  careful  analyst, 
and  one  whose  deductions  are  always  reliably  correct.  His  mental  processes  are 
seemingly  slow  but  in  reality  rapid,  for  while  others  would  dash  to  a  conclusion 
(often  the  wrong  one)  with  an  imperfect  view  of  a  few  contiguous  facts,  he- 
traverses  the  whole  ground,  omitting  nothing,  however  seemingly  trivial  or  great ; 
and  although  he  may  be  twice  as  long  in  evolving  a  question  as  another,  he  per- 
forms ten  times  the  labor  and  his  conclusion  is  in  the  same  proportion  more 
worthy  of  credence.  If  he  has  one  trait  more  prominent  than  another,  it  is  his 
thorough  comprehensiveness,  his  ability  to  include  everything  in  his  examination 
of  a  subject,  and  add  to  this  a  nice  instinctive  and  cultivated  perception  of  the 
character  and  weight  of  a  fact,  and  one  may  see  why  he  rarely  goes  wrong,  or 


44  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

commits  errors   in  conclusions."     Elsewhere  the  statement   is   found  that     he 
stood  the  peer  of  the  greatest  men  of  his  time  in  Iowa." 

In  December,  1858,  Judge  Mitchell  was  called  upon  to  go  as  a  ilelegate  from 
Scott  county  to  the  general  convention  at  Iowa  City  to  consider  taking  action 
regarding  state  aid  to  railroads.  He  was  chairman  of  the  meeting  and  was 
also  a  member  of  the  committee  of  five  which  memorialized  the  governor 
to  call  an  extra  session  of  the  legislature  relative  to  the  matter.  In 
the  later  years  of  his  life  Judge  Mitchell  lived  quietly,  happy  in  his  home  life 
with  his  family  and  his  friends  and  his  books  around  him.  Unto  him  and  his  wife 
were  born  six  children,  of  whom  Henry  M.,  Anna  M.  E.,  Mary  Catherine  and 
Martha  M.  died  in  childhood.  The  eldest  son,  Nathaniel  Stephen,  lived  to  the 
age  of  thirty-three  and  at  his  death  left  a  wife  and  five  children.  He  inherited 
brilliant  gifts  of  mind  and  while  at  college  was  considered  an  exceptional  student 
in  all  the  branches  of  general  education.  He  was  talented  along  artistic  lines 
and  was  an  excellent  musician.  For  many  years  he  directed  the  choir  at  St. 
Marguerite's  church.  He  was  a  lawyer  by  profession.  The  only  living  child  of 
Judge  and  Mrs.  Mitchell  is  Josephine  Mary,  the  wife  of  William  J.  McCullough. 
She  is  convent  bred,  having  received  an  excellent  education,  and  is  a  woman  of 
great  beauty.  She  is  also  an  artist  of  ability.  She  has  a  gentle,  serene  nature 
and  above  all  else  is  the  devoted  wife  and  mother.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCullough 
are  the  parents  of  six  children. 

On  one  occasion  Judge  Mitchell  lost  ten  thousand  dollars,  all  of  the  cash 
which  he  possessed,  in  a  bank  failure,  but  he  was  the  owner  of  valuable  property 
that  included  a  large  tract  of  land  north  of  his  residence  and  known  as  Mitchell's 
Bluff.  He  was  very  liberal  with  his  wealth,  gave  generously  to  the  poor  and  often 
loaned  money  when  he  knew  it  would  never  be  returned.  He  never  refused  his 
professional  service  to  those  unable  to  pay  and  when  he  died  there  was  sixty 
thousand  dollars  due  him  as  fees  which  was  never  collected.  He  was  especially 
generous  to  the  church,  gave  the  land  on  which  St.  Kunigunda's  (now  St. 
Joseph's)  church  was  built  in  1855  '"•"^  ^^so  the  land  on  which  the  new  church 
building  next  to  the  old  one  was  erected.  Mrs.  Mitchell  after  her  husband's 
death  was  a  most  generous  supporter  of  St.  Mary's  church,  for  which  she  selected 
the  name.  Judge  Mitchell  and  George  L.  Davenport  donated  ten  acres  of  land 
to  the  Sisters  of  Charity,  on  which  in  1859  was  established  a  school  for  yoiing 
ladies  that  was  the  beginning  of  what  is  now  the  Immaculate  Conception  Acad^ 
emy.  Judge  Mitchell  possessed  one  of  the  finest  private  libraries  in  the  state 
and  was  ever  a  man  of  broad  and  liberal  culture,  thoroughly  informed  concerning 
philosophy  and  kindred  subjects,  history  and  general  branches  of  learning  and 
research.  He  was  extremely  modest  regarding  his  gifts  of  mind  and  would  never 
attempt  to  write  on  law  or  literature,  although  his  friends  frequently  urged  him 
to  do  so.  He  spent  some  time  in  travel,  especially  in  the  south.  To  slavery  as 
an  institution  he  was  strongly  opposed  but  did  not  take  an  active  part  in  slavery 
agitation.  He  suflfered  a  stroke  of  apoplexy  December  6,  1865,  and  died  on  the 
evening  of  that  day.  Funeral  services  were  held  December  8th,  the  impressive 
rites  of  the  Catholic  church  being  celebrated  over  the  remains  at  St.  Kuni- 
gunda's church,  on  which  occasion  Father  Pelamourgues  delivered  a  feeling  and 
appropriate  address,  while  the  members  of  the  Old  Settlers  Association  attended 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  45 

the  services  in  a  body.  Mrs.  Mitchell  survived  her  husband  almost  forty-two 
years.  She  was  a  woman  of  strong  qualities,  possessing  a  fine,  grave  nature. 
After  his  death  she  developed  an  unusual  business  ability,  was  a  splendid  man- 
ager and,  like  Judge  Mitchell,  was  very  generous.  One  of  the  newspapers  of 
recent  years  said :  "Mrs.  Rose  A.  Mitchell  lived  on  one  of  the  city's  most  beau- 
tiful eminences,  where  she  passed  her  declining  years  in  works  of  quiet  charity 
and  the  profoundest  piety."  She  died  March  23,  1907,  after  a  week's  illness  at 
the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  McCullough,  and  the  funeral  services  were  held 
in  St.  Mary's  church  on  the  26th  of  March. 

The  Schmalhaus  portrait  of  Judge  Mitchell,  which  was  taken  from  a  daguer- 
reotype of  an  early  day,  was  placed  in  the  courthouse  at  the  request  of  the 
members  of  the  Scott  county  bar.  Judge  Mitchell  was  far  above  the 
mediocre,  the  commonplace.  Such  men  as  he  are  rare.  In  the  story  of  his 
life  can  be  found  nothing  discreditable  or  ignoble.  Of  wonderful  fineness  and 
sensitiveness  of  nature,  remarkably  gifted  mind  and  endearing  qualities,  public- 
spirited,  honorable  and  high-minded,  he  stands  out  vividly  as  an  incentive  and  an 
inspiration.  So  long  as  the  history  of  Davenport  and  Scott  county  is  remem- 
bered will  the  name  of  Judge  Mitchell  be  held  in  honor. 

(Note: — This   sketct  was  taken  from  a  biographical  article  written  by  M.   Elizabeth 
McCullough,  a  granddaughter  of  Judge  Mitchell.) 


HENRY  ROHLF. 


Henry  Rohlf,  who  devoted  his  time  and  energies  to  farming  throughout  his 
active  business  career,  has  lived  in  honorable  retirement  for  the  past  fifteen  years, 
making  his  home  at  No.  704  Main  street  in  Davenport.  He  was  born  in  Holstein, 
Germany,  on  the  25th  of  February,  1840,  a  son  of  Henry  and  Catherine  Rohlf. 
The  father,  who  was  a  laborer,  served  as  a  soldier  of  the  German  army.  In  1854 
he  brought  his  family  to  the  United  States  and  after  landing  at  New  York  came 
direct  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  arriving  in  this  city  on  the  3d  of  June.  He  secured 
employment  as  a  farm  hand  and  continued  to  reside  in  this  county  until  called  to 
his  final  rest  in  1887,  having  for  fifteen  years  survived  his  wife,  who  passed  away 
in  1872.  Unto  this  worthy  couple  were  born  five  children,  namely:  Henry,  of 
this  review;  Amos,  who  is  a  resident  of  Clay  county,  Iowa;  Fred,  of  Sheridan 
township,  Scott  county;  August,  living  in  Davenport;  and  Wilham,  who  makes 
his  home  in  Davenport  township,  Scott  county. 

Henry  Rohlf  attended  the  schools  of  the  fatherland  until  fourteen  years  of 
age,  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  emigration  to  the  new  world.  Af- 
ter coming  to  Scott  county  he  continued  his  studies  during  two  winter  terms  of 
school  and  then  devoted  his  entire  attention  to  farm  work.  In  1862  he  purchased 
forty  acres  of  land  in  Pleasant  Valley  township  and  was  actively  engaged  in  its 
cultivation  for  two  years,  when  he  sold  the  property  and  bought  a  tract  of  fifty- 
five  acres  on  the  Jersey  Ridge  road.  As  his  financial  resources  increased  he  ex- 
tended the  boundaries  of  the  farm  to  include  one  hundred  and  seventy  and  a. half 


46  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

acres  and  made  his  home  thereon  for  nineteen  years,  placing  many  fine  improve- 
ments on  the  property.  On  disposing  of  that  farm  he  purchased  a  quarter  section 
of  land  in  Muscatine  county,  where  he  successfully  carried  on  his  agricultural 
interests  for  ten  years,  when  he  put  aside  the  active  work  of  the  fields  and  has 
since  lived  retired  in  Davenport.  He  still  retains  possession  of  the  farm  in 
Muscatine  county  and  also  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Sheridan 
township,  Scott  county,  which  he  purchased  subsequent  to  his  retirement. 

On  the  20th  of  December,  1864,  Mr.  Rohlf  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Malinda  Heath,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Pennsylvania  in  1841.  They  became  the 
parents  of  four  children,  the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows.  Ida,  the  eldest, 
passed  away  when  but  two  years  of  age.  Ella  is  the  wife  of  Andrew  Krambeck, 
of  Dysart,  Tama  county,  Iowa,  and  has  two  children,  Ida  and  Emma.  Sadie, 
who  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  William  Schroeder,  of  Blue  Grass,  is  now  de- 
ceased. Her  children  were  four  in  number;  one  who  died  in  infancy;  Freda; 
Ella;  and  Hulda.  Otto  L.,  who  operates  his  father's  farm  in  Muscatine  county, 
wedded  Miss  Emma  Schroeder,  by  whom  he  has  four  children:  Elsie,  Arthur, 
Lester  and  Bessie.    The  wife  and  mother  was  called  to  her  final  rest  in  1886. 

Since  age  conferred  upon  him  the  right  of  franchise  Mr.  Rohlf  has  given  his 
political  allegiance  to  the  republican  party.  He  proved  a  capable  incumbent  in 
the  office  of  assessor  of  Davenport  township  and  has  done  much  to  advance  the 
cause  of  education  during  his  many  years'  service  as  a  school  director.  The 
period  of  his  residence  in  this  part  of  the  state  covers  fifty-six  years  and  he  is 
widely  recognized  as  a  prosperous  and  esteemed  citizen.  The  German  Pioneers 
Association  numbers  him  among  its  worthy  members. 


JENS  LORENZEN. 


While  Jens  Lorenzen  came  to  be  recognized  as  one  di  the  foremost  repre- 
sentatives of  commercial  and  financial  interests  in  Davenport  there  were  also 
certain  other  qualities  which  gained  him  a  firm  hold  upon  the  regard  of  his  fel- 
low townsmen.  A  genial  and  sympathetic  nature  caused  him  to  make  friends  with 
all  and  his  life  was,  therefore,  the  exposition  of  the  Emersonian  philosophy  that 
"the  way  to  win  a  friend  is  to  be  one."  So  widely  and  favorably  was  he  known 
that  his  history  cannot  fail  to  prove  of  general  interest  and,  moreover,  his  life 
work  constitutes  an  important  chapter  in  the  business  development  of  Davenport. 

Mr.  Lorenzen  was  born  in  Luegumkloster,  Schleswig,  Germany,  April  6, 
1833.  His  early  schooling  gave  him  a  splendid  business  education  and,  actuateS 
by  the  spirit  of  ambition  and  energy,  he  sought  the  opportunities  of  the  new  world 
when  twenty-one  years  of  age,  crossing  the  Atlantic  with  a  large  party  of  his 
fellow  countrymen.  Landing  at  New  Orleans,  he  made  his  way  to  Chicago, 
where  he  engaged  in  business  for  a  time,  but  in  1856  arrived  in  Davenport.  He 
was  thenceforth  until  his  death  connected  with  the  commercial  interests  of  the 
city,  extending  the  scope  of  his  interests  proportionately  with  the  growth  and 
development  of  this  part  of  the  state.  His  initial  step  in  business  circles  here 
was  made  in  1857  as  proprietor  of  a  little  porcelain,  glass  and  stoneware  store. 


^^^^^  '/^'^^^^^^^ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  49 

his  stock  of  goods  being  placed  upon  display  in  a  frame  building  on  Harrison 
above  Second  street.  From  that  humble  start  he  developed  a  mammoth  enter- 
prise which  had  become  a  very  profitable  concern  long  before  he  turned  it  over 
to  his  successors  in  the  later  years  of  his  life.  It  passed  through  the  financial 
crisis  of  1857  and,  although  not  all  days  were  equally  bright  and  at  times  the 
storm  clouds  seemed  to  gather,  he  nevertheless  held  to  his  purpose  with  a  firm 
and  steady  hand  and  his  keen  business  insight,  together  with  his  well  known 
honesty  and  honorable  methods,  soon  won  for  hini  the  respect  and  confidence  of 
the  entire  community.  His  place  of  business,  therefore,  became  a  popular  shop- 
ping center  and  each  year  witnessed  an  increase  in  the  volume  of  trade.  He  was 
soon  obliged  to  seek  larger  quarters  and  removed  to  the  corner  of  Third  and  Hai^- 
rison  streets.  Even  here  the  building  which  he  occupied  was  found  to  be  too 
small  owing  to  the  rapid  and  substantial  growth  of  the  business,  and  in  i860  he 
removed  to  217  Harrison  street.  In  1871  Mr.  Lorenzen  replaced  the  old  build- 
ing with  the  present  modern  block  at  223  West  Third  street,  to  which  he  added 
the  corner  in  1890.  He  also  owned  the  property  to  the  south.  The  business 
was  at  length  reorganized  under  the  name  of  the  Jens  Lorenzen  Crockery  Company 
and  so  continued  until  1907,  when  Mr.  Lorenzen  retired,  disposing  of  his  inter- 
ests to  the  present  owners.  He,  however,  retained  the  ownership  of  the  building. 
As  his  financial  resources  increased  he  extended  his  efforts  to  other  fields  and 
became  one  of  the  organizers  and  a  member  of  the  first  board  of  directors  of  the 
German  Savings  Bank,  of  which  he  was  president  from  1901  to  1906.  He  was 
also  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Security  Fire  Insurance  Company,  of  which  he 
was  a  director  and  for  nine  years  vice  president.  He  was  also  a  director 
of  the  Davenport  Water  Company  and  one  of  the  founders  and  first  presi- 
dent of  the  Mutual  Insurance  Company.  For  over  forty  years  he  was  a 
director  of  the  Citizens  Bank  and  vice  president  from  1900  to  1906.  What- 
ever he  undertook  seemed  to  prosper  under  his  careful  guidance.  His  suc- 
cess, however,  was  not  due  to  any  fortunate  combination  of  circumstances 
but  to  the  sound  judgment  which  he  displayed.  He  had  the  ability  to  combine 
seemingly  diverse  interests  into  a  harmonious  whole  and,  watchful  of  every 
detail,  at  the  same  time  he  recognized  the  more  salient  features  of  the  business 
and  gave  to  them  their  due  relative  importance. 

Mr.  Lorenzen  was  the  possessor  of  those  qualities  that  render  the  individual 
a  favorite  with  his  fellows  and  was  popular  in  the  Davenport  Turngemeinde, 
the  Davenport  Shooting  Association,  owners  of  Schuetzen  park.  He  also  be- 
longed to  the  German-American  Pioneers  Association.  For  thirty  years  he  served 
as  treasurer  of  the  school  district.  One  of  the  local  papers  said  of  him:  "Mr. 
Lorenzen  was  looked  upon  by  those  who  knew  him  best  as  the  ideal  American 
citizen.  Broad  minded,  liberal,  sincere,  honest,  progressive,  he  at  all  times 
stood  squarely  upon  these  principles.  In  his  death  Davenport  loses  one  who  has 
done  much  to  further  its  growth  and  development.  He  will  also  be  greatly 
missed  in  the  community  at  large  for  all  those  who  have  met  him  either  socially 
or  through  business  channels  have  learned  to  regard  him  as  their  friend." 

Mr.  Lorenzen  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  Laura  Priester,  by 
whom  he  had  two  children,  Mrs.  Elise  Berger  and  Theodore.  He  was  married 
April  15,  1868,  to  'Agnes,  a  stepdaughter  of  Lieutenant  Governor  Rusch,  and 


50  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

their  children  were:  Mrs.   Martha  Brandt,  Mrs.  Elsie  Dueser,   Marie,  Laura, 
Herle,  Hilda  and  Paul. 

To  his  family  the  death  of  Mr.  Lorenzen  came  as  an  almost  insupportable 
blow.  He  passed  away  at  the  family  home  at  No.  629  West  Sixth  street,  October 
10,  1909,  when  he  reached  the  age  of  seventy-six  years.  For  more  than  a  half 
century  he  had  been  an  honored  and  respected  resident  of  Davenport  and  all 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact  enjoyed  his  courtesy,  his  geniality  and  his  kindly 
spirit,  but  his  best  traits  of  character  were  reserved  for  his  own  home  and  fire- 
side. There  he  was  a  devoted  husband  and  father,  a  courteous  host  and  faithful 
friend.  He  is  spoken  of  in  terms  of  highest  regard  by  all  who  knew  him  and 
considering  the  various  attributes  of  his  character  no  more  fitting  epitaph  for  him 
could  be  written  than  this : 

"His  life  was  gentle  and  the  elements 

So  mixed  in  him  that  nature  might  stand  up 

And  say  to  all  the  world  'This  was  a  man.'  " 


CAPTAIN  CHARLES  FALKNER. 

Captain  Charles  Falkner,  a  retired  river  and  police  captain  whose  life  history 
has  ha.d  many  unusual  and  some  exciting  chapters,  constituting  a  stoiy  that  is 
evidence  of  the  old  adage  that  "truth  is  stranger  than  fiction,"  was  bom  in 
Prussia,  Germany,  October  18,  1844.  His  parents,  William  and  Fredrica  (Det- 
man)  Falkner,  both  died  in  Germany.  In  the  fatherland.  Captain  Falkner  attended 
school  to  the  age  of  fourteen  years,  when  he  entered  upon  the  life  of  a  sailor,  his 
first  trip  being  on  a  sailing  vessel  to  London,  England.  He  ran  away  from  the 
ship  there,  however,  and  spent  three  days  in  London  without  food.  Finally  ait  the 
back  door  of  a  hotel  he  met  a  cook  who  could  speak  German  ajid  after  giving 
Captain  Falkner  food  took  him  to  a  sailors'  boarding  house,  where  he  soon  made 
arrangements  to  ship  on  board  a  vessel  bound  for  Quebec,  Canada.  He  ran  away 
again  and  shipped  under  Captain  Huston  on  the  Mary  Ann,  which  eventually 
landed  at  Boston,  Massachusetts.  There  he  reembarked  on  another  vessel  whidh 
bore  him  to  San  FranciscO',  California,  in  1859.  His  voyages  were  not  over,  how- 
ever, for  he  sailed  through  the  Golden  Gate  for  Qiina  and  Japan,  also  visited 
Manila  and  afterward  returned  to  New  York,  Later  he  sailed  for  the  West 
Indies  and  then  to  Liverpool,  England,  and  again  returned  to  New  York,  whence 
he  made  his  way  to  Mobile  and  Key  West.  Later  he  was  at  Philadelphia  and 
afterward  sailed  for  Pensacola,  Rorida.  From  that  point  the  vessel  proceeded 
down  the  coast  a  little  distance  and  loaded  with  cotton.  This  was  the  ship  Eureka 
under  Captain  Bellford.  While  on  their  return  to  New  York  the  vessel  was 
struck  by  lightning  during  a  terrible  storm  and  the  cotton  was  set  on  fire.  Five 
times  the  vessel  was  blown  back  while  attempting  to  round  Cape  Hatteras,  but 
they  managed  to  hold  the  fire  in  check  and  finally  succeeded  in  docking  at  pier 
No.  8,  North  river.  New  York,  and  the  fire  department  extinguished  the  blaze, 
although  nearly  all  of  the  cotton  was  burned.    This  was  in  1863.     Immediately 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  51 

afterward  Captain  Falkner  enlisted  in  the  United  States  navy  at  the  Brooklyn 
navy  yards  and  shipped  on  the  sloop  of  war  Brooklyn  as  an  able  seaman.  The 
vessel  belonged  to  Admiral  Farragut's  fleet  and  he  served  for  twelve  months  on 
tliat  ship  and  was  at  the  battle  of  Mobile  Bay  and  also  in  the  engagements  at  Fort 
Morgan  and  Fort  Gaines.  The  Brooklyn  had  four  hundred  and  fifty  men  aboard 
but  after  they  had  anchored  at  Fort  Morgan  there  were  only  one  hundred  and 
fifty  of  the  number  able  for  duty  under  Captain  Irving,  whoi  was  in  command. 
After  the  battle  Captain  Falkner  was  promoted  to  quartermaster  on  board  the 
gunboat  Owasco,  which  was  stationed  near  Galveston,  Texas,  doing  blockade 
duty  and  looking  for  the  Alabama.  They  saw  that  ship  once  and  fired  on  her  with 
an  eleven-inch  gun  but  after  the  smoke  cleared  away  they  could  see  nothing  of 
her.  Captain  Falkner  landed  at  New  York,  July  4,  1866,  and  on  the  afternoon 
of  the  6th  was  honorably  discharged. 

On  the  8th  of  September,  1865,  Captain  Falkner  wa^  married  tO'  Miss  Christina 
Schroeder,  who  passed  away  twO'  years  later.  For  his  second  wife  he  chose  Mrs. 
Louisa  (Richer)  Shoel,  the  widow  of  Hans  Shoel,  who  died  in  the  army.  It 
was  with  his  first  wife  that  he  removed  to  Huntingdon  county,  Pennsylvania,  there 
working  in  a  coal  mine.  Just  before  that,  however,  he  made  two  trips  tO'  Brazil 
and  thus  gained  knowledge  of  South  American  countries  to  add  to  the  knowledge 
which  he  had  obtained  of  other  lands  as  he  had  sailed  around  the  globe.  From 
Huntingdon  county,  Pennsylvania,  he  came  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  where  he  arrived 
March  14,  1866.  He  then  became  a  pilot  on  the  Mississippi  river  and  after  serv- 
ing in  that  capacity  on  different  boats  later  purchased  the  vessel  Louisa  in  1874. 
After  running  on  the  river  for  some  time  he  returned  tO'  Davenport,  sold  the 
boat  and  obtained  an  appointment  on  the  police  force  under  Mayor  Dow,  serving 
as  a  patrolman  for  four  years,  as  city  detective  two  years  and  as  night  captain  for 
fifteen  years.  Since  then  he  has  been  foreman  for  different  construction  com- 
panies, street  inspector  of  Davenport  and  private  watchman  for  banks  and  other 
business  houses.  At  the  present  time,  however,  he  is  living  retired,  enjoying  a 
well  earned  rest.  His  experiences  have  been  of  a  varied  character  as  he  has 
sailed  the  high  seas  in  the  interests  of  trade  and  commerce  or  in  defense  of  his 
adopted  country.  In  his  young  days  he  was  injured  while  going  from  England 
to  Odessa  on  the  Black  sea  and  was  in  a  hospital  at  Constantinople  for  about  six 
weeks,  but  recovered  in  time  to  sail  again  to  Germany  on  the  same  ship,  the 
Rengende  Jacob,  which  had  been  laid  by  during  that  time  for  repairs. 

By  his  second  marriage  Captain  Falkner  had  three  children :  Charles,  a  resi- 
dent of  Canada,  who  married  Louisa  Binger  and  has  three  children — Carl,  Fred- 
erick and  Elizabeth ;  Louisa,  the  wife  of  Jacob  Stoft,  of  Moline,  Illinois,  by  whom 
she  has  one  daughter,  Mary  Louisa,  now  the  widow  of  Frank  Williams ;  and  Her- 
man, of  Davenport.  By  her  former  marriage  the  second  Mrs.  Falkner  had  two 
cliildren:  Emma,  who  is  now  living  in  San  Francisco,  California;  and  Wil'iam, 
who  is  superintendent  of  the  waterworks  at  Keokuk,  Iowa.  For  his  third  wife 
Captain  Falkner  chose  Dora  Buck,  a  daughter  of  John  Buck  and  the  widow  of 
Emil  Uthoflf.  They  were  married  February  22,  1904.  By  her  former  marriage 
Mrs.  Falkner  had  two  daughters  and  a  son :  Adelia,  the  wife  of  William  Ort,  by 
whom  she  has  three  children — Rolland,  Hetta  and  Chalma;  Alma,  who  married 
August  Jans ;  and  William,  living  iri  Rock  Island. 


52  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Captain  Falkner  is  a  member  of  several  social  and  fraternal  organizations. 
He  is  connected  with  the  Masonic  lodge,  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Davenport 
Boat  Club  and  the  Turners  and  was  a  member  of  the  old  volunteer  fire  Comp?,ny. 
He  now  derives  his  income  largely  from  town  property,  having  in  former  years 
made  judicious  investment  in  real  estate,  so  that  he  is  now  enabled  to  live  retired, 
enjoying  in  well  earned  rest  many  of  the  comforts  of  life. 


JAMES  T.  LANE. 


Among  the  older  members  of  the  Davenport  bar  who  won  well  merited  fame 
and  distinction  during  the  thirty-five  years  of  his  practice  in  the  courts  of  Iowa 
was  James  T.  Lane.  While  the  practice  of  law  was  his  real  life  work,  his  strong 
and  forceful  nature,  broad  minded  and  intelligent  appreciation  of  the  real  values 
of  life  brought  him  prominently  before  the  people  in  other  connections  and  he 
became  widely  known  in  fraternal,  political,  social  and  church  circles.  He  was 
born  March  i6,  1830,  at  Freeport,  Pennsylvania.  His  father  was  proprietor  of 
a  general  store  and  the  son  assisted  him,  as  clerk  behind  the  counter  and  in  other 
ways  through  the  period  of  vacation  and  after  school  hours  until  seventeen  years 
of  age,  the  remainder  of  his  time  being  given  to  the  acquirement  of  an  education. 
He  was  ambitious,  however,  to  enjoy  better  educational  privileges  than  had  here 
been  afforded  him,  and  with  an  elder  brother  he  entered  the  university  at  Lewis- 
burg,  at  that  time  a  Baptist  institution  of  note.  It  required  six  days  to  make  the 
journey  from  Freeport  to  Lewisburg  by  stage  coach  and  canal,  for  such  was 
the  primitive  method  of  travel  at  that  time.  Mr.  Lane  was  a  close  and  apt 
student,  a  lover  of  books,  quick  and  able  in  debate  even  in  his  school  days.  He 
eagerly  embraced  the  advantages  which  were  offered  him  and  acquired  a  knowl- 
edge that  constituted  an  excellent  foundation  upon  which  to  build  the  success 
of  his  later  life.  Following  his  graduation  he  returned  home  and,  with  the  de- 
sire to  make  the  legal  profession  his  life  work,  spent  two  years  in  Butler,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  reading  law  under  the  direction  of  General  Purviance  afterward  at- 
torney general  of  the  state. 

Admitted  to  the  bar,  Mr.  Lane  came  to  Davenport,  February  23,  1854.  He 
was  a  passenger  on  the  first  through  train  from  Chicago  to  Rock  Island,  which 
was  then  the  western  terminus  of  the  road.  At  once  he  opened  an  office  and  for 
thirty-five  years  continued  in  active  practice  here.  In  the  spring  of  1855,  he  re- 
turned to  Butler,  where  he  married  Annie  J.  Reed,  whom  he  brought  as  his 
bride  to  Davenport.  They  became  the  parents  of  a  son  and  daughter.  Joe 
R.  Lane,  the  former,  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Davenport  bar,  while  the 
latter  was  Mrs.  lies.  With  the  added  stimulus  of  having  a  home  to  provide  for, 
he  bent  every  energy  toward  building  up  a  good  practice  and  recognized  that  this 
must  be  done  by  making  his  professional  labor  of  value  to  his  clients.  He 
was  very  careful  and  earnest  in  the  preparation  of  cases,  was  always  accurate 
in  the  application  of  a  legal  principle  and  in  debate  was  strong,  forceful  and 
logical.  In  1856  he  was  appointed  city  attorney,  which  position  he  filled  for  a 
year.     Later  other  political  honors  were  conferred  upon  him.     On  the  4th  of 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  55 

September,  1861,  he  was  nominated  by  the  republicans  of  the  county  for  repre- 
sentative to  the  state  legislature  and  was  elected.  He  served  during  1867  and 
1868  as  county  attorney  and  the  following  year  became  a  member  of  the  school 
board,  his  incumbency  continuing  through  1871.  He  also  took  a  keen  interest  in 
education  and  was  the  champion  of  every  measure  which  he  believed  beneficial 
to  the  interests  of  the  schools.  In  1873  the  republican  state  convention  nominated 
him  as  one  of  the  eleven  presidential  electors  and  in  the  campaign  that  followed 
he  took  an  active  part,  as  he  always  did,  for  he  was  ever  an  active,  loyal  and 
stalwart  supporter  of  the  principles  in  which  he  believed.  In  the  same  year 
President  Grant  nominated  him  for  the  position  of  United  States  district  at- 
torney for  Iowa,  the  duties  of  the  position  being  at  that  time  much  more  onerous 
and  important  than  at  the  present.  During  his  term  of  office  he  was  called  in  to 
the  federal  courts  all  over  the  state  and  his  reputation  was  heightened  by  the 
able  service  which  he  rendered  and  the  comprehensive  knowledge  of  law  which 
he  displayed.  As  United  States  district  attorney  he  gained  valuable  experience 
and  wide  acquaintance  that  proved  of  inestimable  benefit  to  him  as  he  continued 
in  the  practice  of  his  profession. 

The  law  partnership  of  Davison  &  Lane  was  formed  in  April,  1873,  and  con- 
tinued until  November  i,  1889,  when  it  was  dissolved  by  the  withdrawal  of  Mr. 
Lane  on  account  of  impaired  health.  He  died  March  19,  1890,  in  Denver,  Colo- 
rado, and  throughout  Davenport  there  swept  a  feeling  of  intense  regret  and  sor- 
row. He  had  practiced  law  in  this  city  for  more  than  a  generation.  He  was  a 
man  of  notable  mental  and  physical  strength  and  utilized  his  time  and  his  talents 
not  only  for  the  promotion  of  his  individual  interests  but  for  the  benefit  of  the 
general  public  as  well.  He  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  republicans  in 
the  state  and  his  opinions  always  carried  weight  in  the  councils  of  his  party.  As 
an  orator  he  displayed  an  eloquence  that  never  failed  to  leave  its  impress  upon  his 
hearers,  his  speech  frequently  thrilling  those  who  listened  to  him,  his  ability  in 
this  direction  proving  a  potent  force  in  his  addresses  to  the  jury.  He  was  always 
kind  and  courteous  to  his  professional  brethren,  considerate  of  a  witness  and 
deferential  to  the  court,  believing  that  the  dignity  of  the  law  should  ever  be 
sustained. 

For  over  thirty  years  Mr.  Lane  was  connected  with  nearly  all  of  the  organi- 
zations which  had  for  their  object  the  improvement  or  betterment  of  Daven- 
port. To  mention  these  in  detail  would  be  to  give  a  history  of  the  state.  Suffice 
it  to  say  that  all  who  are  familiar  with  the  annals  of  the  state  know  how  impor- 
tant and  valuable  a  part  he  took  in  its  upbuilding.  He  was  a  prominent  and 
helpful  member  of  the  Baptist  church  and  an  enthusiastic,  exemplary  Mason, 
becoming  one  of  the  earliest  members  of  Davenport  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  When 
Fraternal  Lodge  was  organized  he  became  one  of  its  charter  members  and  was 
elected  its  first  worshipful  master.  He  was  also  a  member  of  Davenport  Chap- 
ter, No.  16,  R.  A.  M.,  and  a  Sir  Knight  of  St.  Simon  of  Cyrene  Commandery,  K. 
T.,  of  which  he  was  a  past  commander.  He  was  also  made  deputy  grand  com- 
mander of  the  Iowa  Commandery  and  acted  as  a  delegate  from  this  state  to  the 
triennial  conclave  at  San  Francisco  in  1883.  AH  these  varied  interests  brought 
him  a  large  acquaintance  and  it  is  said  that  he  knew  personally  every  prominent 
man  in  Iowa.    When  death  claimed  him  he  was  mourned  as  a  great  lawyer,  as  a 


56  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

distinguished  political  leader,  as  an  exemplary  brother  of  the  Masonic  fraternity 
and  more  than  all  as  a  good  man.  He  manifested  the  qualities  that  have  come 
to  be  known  as  those  of  a  practical  idealist,  for,  while  he  labored  to  secure  the 
adoption  of  measures  and  projects  which  represented  the  highest  standards,  he 
knew  how  to  use  the  means  at  hand  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  purpose.  His 
integrity  in  no  relation  of  life  was  ever  called  into  question  and  the  simple  weight 
of  his  character  and  ability  carried  him  into  most  important  and  prominent 
relations. 


FRANK  X.  BEH. 


Frank  X.  Beh,  for  many  years  an  important  factor  in  agricultural  circles,  is 
now  living  retired,  enjoying  the  quietude  that  comes  of  labor  well  performed.  He 
is  a  native  of  Scott  county,  born  in  Buffalo,  September  i8,  1861,  a  son  of  Francis 
X.  and  Caroline  (Heckley)  Beh,  who  were  prominent  pioneer  settlers  of  Scott 
county.  The  father  was  born  in  the  southern  part  of  Germany  in  the  year  1826 
and  pursued  his  studies  in  the  schools  of  his  native  country.  He  also  learned  th^ 
stonecutter's  trade  and  about  1850,  with  his  wife  and  one  child,  emigrated  to  the 
United  States.  He  made  his  way  to  Detroit,  Michigan,  but  after  a  year  there 
spent  took  up  his  abode  in  Buffalo,  Iowa,  where  he  worked  at  stonecutting  and 
lime  burning  for  a  number  of  years.  He  cut  the  stone  that  was  used  in  the 
erection  of  the  Catholic  church  in  Buffalo  and  also  in  a  number  of  other  build- 
ings erected  in  this  village.  In  1867  he  engaged  in  farming,  having  purchased 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Buffalo  township,  sixty  acres  of  which  was  im- 
proved. He  served  as  justice  of  the  peace,  road  supervisor  and  school  director 
in  Buffalo  township  and  in  many  other  ways  his  influence  was  felt  in  community 
interests.  He  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Catholic  church  at  Buffalo  and  gave 
liberally  of  both  time  and  means  in  support  of  the  church.  He  also  kept  the 
records  of  the  church  for  many  years  prior  to  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1899. 
His  wife,  also  a  communicant  of  the  Catholic  church,  donated  the  bell  and  our 
subject  and  his  brother  were  the  first  to  ring  the  bell  after  it  was  placed  in  the 
tower.  The  mother  died  in  1904,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  The  family 
record  is  as  follows:  Henry  R.,  of  Muscatine  county;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Morris 
Barnick,  who  also  lives  in  Muscatine  county;  Joseph,  who  is  engaged  in  mer- 
chandising in  Harlan,  Shelby  county,  Iowa;  Frank  X.,  of  this  review;  Katherine, 
the  wife  of  Adolph  Strohbehn,  who  resides  on  a  part  of  the  old  homestead  farm 
in  Blue  Grass  township ;  Charles  C,  of  Dickinson  county ;  Benjamin,  of  Buffalo 
township;  and  Mary,  the  wife  of  Harry  Schiele,  a  resident  of  Muscatine  county, 
this  state. 

Frank  X.  Beh,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  review,  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm  and  acquired  his  preliminary  education  in  the  schools  of  Buffalo  and  Oak 
Hill,  while  later  he  pursued  a  course  in  Ambrose  College  at  Davenport.  He  then 
returned  home  and  resumed  farming  with  his  father,  remaining  under  the  parental 
roof  until  his  marriage,  when  he  began  work  on  his  own  account.  Eventually 
he  became  the  owner  of  land  and  followed  farming  for  many  years.     He  still 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  57 

owns  an  interest  in  the  home  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Buffalo  town- 
ship and  also  owns  residence  property  in  Davenport,  where  he  now  lives  retired. 

Mr.  Beh  chose  as  a  companion  for  the  journey  of  Hfe,  Miss  Alvina  Weise, 
a  daughter  of  Fritz  and  Christina  (Schnack)  Weise,  who  were  early  settlers  of 
Scott  county.  The  father  conducted  a  livery  stable  in  Davenport  for  forty 
years  and  died  in  1899,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three.  The  mother  is  still  living  and 
is  a  communicant  of  the  Protestant  church.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beh, 
which  was  celebrated  June  25,  1896,  has  been  blessed  with  six  children,  Alvin  F., 
Clarence  M.,  Frank  B.,  Leon  Beh,  Raymond  and  Eddie,  but  the  last  named  is 
deceased. 

Mr.  Beh,  inheriting  the  sterling  characteristics  of  a  long  line  of  German  an- 
cestry and  endowed  by  nature  with  a  good  constitution,  early  developed  all  the 
attributes  which  make  the  successful  man.  His  home  at  1419  Marquette  street, 
in  Davenport,  is  a  hospitable  one  and  the  family  take  great  pleasure  in  entertaining 
their  many  friends. 


HENRY  WIESE. 


Henry  Wiese,  who  has  lived  retired  in  his  pleasant  home  at  No.  835  Harri- 
son street  in  Davenport  since  1900,  won  his  prosperity  as  an  agriculturist  and  is 
still  the  owner  of  five  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  rich  and  productive  farming 
land  in  Benton  county,  Iowa.  His  birth  occurred  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the 
i6th  of  October,  1840,  his  parents  being  Marx  and  Lucy  Wiese.  The  father, 
who  was  born  in  1800,  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  and  in  early  manhood  served 
as  a  soldier  of  the  German  army.  In  1853,  in  company  with  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren, he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States,  landing  at  New  York.  Thence 
he  made  his  way  direct  to  Moline,  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois,  where  the  family 
home  was  maintained  for  about  twenty  years.  They  first  took  up  their  abode 
in  a  log  cabin  which  stood  on  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  of  land  which  the  father 
had  purchased,  about  twenty  acres  of  which  were  improved.  As  his  financial  re- 
sources increased,  owing  to  his  well  directed  industry  and  capable  management, 
Marx  Wiese  added  to  his  landed  holdings  in  Rock  Island  county  and  brought  his 
fields  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  improvement.  He  passed  away  in 
1886,  having  for  four  years  survived  his  wife  who  was  called  to  her  final  rest  in 
1882,  when  seventy-two  years  of  age.  Unto  them  were  born  three  sons  and  one 
daughter,  namely :  Fred,  who  is  deceased ;  Henry,  of  this  review ;  John,  who  is  a 
resident  of  Geneseo,  Illinois;  and  Anna,  the  wife  of  Henry  Operdicke,  of  Port 
Byron,  IlHnois. 

Henry  Wiese  pursued  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land  until 
thirteen  years  of  age  and  then  came  to  the  new  world  with  his  parents.  He 
continued  his  studies  to  some  extent  in  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois,  but  owing  to 
the  sparsely  settled  condition  of  the  country,  schools  were  few  and  far  between 
and  he  did  not  find  much  opportunity  to  attend.  He  assisted  his  father  in  the  work 
of  the  home  farm  until  twenty-five  years  of  age,  when  he  was  married  and  started 
out  in  life  on  his  own  account,  purchasing  and  locating  upon  a  tract  of  one  hun- 


58  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

dred  and  sixty  acres  of  prairie  land  in  Coe  township,  Rock  Island  county.  It  was 
raw  land  upon  which  no  improvements  had  been  made,  but  with  characteristic 
energy  he  began  its  development  and  cultivation  and  soon  converted  it  into  a 
productive  farm.  He  likewise  erected  a  house  and  put  up  fences  and  later  bought 
an  additional  tract  of  eighty  acres  adjoining.  In  1874  he  disposed  of  the  property 
and  removed  to  Benton  county,  Iowa,  purchasing  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  land  in  Cedar  township.  The  place  had  been  improved  to  some  extent 
and  there  were  several  small  buildings  upon  it.  There  he  carried  on  his  agri- 
cultural interests  energetically  and  successfully  until  1900,  since  which  time  he 
has  lived  retired  in  Davenport,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil  in  well 
earned  ease.  Prospering  in  his  undertakings,  he  added  to  his  holdings  by  addi- 
tional purchase  and  is  still  the  owner  of  five  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  fine 
farming  land  in  Benton  county. 

On  the  4th  of  January,  1865,  Mr.  Wiese  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Kathryn  Kahler,  a  native  of  Holstein,  Germany,  where  her  birth  occurred  on 
the  1 6th  of  June,  1846.  In  1852,  when  six  years  of  age,  she  was  brought  to.  the 
United  States  by  her  parents,  Mathias  and  Lena  Kahler,  who  took  up  their  abode 
in  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois.  They  were  farming  people  and  both  passed  away 
in  Benton  county,  Iowa.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wiese  were  born  eight  children, 
as  follows :  Anna,  Charles  and  Elizabeth,  all  of  whom  are  deceased ;  John,  who 
is  a  resident  of  Davenport ;  Louisa  and  Albert,  both  at  home ;  Augusta,  the  wife 
of  Charles  Stelk,  of  Virginia;  and  Dorothy,  who  is  likewise  still  under  the  par- 
ental roof. 

Mr.  Wiese  is  a  stanch  democrat  in  his  political  views  and  has  capably  served 
in  a  number  of  township  offices,  including  those  of  road  supervisor  and  school 
director.  He  is  a  member  of  the  German  Pioneers  Society  of  Scott  county.  In 
his  business  career  he  has  displayed  excellent  ability  and  unfaltering  diligence  and 
as  the  years  have  passed  his  labor  has  been  the  measure  of  a  gratifying  success. 
He  and  his  wife  are  people  of  the  highest  respectability,  whose  good  qualities 
of  heart  and  mind  have  won  for  them  the  confidence  and  friendly  regard  of  all 
who  know  them. 


RUDOLPH  SCHLAPKOHL. 

Agricultural  interests  of  Qeona  township  find  a  worthy  representative  in 
Rudolph  Schlapkohl,  who  has  spent  his  entire  life  on  the  farm  upon  which  he 
now  resides,  his  birth  there  occurring  on  the  28th  of  January,  1871.  His  parents 
were  Jurgens  and  Katharine  (Kumerfeldt)  Schlapkohl,  both  natives  of  Schles- 
wig-Holstein,  Germany,  born  on  the  ist  of  May,  1823,  and  the  24th  of  November, 
1826,  respectively.  They  were  reared  and  married'  in  the  old  country  and  came 
to  the  United  States  in  the  fall  of  1853,  locating  in  Rock  Island,  Illinois.  The 
father  farmed  for  Billy  Davenport  on  Government  island  for  nine  or  ten  years 
and  then  came  to  Cleona  township,  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  the 
present  homestead.  Although  a  poor  man  when  he  came  to  this  country,  at  the 
time  of  his  death  he  was  the  owner  of  two  other  farms  beside  the  home  farm, 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  59 

one  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  acres  adjoining  the  latter,  and  the  other 
comprising'one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Muscatine  county— a  fact  which  clearly 
indicates  the  success  that  came  to  him  as  the  result  of  perseverance,  industry 
and  diligence.  Both  parents  are  now  deceased,  the  father  passing  away  on  the 
28th  of  April,  1895,  and  the  mother  on  the  22d  of  October,  1903.  Their  family 
consisted  of  four  children,  namely:  Betsy,  the  wife  of  Henry  Schumann,  of 
Pottawattamie  county,  Iowa ;  Herman,  a  farmer  of  Cedar  county,  whose  home  is 
near  Durant;  George,  a  resident  of  Muscatine  county;  and  Rudolph,  of  this 
review. 

No  event  of  special  importance  came  to  vary  the  routine  of  life  for  Rudolph 
Schlapkohl  during  the  period  of  his  boyhood  and  youth,  which  was  passed  upon 
his  father's  farm,  and  at  the  usual  age  he  was  sent  as  a  pupil  to  the  disitritt 
schools  for  the  acquirement  of  an  education.  When  not  busy  with  his  text-books 
he  worked  in  the  fields,  early  becoming  familiar  with  the  best  methods  of  tilling 
the  soil,  and  continued  to  give  his  father  the  benefit  of  his  assistance  until  the 
latter 's  death,  when  he  took  charge  of  the  home  farm  and  has  since  directed  his 
efforts  towards  its  further  development.  It  consists  of  two  hundred  acres  located 
on  sections  8  and  17,  and  had  been  well  improved  by  his  father.  Under  his  care, 
however,  it  has  been  put  under  still  higher  cultivation  and  is  numbered  among 
the  valuable  and  desirable  properties  of  the  township.  He  carries  on  general 
farming  and  stock-raising,  and  his  interests,  which  are  conducted  along  strictly 
up-to-date  and  progressive  lines,  are  a  source  of  gratifying  remuneration  to  him. 

It  was  on  December  20,  1899,  that  Mr.  Schlapkohl  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Olga  Ladehofif,  a  native  of  Cleona  township,  her  birth  occurring  on  the  2Sth  of 
August,  1877.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Ida  (Lamp)  Ladehofif,  residents 
of  Cleona  township,  who  were  both  born  in  Germany,  the  mother  coming  to  the 
new  world  in  early  childhood,  while  the  father  arrived  when  about  twenty  years 
of  age.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Schlapkohl  has  always  been  a  republican, 
believing  that  the  principles  of  this  party  are  most  conductive  to  good  govern- 
ment. He  has  not,  however,  been  an  aspirant  for  public  office,  preferring  to 
concentrate  his  energies  upon  his  business  affairs,  which,  carefully  managed,  are 
bringing  to  him  a  large  measure  of  success.  Having  passed  his  entire  life  in 
this  state,  he  is  a  t)^ical  lowan,  alert  and  enterprising,  who  recognizes  the  fact 
that  upon  individual  effort  depends  success  and  is  therefore  laboring  earnestly 
to  advance  to  the  goal  of  prosperity. 


HANS  F.  MUHS. 


Hans  F.  Muhs,  who  is  now  living  retired  in  Davenport,  was  in  former  years 
actively  and  successfully  identified  with  the  commercial  interests  of  the  city,  con- 
ducting a  merchant  tailoring  establishment  on  Second  street  for  more  than  a 
third  of  a  century.  His  birth  occurred  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  6th  of  June, 
1835,  his  parents  being  Jochim  and  Anna  Muhs.  The  father  died  when  our 
subject  was  but  six  weeks  old.  H.  F.  Muhs  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools 
of  his  native  land  and  there  learned  the  tailor's  trade.    In  1856,  when  a  young 


60  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

man  of  twenty-one  years,  he  set  sail  for  the  new  world  in  company  with  his 
mother,  landing  at  New  Orleans  after  an  ocean  voyage  of  eight  weeks.  He  then 
started  up  the  Mississippi  river  for  Davenport,  reaching  his  destination  at  the 
end  of  three  weeks.  For  about  a  year  after  his  arrival  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand 
in  Sheridan  township  for  his  brother  Peter,  who  had  come  to  this  county  in 
1853.  He  then  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport  and  secured  employment  at  his 
trade,  remaining  in  the  service  of  John  Bartimeier  for  ten  years.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  embarked  in  business  as  a  merchant  tailor  on  his  own 
account,  opening  a  shop  on  Second  street  which  he  conducted  successfully  for 
about  thirty-five  years,  when  he  sold  out  to  his  sons,  who  still  carry  on  the  busi- 
ness in  a  commendable  manner.  Since  disposing  of  his  tailoring  establishment 
Mr.  Muhs  has  lived  retired  in  the  enjoyment  of  well  earned  ease. 

On  the  9th  of  April,  1857,  Mr.  Muhs  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna 
Mahl,  who  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  9th  of  April,  1831,  her  parents 
being  Max  and  Esther  Mahl,  of  Germany.  Miss  Mahl  was  a  passenger  on  the 
same  boat  on  which  her  future  husband  sailed  for  the  United  States.  Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Muhs  were  bom  eight  children,  four  of  whom  still  survive.  Edward, 
who  is  a  resident  of  Davenport,  wedded  Miss  Mary  Stormi,  by  whom  he  has 
seven  children,  namely :  Mabel,  Edna,  Hattie,  Roy,  Laurence,  Maxine  and  Veneta. 
Lewis,  the  next  in  order  of  birth,  likewise  makes  his  home  in  Davenport.  Ben- 
jamin, living  in  Davenport,  married  Miss  Mamie  Wendt  and  has  two  children, 
Martha  and  Arthur.  Hugo,  who  is  a  resident  of  Missouri,  married  Miss  Mamie 
Murphy.  On  the  9th  of  April,  1907,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Muhs  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding  and  the  presence  of  their  children  and  grandchildren  helped  to  make 
the  occasion  a  most  joyful  one. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Muhs  is  identified  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  he  is  also  a  well  known  member  of  the 
German  Pioneers  Society.  He  is  now  in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his  age  and  in 
the  evening  of  life  can  look  back  over  an  active,  useful  and  honorable  career. 
Coming  to  the  new  world  in  early  manhood,  he  availed  himself  of  the  oppor- 
tunities here  offered  and  soon  won  a  place  among  the  substantial  and  respected 
citizens  of  his  community. 


WILLIAM  LARNED  ALLEN,  M.  D. 

Equipped  by  thorough  training  at  home  and  abroad.  Dr.  William  Earned 
Allen  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  has  demonstrated  his  ability  to  cope  with 
the  intricate  problems  which  are  continually  confronting  the  physician  and  sur- 
geon. His  broad  study  and  research,  his  correct  application  of  scientific  knowl- 
edge and  his  wide  experience  have  given  him  eminence  in  his  chosen  calling  and 
he  is  moreover  entitled  to  public  recognition  as  the  promoter  of  the  electric  street 
car  system  in  this  city.  Born  in  Davenport  on  the  7th  of  June,  1858,  Dr.  Allen  is 
a  son  of  William  and  Augusta  Dorrance  Allen,  nee  Seabury.  The  father,  who 
was  born  in  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts,  in  1824,  served  as  chief  paymaster  of  the 
district  of  Cumberland  from  1861  until  1865.     Coming  to  this  city  at  an  early 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  63 

day,  he  was  active  in  its  substantial  development  and  progress  and  from  1870 
until  1874  was  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  Mandeville  &  Allen,  railroad  contractors. 
His  death  occurred  the  following  year  and  he  was  long  survived  by  his  wife. 
She  was  born  in  Portland,  Maine,  in  1830,  and  died  in  Davenport  in  1899.  Among 
the  early  American  ancestors  of  Dr.  Allen  are  Governor  Bradford,  of  Massachu- 
setts, and  the  Rev.  Thomas  Allen,  of  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts,  the  great-grand- 
father, who  was  called  "the  fighting  parson"  because  of  his  action  in  1777  at  the 
battle  of  Bennington. 

Dr.  Allen  supplemented  his  early  education,  acquired  in  the  common  schools, 
by  study  in  Griswold  College  of  Davenport,  and  in  preparation  for  a  professional 
career  entered  the  medical  department  of  the  Iowa  State  University,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  188 1.  He  afterward  spent  two  years  in  Vienna,  Austria, 
in  special  work  in  surgery  and  gynecology.  He  has  always  remained  a  closa 
student  of  the  profession,  keeping  in  touch  with  the  advanced  thought  that  marks 
the  onward  march  of  the  medical  fraternity,  and  the  ability  which  comes  through 
wide  study,  careful  analysis  and  broad  experience  is  his,  making  him  one  of  the 
prominent  and  successful  physicians  of  Davenport.  His  experiences  in  other 
lines  have  also  been  of  a  somewhat  varied  nature.  In  early  manhood  he  spent 
one  year  on  a  farm  in  Iowa  and  one  year  in  managing  a  plantation  in  Arkansas, 
being  called  to  this  task  on  account  of  the  death  of  his  father  and  his  father's 
partner.  Having  inherited  some  stock  in  a  street  railway  company  in  Davenport 
and  having  seen  the  successful  trial  of  an  electric  car  in  Richmond,  Virginia,  he 
bought  up  all  the  stock  owned  by  parties  who  would  not  consent  to  adopt  elec- 
tricity as  a  motive  power  and  equipped  the  Davenport  Central  Railway  with  elec- 
tric cars  in  August,  1888.  This  was  the  second  road  to  be  thus  fully  equipped  in 
the  United  States.  The  undertaking  required  nearly  all  of  Dr.  Allen's  capital.  The 
attempt  to  operate  lines  in  Stillwater,  Minnesota,  and  another  in  Dubuque,  Iowa, 
which  he  had  equipped,  together  with  the  necessity  of  purchasing  new  motors 
which  had  soon  to  be  replaced  with  more  powerful  ones,  required  more  capital 
than  he  could  command  and  the  electric  supply  companies  and  his  banker  forced 
him  to  give  up  his  property,  which  was  then  carrying  only  a  small  bonded  debt, 
and  which  a  few  years  later  was  sold  to  an  eastern  syndicate  for  several  million 
dollars.  The  early  change  to  electricty  gave  Davenport  a  widespread  reputation, 
but  few  of  the  citizens  were  willing  to  put  any  money  into  the  electric  venture, 
believing  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  thus  run  cars  up  the  heavy  grades. 
Resuming  the  practice  of  medicine  and  surgery,  Dr.  Allen  has  since  confined  his 
attention  almost  exclusively  to  his  professional  duties  and  in  1895  founded  St. 
Luke's  Hospital  and  was  elected  president  of  its  medical  board  and  chairman  of 
the  executive  committee,  which  position  he  still  retains.  He  has  done  notable 
work  along  surgical  lines,  prominent  among  his  operations  being  the  removal  in 
1895  by  gastrotomy  of  a  hairball  from  a  girl's  stomach,  it  being  the  largest  foreign 
body  ever  successfully  removed  from  the  human  stomach.  Other  operations 
which  he  has  performed  have  been  almost  equally  notable  and  have  brought  him 
wide  reputation  as  a  skilled  surgeon.  For  twenty  years  he  has  been  surgeon  of 
the  State  Orphans  Home  and  for  a  similar  period  of  the  Tri  City  Railway  Com- 
pany. For  two  decades  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  state,  district  and  county 
medical  associations  and  for  fifteen  years  of  the  American  Medical  Association. 


64  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

He  was  the  president  of  the  Davenport  Academy  of  Natural  Science  for  three 
years,  from  1893  until  1895  inclusively,  and  in  the  latter  year  was  chosen  president 
of  the  Scott  County  Medical  Association.  In  1900  he  was  elected  to  the  presi- 
dency of  the  Iowa  &  Illinois  District.  Medical  Society  and  in  1908  became  the 
chief  executive  of  the  Second  District  Medical  Association. 

In  his  political  views  Dr.  Allen  is  a  stalwart  supporter  of  the  republican  party 
and,  though  not  an  office  seeker,  has  been  concerned  in  various  public  movements 
of  widespread  benefit,  acting  as  president  of  the  Davenport  Business  Men's 
Association  in  1889  and  cooperating  in  various  projects  for  general  progress. 

On  the  1st  of  October,  1885,  Dr.  Allen  was  married  to  Miss  Alice  Van  Patten, 
a  daughter  of  John  P.  Van  Patten.  Their  children  are :  Larned  V.  P.,  Elizabeth 
M.  and  William  Seabury.  The  family  are  Episcopalian  in  religious  faith  and 
Dr.  Allen  is  prominent  in  the  various  departments  of  the  church  work,  serving 
as  a  member  of  the  vestry  and  also  as  president  of  the  Men's  Club  of  the  cathe- 
dral. He  joined  Trinity  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  1888  and  has  ever  been  ail 
exemplary  representative  of  the  craft,  utilizing  the  opportunities  which  his  prac- 
tice affords  for  the  exemplification  of  its  basic  principles  of  mutual  helpfulness 
and  brotherly  kindness. 


F.  E.  PETO. 


F.  E.  Peto,  who  in  former  years  was  an  active  factor  in  commercial  circles 
of  Davenport,  conducting  an  extensive  and  profitable  business  as  a  shoe  mer-chant, 
is  now  living  retired  save  for  the  supervision  which  he  gives  to  his  real-estate 
interests.  His  birth  occurred  in  the  town  of  Koenigsberg,  Prussia,  Germany,  on 
the  1st  of  May,  1838,  his  parents  being  Frederick  and  Henrietta  Peto,  both  of 
whom  passed  away  in  that  country.  The  father,  whoi  was  engaged  in  business 
as  a  shoe  merchant,  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1830  between  Poland  and 
Prussia. 

F.  E.  Peto  attended  the  schools  of  hisi  native  land  in  the  acquirement  of  an 
education  and  afterward  worked  for  his  father,  under  whose  direction  he  gained 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  shoe  business.  He  likewise  served  in  the  German 
army,  participating  in  the  war  with  Denmark  in  1863-4  and  in  the  war  of  1866 
against  Austria.  The  many  favorable  reports  which  reached  him  concerning 
the  opportunities  and  advantages  of  the  new  world  led  him  to  the  determination 
to  establish  his  home  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  and  in  1870  he  set  sail  for 
American  shores.  After  landing  at  New  York  he  came  direct  to  Davenport, 
arriving  in  this  city  on  the  30th  of  June.  He  first  spent  about  two  years  in  the 
employ  of  John  Jamison,  who  was  engaged  in  the  shoe  business,  and  then 
started  out  on  his  own  account,  conducting  a  leather  business  on  Second  street 
for  three  years.  Subsequently  he  was  engaged  in  the  same  business  in  the 
Hahnemann  building  for  about  three  years  and  then  purchased  a  building  at  No. 
415  West  Second  street,  where  he  successfully  carried  on  business  until  the 
time  of  his  retirement  in  1904.  He  purchased  two  more  buildings  on  either  side 
of  the  one  which  first  came  into  his  possession  and  likewise  bought  considerable 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  65 

other  property  and,  though  living  largely  retired  for  the  past  six  years.,  still  gives 
his  supervision  to  his  extensive  real-estate  interests. 

In  January,  1858,  Mr.  Peto  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Louisa  Dahms,  a 
daughter  of  Peter  and  Helena  Dahms.  Unto  them  were  bom  seven  children, 
four  of  whom  passed  away  in  early  life.  Edward,  who  is  a  resident  of  Chicago, 
wedded  Miss  Minnie  Miller  and  has  a  daughter,  Edith.  Frank,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  thirty-seven  years,  had  married  Miss  Laura  Wiese,  by  whom  he  had  two 
children,  Alice  E.  and  Camilla.  Henry,  living  in  Davenport,  wedded  Miss  Anna 
Klode  and  has  two  sons,  Harry  and  Orr. 

Since  becoming  a  naturalized  American  citizen  Mr.  Peto  has  given  his  politi- 
cal allegiance  to  the  repubilcan  party,  while  fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the 
Modem  Woodmen  of  America.  Though  bom  across  the  water,  he  is  thoroughly 
American  in  thought  and  feeling,  and  is  patriotic  and  sincere  in  his  love  for  the 
stars  and  stripes.  For  four  decades  he  has  made  his  home  in  Scott  county,  where 
he  has  acquired  a  competence  and  where  he  is  an  honored  and  respected  citizen. 
In  business  his  course  has  been  characterized  by  the  strictest  fidelity  to  principle 
and  in  social  relations  he  displays  an  unfailing  courtesy  and  a  genial  cordiality 
that  have  won  for  him  many  friends. 


THEODOR  HARTZ. 


Theodor  Hartz,  secretary,  treasurer  and  manager  of  the  Otto  Albrecht  Com- 
pany, manufacturers  of  fine  cigars,  was  born  in  Altona,  Holstein,  Germany,  April 
24,  1857,  a  son  of  Theodor  and  Emilie  (Gottschau)  Hartz,  who  came  to  America, 
settling  in  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  on  the  27th  of  July,  1872.  The  father  was  a 
carpenter  and  joiner  and  both  he  and  his  wife  spent  their  remaining  days  in 
Rock  Island,  their  graves  being  made  in  Chipawanie  cemetery  of  that  city. 

Theodor  Hartz  was  reared  in  his  native  land,  attending  the  city  schools  and 
also  taking  up  the  study  of  English  under  private  instmction  ere  he  left  Germany 
for  the  new  world.  He  had  therefore  learned  to  speak  the  language  of  this 
country  fairly  well  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  the  trip  across  the 
Atlantic.  They  reached  Rock  Island  on  Saturday,  and  on  the  following  Mondav 
he  secured  a  position  in  the  dry-goods  store  of  Louis  Kiesow,  with  whom  he 
remained  for  seven  years — a  trusted  and  valued  employe  whose  fidelity  and 
ability  was  indicated  by  the  fact  of  his  long  retention  in  the  house.  He  was 
originally  given  his  board  and  clothing  as  compensation  for  his  services,  and  the 
proprietor  also  bestowed  upon  him  a  dollar  somewhat  as  an  honorarium.  On 
Christmas  he  was  given  two  dollars  and  at  the  end  of  the  year  he  had  eighty-five 
cents  left  out  of  his  cash  capital  of  three  dollars.  During  the  second  year  he 
was  paid  twelve  and  a  half  dollars  a  month  and  board,  while  the  third  year  he 
was  given  fifteen  dollars  per  month  and  board.  Later  he  received  an  increase  to 
fifteen  dollars  per  week  and  boarded  himself.  The  appreciation  of  his  services 
on  the  part  of  his  employer  is  indicated  in  his  continued  promotion  and  increase 
in  salary. 


66  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

In  July,  1879,  ^J"-  Hartz  came  to  Davenport,  where  he  secured  a  position  as 
draft  clerk  in  the  Citizens  National  Bank,  there  remaining  until  August,  1880, 
when  he  became  connected  with  his  present  line  of  business  in  association  with 
Otto  Albrecht,  who  established  the  enterprise  in  1854.  Mr.  Hartz  represented 
the  business  upon  the  road  as  a  traveUng  salesman  for  two  and  a  half  years, 
selling  cigars,  and  later  was  employed  in  the  house.  In  1897  the  firm  was  in- 
corporated and  Mr.  Hartz,  being  admitted  to  a  partnership,  was  chosen  secretarji 
and  treasurer.  In  the  meantime,  on  the  loth  of  November,  1881,  he  married 
Miss  Emma,  a  daughter  of  Otto  Albrecht.  The  father  became  president  of  the 
new  company,  with  Mrs.  Hartz  as  vice  president.  On  the  26th  of  February, 
1904,  Mr.  Albrecht  passed  away.  He  had  willed  his  interest  in  the  business  to 
Theodor  Hartz  personally,  and  the  latter  has  since  managed  the  enterprise,  mak- 
ing his  wife  president  and  his  daughter,  Paula  Dunker,  vice  president,  while  be 
retains  his  old  official  connection  with  the  business  as  secretary  and  treasurer. 
The  company  owns  a  well  equipped  factory  and  employs  about  thirty  people  in 
the  manufacture  of  various  kinds  of  cigars,  which  find  a  ready  market  in  Iowa, 
Illinois  and  part  of  Minnesota  and  South  Dakota.  Great  care  and  attention  are 
paid  to  the  excellence  of  the  product  and  the  systematic  business  methods  of  the 
house  and  the  well  known  reliability  of  the  company  have  constituted  strong  ele- 
ments in  its  success. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hartz  have  been  bom  eleven  children  of  whom  ten  are 
yet  living:  Paula,  the  wife  of  WiUiam  Dunker;  Joa;  Hans  W. ;  Gertrude;  Nellie; 
Emilie;  Gesa;  Ina;  Hildegard;  and  Emma.  One  child.  Otto  Albrecht,  died  in 
December,  1897.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Ethical  Society  of  Davenport. 
Mr.  Hartz  has  been  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  nine  years  and  the  cause 
of  education  finds  in  him  a  warm  champion,  his  labors  being  effective  in  advanc- 
ing the  school  interests  of  this  city.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Davenport  Com- 
mercial Club  and  of  the  Turngemeinde.  He  exemplifies  in  his  life  many  of  the 
sterling  characteristics  of  his  German  ancestry,  having  the  persistent  purpose  and 
indefatigable  energy  which,  have  ever  marked  the  Teutonic  race.  His  diligence 
has  brought  him  the  success  which  is  now  his,  while  his  keen  discernment  in 
business  affairs  enables  him  to  capably  control  and  develop  the  interests  which 
are  under  his  charge. 


WILLIAM  COOKE  WADSWORTH. 

William  Cooke  Wadsworth,  deceased,  was  the  organizer  of  the  Citizens  Nat- 
ional Bank  and  a  prominent  figure  in  financial  circles  in  Davenport,  but  was  per- 
haps even  more  widely  known  in  the  development  of  extensive  mercantile  in- 
terests which  constituted  an  important  feature  in  commercial  circles  here.  He 
was  born  June  27,  1826,  in  Litchfield,  Connecticut,  and  at  the  usual  age  entered 
the  public  schools  there,  continuing  his  studies  to  the  age  of  eighteen.  He  then 
went  to  New  Haven  and  made  his  initial  step  in  the  business  world  by  becoming 
connected  with  a  dry-goods  enterprise,  with  which  he  was  associated  until  1848. 
Macon,  Georgia,  was  his  next  place  of  residence  and  he  remained  there  in  a 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  69 

similar  line  of  business  until  1855,  when  he  came  to  Davenport.  This  city  was. 
then  comparatively  small  and  of  little  commercial  and  industrial  importance. 
Mr.  Wadsworth  became  an  active  factor  in  its  substantial  advancement  and  in  its 
natural  and  healthy  expansion  in  the  lines  of  commercial  activity.  He  opened 
a  retail  dry-goods  store  at  No.  127  West  Second  street  and  such  was  the  success 
of  the  original  undertaking  that  he  soon  afterward  established  a  second  store  in 
Rock  Island,  Illinois.  Both  enterprises  proved  profitable  from  the  beginning 
and  in  1861  he  opened  a  wholesale  house,  conducting  the  three  stores  in  a  suc- 
cessful manner  until  1868.  He  then  disposed  of  the  retail  stores  and  thereafter 
devoted  his  entire  attention  to  the  large  wholesale  business  at  Nos.  109,  in  and 
113  East  Second  street.  Untiring  and  of  persistent  purpose,  full  of  ambition 
and  of  progressive,  modern  ideas,  he  carefully  formulated  his  plans  and  carried 
them  forward  to  successful  completion,  building  up  his  enterprise  upon  sound 
business  principles  until  it  was  second  to  none  in  the  city  in  the  extent  and  char- 
acter of  the  trade  enjoyed  by  the  house.  At  the  outset  of  his  career  he  adopted 
certain  business  policies,  the  value  of  which  were  demonstrated  in  his  success. 
He  never  made  engagements  which  he  did  not  keep  nor  incurred  obligations  which 
he  did  not  meet ;  he  regarded  no  detail  as  too  unimportant  to  receive  his  attention 
and  he  demanded  on  the  part  of  his  representatives  a  uniform  courtesy  and  con- 
sideration for  all  patrons.  He  won  the  allegiance  of  his  employes  by  his  fair  and 
just  treatment  of  them  and  his  recognition  of  their  worth  by  promotion  as  op- 
portunity offered.  In  the  conduct  of  his  business  he  held  to  high  standards  in 
the  personnel  of  the  house,  in  the  line  of  goods  carried  and  in  the  relations  to 
the  public.  Mr.  Wadsworth  was  also  interested  in  various  other  business  enter- 
prises, many  of  which  profited  by  the  stimulus  of  his  cooperation  and  the  adop- 
tion of  his  sound  business  principles.  He  became  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
Citizens  National  Bank,  was  a  director  for  nearly  forty  years  and  for  two  years 
acted  as  its  president. 

On  the  26th  of  October,  1859,  Mr.  Wadsworth  was  married  to  Miss  Anna 
Mitchell,  of  Rock  Island,  and  they  became  parents  of  four  children:  William 
M.,  Henry  T. ;  Mary  Hall  and  Walter  C,  who  died  in  early  life.  Mr.  Wads- 
worth was  preeminently  a  man  of  domestic  tastes,  devoted  to  his  family,  and  he 
also  held  friendship  inviolable.  He  attended  the  services  of  the  Congregational 
church.  His  political  allegiance  was  given  to  the  democracy  and  to  him  would 
have  been  accorded  high  political  honors  had  he  not  continually  refused  to  be- 
come an  active  participant  in  politics  as  an  office  holder.  Several  times  he  re- 
fused the  candidacy  for  mayor,  although  his  fellow  townsmen  urgently  requested 
him  to  accept  the  offilce,  knowing  that  he  would  give  to  the  city  a  businesslike 
and  progressive  administration,  free  from  misrule  and  the  domination  of  sel- 
fish interests.  He  was  very  firm  and  positive  in  his  beliefs  and  unequivocal  in 
the  expression  of  his  sentiments,  yet  he  accorded  to  others  the  privilege  which 
he  reserved  to  himself  of  forming  and  supporting  unbiased  opinions.  He  worked 
harder  than  any  other  man  to  raise  money  for  the  new  bridge  across  the  river 
and  it  was  mainly  owing  to  his  efforts  that  this  enterprise  was  carried  to  a  suc- 
cessful termination.  He  was  a  great  reader,  finding  delight  in  literature  and 
scientific  research,  and  thus  his  intellectual  forces  were  being  continually  aug- 
mented.   He  educated  many  young  men  in  his  employ  to  be  expert  business  men 


70  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

and  when  the  occasion  was  timely  frequently  gave  to  them  friendly  and  valuable 
advice.  He  died  at  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  February  12,  1907,  when  on  his  way 
to  the  south,  and  Davenport's  loss  was  a  great  one  because  of  his  marked  busi- 
ness enterprise,  his  public-spirited  devotion  to  the  general  good  and  his  worth 
as  a  man.  His  record  was  an  honor  to  the  city  which  honored  him  and  it  would 
be  difficult  to  find  a  resident  of  Davenport  who  was  more  uniformly  beloved. 


JOHN  B.  FIDLAR. 


The  consensus  of  pubHc  opinion  accords  to  John  B.  Fidlar  a  prominent  posi- 
tion in  the  ranks  of  Davenport's  progressive,  enterprising  and  successful  business 
men.  While  perhaps  best  known  as  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank,  a  position 
which  he  occupied  for  seventeen  years,  he  was  also  associated  with  various  other 
corporate  interests  and  his  colleagues  and  contemporaries  came  to  know  him  as 
a  man  notable,  prompt,  energetic  and  honorable.  He  was  born  May  16,  1839,  in 
Hebron,  Licking  county,  Ohio,  where  he  spent  the  first  fifteen  years  of  his  Hfe. 
In  1854  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Delaware,  Ohio,  where  he 
remained  for  five  years  and  in  the  meantime  supplemented  his  public  school  edu- 
cation by  a  two  years'  course  in  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  University.  On  the  7th  of 
April,  1859,  he  came  to  Davenport  with  his  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  P. 
Fidlar,  entering  the  business  circles  of  this  city  as  a  young  man  of  twenty  years. 
He  was  first  employed  as  patrol  guard  on  the  old  bridge  here  and  afterward 
went  to  Burlington,  where  for  a  year  or  more  he  occupied  the  position  of  clerk  in 
the  old  Barrett  Souse,  which  was  then  the  leading  hotel  in  that  section  of  the 
state. 

After  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Fidlar,  constrained  by  the  spirit  of 
patriotism,  offered  his  services  to  the  government,  enlisting  on  the  14th  of  August, 
1862,  as  a  member  of  Company  D,  Twenty-fifth  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry.  For 
gallant  military  service  he  was  advanced  through  successive  grades  of  promotion 
until  he  became  captain  of  his  company.  His  war  record  was  one  of  unflinching 
bravery  and  on  one  occasion  he  was  wounded  by  a  musket  ball  in  his  arm,  which 
troubled  him  to  the  day  of  his  death.  Iowa  never  sent  a  more  loyal,  valiant 
soldier  into  the  field.  He  performed  an  act  of  gallantry  before  Vicksburg  which 
alone  would  entitle  him  to  the  military  honors  which  were  conferred  upon  him  in 
his  promotion  to  the~  captaincy.  When  the  Union  troops  had  been  disorganized 
by  a  fierce  fire  in  front  of  them  and  some  flanking  movements  of  the  enemy  and 
were  falling  back  in  a  retreat  that  promised  to  become  a  rout  he  hurled  his  com- 
pany against  the  retreating  masses  in  a  fierce  bayonet  charge,  stopped  them,  held 
them  firm  a  few  minutes  and  maintained  the  position  so  taken  until  there  was 
time  to  reform  the  columns  and  get  into  action  again,  thus  saving  the  day.  This 
incident  was  characteristic  of  his  record  as  a  soldier  and  also  of  the  qualities  which 
he  displayed  in  the  business  world,  for  he  attacked  every  business  problem  with 
vigor  and  with  keen  insight  recognized  the  advantages  and  possibilities  of  the 
situation. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  71 

After  the  war  Mr.  Fidlar  located  in  Burlington  and  for  a  time  acted  as  cash- 
ier for  the  American  Express  Company,  while  later  he  was  upon  the  road  as  ex- 
press messenger  between  Burlington  and  Council  Bluffs.  On  the  4th  of  January, 
1871,  he  returned  to  Davenport,  where  he  accepted  the  position  of  discount  clerk 
in  the  First  National  Bank,  filling  the  position  acceptably  and  faithfully  for  seven 
years,  when  he  was  promoted  to  cashier,  He  remained  in  that  position  for  seven- 
teen years  and  then  tendered  his  resignation.  His  life  record  was  an  untarnished 
one  and  there  was  never  a  thought  of  anything  but  straightforward  business  in 
all  of  his  connection  with  the  bank.  Early  in  his  identification  with  the  institu- 
tion he  made  it  his  purpose  to  thoroughly  master  every  department  of  banking 
and  for  a  long  period  he  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  foremost  representatives  of 
financial  interests  in  the  city. 

As  the  years  passed  Mr.  Fidlar  extended  his  efforts  into  other  fields,  for  he 
was  a  man  of  resourceful  business  ability,  capable  of  controlling  varied  interests 
and  at  all  times  proving  his  worth  in  his  sound  opinions  relative  to  commercial 
and  financial  affairs.  After  he  retired  from  the  bank  he  was  identified  with  the 
insurance  interests  and  was  treasurer  of  the  Davenport  Safety  Deposit  Com- 
pany, of  the  Register  Life  and  Annuity  Company,  of  the  Merchants  and  Mechanics 
Building,  Loan  and  Savings  Association  and  a  director  in  all  three. 

On  the  i6th  of  September,  1868,  Mr.  Fidlar  was  married  in  Burlington  to 
Miss  Lovenia  Harper,  a  daughter  of  WiUiam  Harper  of  that  place.  Unto  this 
marriage  was  born  a  son,  William  Harper  Fidlar,  who  married  Bessie  Sloan  Alt- 
man,  and  died  in  1900,  leaving  a  son,  John  Brainard,  who  makes  his  home  in 
Davenport.  Mr.  Fidlar  was  a  member  of  Trinity  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  of 
the  various  Masonic  bodies  in  this  city,  being  an  exemplary  representative  of  the 
craft.  In  politics  he  was  a  stalwart  repubhcan  from  the  time  when  age  conferred 
upon  him  the  right  of  franchise,  believing  firmly  in  the  principles  of  the  party 
which  stood  by  the  Union  during  the  dark  days  of  the  Civil  war  and  has  always 
been  the  party  of  reform  and  progress.  He  belonged  to  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic  and  the  Loyal  Legion.  In  matters  of  citizenship  he  was  public-spirited 
in  an  eminent  degree.  His  labors  were  prompted  not  only  by  civic  pride  but  by 
that  stronger  element  of  citizenship — the  constant,  steady  determination  to  bring 
about  the  very  best  conditions  of  city  life  for  all  the  people.  When  the  country 
was  engaged  in  the  Civil  war  he  feared  not  to  face  the  enemy  on  the  field  of  battle. 
In  the  days  of  peace  his  influence  was  as  a  quiet,  steady,  moving  force,  accomplish- 
ing results.    He  was  honored  wherever  known  and  most  of  all  where  best  known. 


CHRISTIAN  MUELLER. 

There  is  no  man  among  Davenport's  honored  dead  who  deserves  more  promi- 
nent mention  than  Christian  Mueller,  who  for  many  years  figured  as  one  of  the 
kading  lumber  merchants  of  the  city  and  while  conducting  an  extensive  business 
enterprise  found  opportunity  for  active  and  effective  cooperation  in  many  move- 
ments which  have  left  their  impress  upon  the  city's  growth  and  substantial  develop- 
ment.    Moreover,  the  salient  qualities  of  his  character  were  such  as  made  him 


72  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

respected  and  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him.  Born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the 
1st  of  March,  1823,  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age  when  he  was  apprenticed  to  a 
mercantile  concern  and  thus  laid  the  foundation  for  his  business  career  in  the 
thorough  commercial  training  which  he  there  received.  Wisely  utilizing  his 
opportunities  and  husbanding  his  resources,  in  1844  he  was  enabled  to  engage  in 
merchandising  on  his  own  account,  opening  a  store  in  Kiel.  While  there  he  also 
took  active  interest  in  athletics  and  was  the  instructor  in  a  turners'  society. 
Moreover,  he  was  keenly  interested  in  the  vital  questions  and  issues  of  the  day 
relative  to  the  government  policy  and,  holding  decided  views  concerning  many 
public  affairs,  during  the  winter  of  1847-8  he  organized  a  company  of  volunteers 
to  aid  the  forces  operating  to  secure  greater  freedom  from  the  oppression  of  the 
Danish  monarchy.  In  the  latter  year  he  joined  some  Schleswig-Holstein  soldiers 
and  other  volunteers  and  this  heroic  band  attacked  a  fortified  post  at  Rendsburg, 
Holstein,  which  they  captured.  In  the  rebellion  which  followed  he  was  wounded 
three  times  and  in  July,  1850,  was  taken  prisoner,  after  which  he  laid  for  nine 
months  in  a  hospital  in  Denmark.  After  peace  had  been  declared  he  spent  some 
time  recuperating  his  health  and  in  1852  he  sailed  for  the  United  States,  deter- 
mined to  enjoy  in  the  new'  world  the  liberty  which  was  denied  him  in  his  native 
land. 

Mr.  Mueller  reached  Davenport  in  July  of  that  year  and  soon  after  his 
arrival  established  a  vinegar  factory  on  the  present  site  of  the  Kohrs  Packing 
Company.  This  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1854  and  he  lost  all  he  had,  but  he  did 
not  become  discouraged  and  with  resolute  spirit  set  to  work  to  retrieve  his  losses. 
A  few  months  later  he  married  Elfrieda  Claussen,  a  daughter  of  Hans  Reimer 
Claussen,  and  with  the  added  stimulus  of  having  a  home  of  his  own  to  provide 
for  he  started  again  in  the  business  world. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  Mr.  Mueller  obtained  his  first  experience  in  connection 
with  the  lumber  trade,  securing  a  position  in  a  sawmill  and  thus  gaining  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  business  which  stood  him  in  good  stead  in  later  years.  He  worked 
for  a  time  in  a  sawmill  in  Davenport  and  afterward  operated  a  flour  mill  in 
Lyons,  Iowa.  On  his  return  to  this  city,  in  1857,  he  accepted  a  position  as  fore- 
man and  salesman  with  the  lumber  firm  of  French  &  Davis  and  when  that  failed 
in  1858  he  was  given  charge  of  the  disposition  of  their  stock.  In  i860  he  became 
salesman  for  several  lumber  firms  and  from  1863  until  1868  engaged  in  the  grain 
business  on  his  own  account.  He  had  found  the  lumber  trade  congenial,  how- 
ever, and  in  March  of  the  latter  year  he  purchased  the  Dessaint  interest  in  the 
lumber  firm  of  Dessaint  &  Schricker,  while  in  July,  1883,  on  the  death  of  Mr. 
Schricker,  he  became  sole  proprietor.  On  the  ist  of  January,  1895,  he  associated 
his  three  sons,  Frank  W.,  Edward  C,  and  William  L.,  with  him  in  the  business, 
which  was  then  continued  under  the  name  of  Chris  Mueller  &  Sons.  He  ranked 
as  one  of  the  leading  lumber  merchants  of  the  west,  the  firm  enjoying  a  reputa- 
tion from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  The  straightforward,  honorable  business 
policy  which  he  instituted  at  the  commencement  of  his  career  was  ever  main- 
tained, and  the  reliability  of  the  house  constituted  one  of  the  most  potent  forces 
in  its  continued  and  growing  success. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Mueller  occurred  on  the  loth  of  September,  1901,  and  was 
the  occasion  of  deep  and  widespread  regret.    He  was  one  of  the  most  prominent 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  73 

and  most  beloved  citizens  of  Davenport,  his  personal  traits  of  character  gaining 
him  a  firm  hold  on  the  affections  of  those  with  whom  he  was  associated.  His 
name  was  regarded  as  synonymous  with  business  integrity  and  enterprise,  and 
in  social  circles  he  was  ever  a  welcome  guest.  He  enjoyed  association  with  his 
old  friends  but  home  was  never  forgotten  and  his  happiest  hours  were  spent  at 
his  own  fireside.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  and  the  first  president  of  the 
Davenport  Turngemeinde  and  was  looked  upon  as  the  father  of  the  organiza- 
tion. He  was  also  one  of  the  oldest  members  of  the  Davenport  Schuetzen 
Gesellschaft.  In  public  affairs  relative  to  the  city's  growth  and  improvement  he 
was  deeply  interested,  as  was  manifest  by  his  tangible  support  of  many  movements 
for  the  public  good. 


FR/*.NK  W.  MUELLER. 

Frank  W.  Mueller,  the  eldest  son  of  Christian  and  Elfrieda  Mueller,  was 
born  in  Davenport,  October  i8,  1863.  His  boyhood  days  were  spent  in  his 
father's  home,  during  which  time  he  attended  the  public  schools  of  the  city,  while 
later  he  enjoyed  the  advantage  of  instruction  in  the  Iowa  State  University,  from 
which  he  was  graduated.  His  education  complete,  he  became  associated  with  his 
father  in  the  lumber  business  and  in  order  to  gain  comprehensive  knowledge 
thereof  passed  through  every  department,  thus  fitting  himself  for  his  present 
important  position.  Since  his  father's  death  he  has  been  called  to  the  presidency 
of  the  Mueller  Lumber  Company  and  is  thus  in  control  of  one  of  the  most  ex- 
tensive and  important  lumber  concerns  not  only  of  Davenport  but  of  the  middle 
west.  He  is  likewise  the  vice  president  of  the  Mueller  Land  &  Timber  Company 
and  in  business  affairs  his  judgment  is  regarded  as  most  sound.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Turners  and  the  Schuetzen  societies  and  is  also  well  known  in  Masonic 
circles. 


ED  C.  MUELLER. 


Ed  C.  Mueller,  associated  with  his  brothers  in  the  Mueller  Lumber  Company, 
was  born  January  8,  1865,  in  this  city,  and  pursued  his  education  through  suc- 
cessive grades  in  the  public  schools  until  he  undertook  the  mastery  of  the  branches 
taught  in  the  high  school.  He  afterward  attended  the  Duncan  Business  College 
and  when  his  course  was  completed,  like  his  brothers,  became  connected  with 
the  father's  business.  All  were  thoroughly  trained  in  the  various  departments 
of  the  business  and  the  result  is  that  the  enterprise  has  continued  to  grow  under 
their  management  since  the  father's  death.  From  1886  until  1907  Ed  C.  Mueller 
had  charge  of  the  manufacturing  interests  in  the  summer  and  was  superintendent 
of  the  logging  in  the  winter.  He  thus  gained  intimate  and  comprehensive  knowl- 
edge of  the  business  in  its  operative  department  and  since  1907  has  looked  after 
the  buying  for  the  Mueller  Lumber  Company,  of  which  he  is  now  the  secretary 
and  treasurer.     He  also  has  considerable  supervision  over  the  interests  of  the 


74  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Mueller  Land  &  Timber  Company,  of  which  he  is  the  president.  The  latter 
company  has  very  large  interests  in  Oregon  and  the  scope  of  both  business  en- 
terprises is  being  gradually  extended,  while  the  firm  has  become  widely  known 
throughout  the  middle  portion  of  the  country  and  even  far  into  the  west. 

In  1889  Mr.  Mueller  was  married  to  Miss  Clara  Bruhn,  a  native  of  Daven- 
port and  a  daughter  of  John  Bruhn,  one  of  the  old  residents  of  the  city.  They 
have  two  children :  Walter,  bom  July  5,  1896 ;  and  EHnore,  born  August  19,  1902. 


W.  L.  MUELLER. 


W.  L.  Mueller  was  born  February  21,  1867,  and  is  a  son  of  Christian  Mueller, 
of  whom  extended  mention  is  made  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  The  public  schools 
afforded  him  his  early  educational  privileges  and  he  afterward  attended  Gris- 
wold  College.  He  then  became  connected  with  the  lumber  business  which  was 
founded  and  conducted  by  his  father,  spending  the  first  year  on  the  river  and  in 
keeping  books.  Like  his  brothers,  he  passed  through  every  department  of  the 
business  in  order  that  he  might  thoroughly  acquaint  himself  with  the  trade,  not 
only  in  the  management  of  the  financial  interests  but  also  in  the  value  of  lumber. 
It  was  in  1895  that  he  was  admitted  to  a  partnership  and  since  the  death  of  the 
father  the  business  has  been  carried  on  by  the  sons,  W.  L.  Mueller  being  now  the 
vice  president  of  the  Mueller  Lumber  Company.  He  gives  his  undivided  time 
and  attention  to  the  management  and  development  of  the  buisness  and  his  efforts 
have  constituted  an  important  factor  in  its  expansion  and  substantial  growth. 

In  1893  Mr.  Mueller  was  married  to  Miss  Bernhardine  Lennhuis,  a  native  of 
Davenport  and  a  daughter  of  Bernhard  Lennhuis,  one  of  the  old  settlers  of  Scott 
county.  They  now  have  two  children,  Ben  and  Annie.  Mr.  Mueller  belongs  to 
the  Turners  and  other  societies,  in  which  his  social  qualities  and  generous  spirit 
have  rendered  him  popular. 


ALEXANDER  FRASER  WILLIAMS. 

Alexander  Eraser  Wilhams,  deceased,  who  stood  as  a  splendid  example  of  the 
enterprising,  thrifty  and  loyal  citizen  and  a  faithful  follower  of  the  church,  whose 
life  did  much  to  inspire  and  encourage  others  and  whose  memory  is  cherished 
in  the  hearts  of  all  who  knew  him,  was  born  in  Westfield,  New  Jersey,  on  the 
15th  of  June,  1826.  His  life  record  covered  sixty-one  years,  his  death  occurring 
in  Atlantic,  Iowa,  December  15,  1887.  His  parents  were  Charles  Clark  Wil- 
laims  and  Eliza  High  Miller,  who  were  married  in  Westfield,  New  Jersey,  in 
1818.  They  became  the  parents  of  seven  daughters  and  three  sons  but  only  two 
are  now  living:  William  Belden,  a  resident  of  Nebraska;  and  Mrs.  Margaret 
Dougherty,  of  Iowa.  Most  of  the  ancestors  of  the  family  were  farming  people 
and  all  bear  honorable  records  as  honest,  hard-working  men  and  women,  living  in 
a  quiet,  humble  way.    The  Williams  branch  of  the  family  were  Welsh.    Nathaniel 


\:^:i.^z^  ^::^^-n^         tx^ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  77 

Williams,  the  grandfather  of  A.  F.  Williams,  had  three  children :  a  son  who  died 
in  early  manhood ;  a  daughter  Ann,  who  became  the  wife  of  Willard  Barrows,  one 
of  Iowa's  prominent  pioneer  residents;  and  Charles  Clark.  For  a  number  of 
years  Nathaniel  Williams  lived  in  Davenport  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Barrows, 
and  there  passed  away  in  1864,  when  more  than  eighty  years  of  age.  His  mother 
was  of  American  birth,  a  daughter  of  Charles  Clark,  who  served  throughout  the 
Revolutionary  war.  That  he  must  have  held  rank  as  an  officer  is  indicated  by  the 
fact  that  he  wore  a  sword,  the  silver  handle  of  which  was  afterward  melted  into 
six  tablespoons,  two  of  which  were  given  to  each  of  his  three  grandchildren — 
Samuel  Clark,  Charles  Clark  Williams  and  Betsy  Smith.  This  was  about  eighty 
years  ago  and  the  spoons  are  still  highly  prized  by  the  present  generation. 

In  the  maternal  line  A.  F.  Williams  comes  of  English  ancestry  through  his 
grandfather,  Ezra  Miller,  while  his  grandmother,  Mrs.  Mary  (High)  Miller,  was 
of  German  descent,  her  father,  John  High,  having  left  Germany  when  a  little  boy. 

Charles  Clark  Williams,  the  father  of  Alexander  Eraser  Williams,  was  a  man 
highly  esteemed  by. all  who  knew  him  because  of  his  upright  life  and  fidelity  to 
manly  principles.  An  earnest  Christian,  he  was  for  many  years  an  elder  in  the 
Presbyterian  church  in  Westfield  and  in  Newark,  New  Jersey,  and  for  several 
years  was  also  one  of  the  elders  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  in  Davenport, 
Iowa,  where  he  died  of  cholera  in  1852.  All  who  knew  him  felt  that  he  was  a 
martyr  to  the  unselfish  care  which  he  bestowed  upon  the  laboring  men  who  were 
victims  of  that  terrible  scourge.  He  had  a  most  faithful  and  loving  wife,  who  to 
her  family  was  a  devoted  mother,  her  salient  characteristics  being  such  as  en- 
deared her  to  ajl  who  knew  her.  She  made  her  home  in  Davenport  and  its  vicin- 
ity for  over  thirty  years  and  spent  the  last  few  years  of  her  life  in  the  home  of 
her  daughter  in  Nebraska,  there  passing  away  in  1878. 

Alexander  Fraser  Williams  spent  his  youthful  days  on  his  father's  farm  near 
Westfield,  New  Jersey,  and  was  eleven  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  the  removal 
of  the  family  to  Newark.  There  he  spent  several  years  attending  the  private 
schools  and  academy,  and  for  one  year  was  a  student  in  a  good  school  in  Caldwell, 
New  Jersey,  so  that  he  obtained  a  fair  education.  He  was  seventeen  years  of  age 
when  in  1843  the  family  removed  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  which  was  then  regarded 
as  the  far  west.  He  remained  there  for  four  years,  assisting  his  father  upon  the 
farm,  and  also  spent  several  months  in  making  surveying  tours  through  Iowa 
with  his  uncle,  Willard '  Barrows.  He  did  not  find  agricultural  pursuits  con- 
genial and,  believing  that  he  would  obtain  more  pleasure  and  profit  from  com- 
mercial life,  in  1847  he  entered  the  dry-goods  store  of  his  uncle,  Moses  Miller, 
at  Racine,  Wisconsin.  After  two  years  there  passed  his  longing  for  the  east 
decided  him  to  return  to  New  York  city,  where  he  secured  a  situation  in  the 
wholesale  hardware  store  of  John  C.  Tucker,  in  whose  service  he  remained  for 
three  years,  acquiring  a  good  knowledge  of  the  business  during  that  period  and 
thus  becoming  well  equipped  for  the  line  of  work  to  which  he  devoted  the  greater 
part  of  his'  life.  In  1852,  receiving  a  more  advantageous  business  ofifer,  he  en- 
tered the  employ  of  Ely,  Bow  en  &  McConnell,  wholesale  dry-goods  merchants, 
conducting  business  on  Broadway,  New  York.  For  six  years  he  continued  with 
that  firm  and  during  half  the  time  had  charge  of  the  white  goods  department, 
making  purchases  for  the  same     In  the  financial  crash  of  1858,  following  the 


78  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

widespread  panic  of  the  previous  year,  the  New  York  firm  failed  and  about  the 
same  time  Mr.  Williams  received  an  offer  to  go  into  business  in  Davenport,  where 
his  widowed  mother  and  family  lived.    This  influenced  him  to  return  to  the  west. 

On  the  17th  of  February,  1858,  Mr.  Williams  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Frances  Mary  Robinson,  of  Chicago,  and  after  spending  some  two  months  in  the 
east,  purchasing  his  stock  of  dry  goods,  thus  combining  pleasure  with  business, 
he  returned  with  his  bride  to  Davenport  and  in  May,  1858,  became  the  junior 
partner  of  the  firm  of  Eldridge  &  Williams,  at  No.  123  Brady  street.  During  the 
succeeding  three  years  the  business  increased  rapidly,  necessitating  trips  to  New 
York  and  Boston,  which  Mr.  Williams  made  three  or  four  times  each  year  in  or- 
der to  purchase  goods  in  eastern  markets.  They  were  enjoying  substantial  success 
at  the  time  of  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war.  Within  a  few  months  nearly  all 
business  was  paralyzed  and  failures  were  the  order  of  the  day.  Eldridge  &  Wil- 
liams were  among  the  unfortunate  ones  and  were  obliged  to  succumb  to  the  pres- 
sure. 

The  financial  outlook  was  dark  and  discouraging  but  Mr.  Williams  was  of  an 
optimistic  nature  and  believed  that  the  obstacles  and  difficulties  could  be  over- 
come by  persistent,  determined  and  honorable  effort.  He  desired  to  take  part  in  the 
struggle  in  which  his  country  was  engaged,  but  his  only  brotlier,  Belden  Williams, 
and  Frank  C.  Robinson,  his  wife's  only  brother,  were  among  the  first  to  enhst, 
serving  faithfully  through  the  long  four  years  of  the  war.  With  those  two  at 
the  front  Mr.  Williams  felt  convinced  that  his  duty  must  lie  at  home  in  the  care 
of  his  widowed  mother  and  his  young  wife  and  child.  Accordingly  in  the  fall  of 
1 86 1  he  accepted  a  position  with  Sickles  &  Preston,  a  prominent  hardware  firm 
of  Davenport,  with  whom  he  continued  for  about  four  years,  two  of  which  he  spent 
upon  the  road  as  traveling  reprsentative  of  their  wholesale  house  that  had  just  been 
established  in  Chicago.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  received  an  offer  from  the  well 
known  hardware  firm  of  William  Blair  &  Company,  of  Chicago,  bringing  him  a 
large  advance  in  salary.  He  traveled  for  that  firm  for  four  years,  at  the  expira- 
tion of  which  time  he  was  quite  ready  to  settle  down  in  the  city  of  his  choice — 
Davenport — where  his  family  had  continued  to  reside  during  the  six  years  which 
he  had  spent  upon  the  road,  giving  the  best  powers  and  strength  of  his  young 
manhood  to  the  honorable  canceling  of  all  of  his  indebtedness. 

In  1869  Mr.  Williams  formed  a  partnership  in  the  wholesale  heavy  hardware 
trade  with  R.  Sieg,  under  the  firm  style  of  Sieg  &  Williams.  His  comprehensive 
knowledge  of  the  business  naturally  made  him  the  buyer  for  the  house  and  during 
the  eighteen  years  in  which  he  was  connected  with  the  business  he  contributed 
largely  to  the  upbuilding  of  a  profitable  enterprise  which  is  still  continued  under 
the  name  of  the  Sieg  Iron  Company.  The  firm  of  Sieg  &  Williams  were  extensive 
jobbers  in  heavy  wagon  stock  and  other  manufacturers'  hardware,  and  in  addi- 
tion to  his  mercantile  interests  Mr.  Williams  was  a  director  of  the  Security  Fire 
Insurance  Company,  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trade  and  was  connected  with 
other  business  organizations.  As  the  years  went  by  he  prospered  in  his  undertak- 
ings, becoming  recognized  as  one  of  the  foremost  merchants  and  leading  business 
men  of  the  city.  His  name  stood  as  a  synonym  for  commercial  integrity,  for  he 
never  made  engagements  that  he  did  not  fill  nor  incurred  obligations  that  he  did 
not  meet.     His  methods  were  progressive  and  his  course  won  for  him  the  ad- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  79 

miration  and  respect  of  his  contemporaries  and  colleagues.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wil- 
liams became  the  parents  of  four  children,  namely:  Ella,  who  gave  her  hand  in 
marriage  to  J.  S.  Thompson  and  now  resides  in  Escondido,  California ;  Anna,  the 
wife  of  Dr.  J.  P.  Crawford,  whose  sketch  appears  on  another  page  of  this  work; 
Frederick  Crosby,  who  passed  away  in  Colorado  Springs,  Colorado,  on  the  21st  of 
September,  1894,  when  twenty-four  years  of  age ;  and  Joseph  Robinson,  who  died 
on  the  19th  of  February,  1894,  when  a  youth  of  eighteen  years. 

Mr.  Williams  passed  away  at  Atlantic,  Iowa,  December  15,  1887,  after  a  brief 
illness  of  ten  days.  He  had  for  nearly  thirty  years  been  intimately  associated 
with  the  growth  and  development  of  Davenport  and  was  deeply  interested  in 
everything  which  promoted  its  prosperity.  He  felt  a  special  interest  in  the  Hen- 
nepin canal  project  and  the  building  of  the  Davenport,  Iowa  &  Dakota  Rail- 
road and  was  one  of  its  directors.  His  cooperation  could  always  be  counted 
upon  to  further  movements  for  the  public  good  and  he  gave  of  his  time  and 
means,  as  it  was  possible,  to  aid  in  the  work  of  general  improvement.  While 
in  business  in  New  York  he  became  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  and  for 
more  than  three  decades  was  a  consistent  and  active  worker  in  the  denomination. 
He  served  for  a  number  of  years  as  senior  trustee  in  the  Calvary  Baptist  church 
of  Davenport.  While  he  became  known  as  a  prominent  and  representative  busi- 
ness man,  it  was  his  Christian  spirit  that  made  him  most  honored,  for  he  molded 
his  entire  life  in  conformity  with  the  teachings  of  his  Master,  ministering  to 
others  as  the  occasion  offered  and  giving  freely  of  his  means  to  the  support  of 
the  church  and  charity.  He  was  one  of  the  teachers  in  the  Sunday  school,  a 
worker  in  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  and  at  the  time  of  his  death 
was  taking  a  most  active  and  helpful  interest  in  the  work  of  erecting  a  house 
of  worship  for  the  Baptist  people,  acting  as  chairman  of  the  building  committee. 
It  has  been  said :  "Not  the  good  that  comes  to  us  but  the  good  that  comes  to 
the  world  through  us  is  the  measure  of  our  success,"  and  judged  by  this  standard 

Alexander  Eraser  Williams  was  a  most  successful  man. 

J  no-" 


AUGUST  PAUSTIAN. 


One  of  the  native  sons  of  Hickory  Grove  township,  whose  bountiful  harvests 
sustain  the  reputation  of  this  section  of  Iowa  as  an  agricultural  center  is  August 
Paustian,  who  was  born  March  2,  1856,  a  son  of  Frederick  and  Christina  (Roehs) 
Paustian.  They  were  both  natives  of  Holstein,  Germany,  the  former  having  been 
bom  January  14,  1820,  the  latter  August  28,  1825.  In  the  country  of  their  birth 
they  were  reared  and  married,  coming  to  the  United  States  in  185 1.  On  their 
arrival  they  made  their  way  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  locating  upon  a  farm  in 
Hickory  Grove  township,  which  had  belonged  to  Mr.  Paustian's  father-in-law. 
He  had  learned  the  trade  of  a  mason  in  the  fatherland  and  this  he  pursued  to 
some  extent  in  this  country  in  connection  with  the  general  farming,  to  which  he 
devoted  himself  more  and  more  as  it  proved  a  remunerative  occupation.  In  the 
course  of  time  he  became  very  well-to-do  and  highly  respected  among  the  pioneers 
of  this  county,  which  remained  his  home  until  January  27,  1886,  when  at  the  age 


80  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

of  sixty-five  years  he  passed  away.  His  wife,  who  survived  him  about  fifteen 
years,  died  July  21,  1900,  when  she  was  seventy-five  years  of  age.  They  had  a 
family  of  twelve  children,  but  two  died  in  childhood.  The  others  are:  Caroline, 
the  wife  of  Martin  Greenwood,  of  Cleona  township;  Fred,  who  resides  in  Minne- 
sota; August,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Christ  Paustian,  of 
Cleona  township;  Louis,  who  makes  his  home  in  Cedar  county,  Iowa;  Sophia, 
the  wife  of  William  Buhmann,  of  O'Brien  county,  Iowa;  James,  who  resides  in 
Hickory  Grove  township;  Charles,  also  a  farmer  in  Hickory  Grove  township; 
Minnie,  the  wife  of  Herman  Meinert,  of  Cleona  township ;  and  Bertha,  the  wife 
of  Henry  Paulsen  of  Muscatine  county,  Iowa. 

August  Paustian  has  spent  all  his  life  in  Hickory  Grove  township  and  attended 
the  district  school  near  his  home.  He  assisted  his  father  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
fields  constituting  the  homestead  until  he  was  married.  Accordingly,  he  went 
to  Cedar  county,  Iowa,  where  he  remained  for  three  years,  at  the  expiration  of 
that  period  returning  to  Hickory  Grove  township,  Scott  county.  Here  he  operates 
a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  section  34  belonging  to  his  father-in- 
law,  but  he  owns  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  acres  of  land  on  section  19,  Liberty 
township,  a  landholding  of  no  inconsiderable  value.  His  wife  recently  bought 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  section  33,  Hickory  Grove  township,  a  farm  that 
was  formerly  known  as  the  Goetsch  homestead,  so  that  in  the  aggregate  Mr. 
Paustian  has  a  large  amount  of  land  under  his  control.  In  addition  tO'  his  agri- 
cultural interest  he  holds  stock  in  the  Farmers  Elevator  of  Walcott,  one  of  the 
progressive  enterprises  of  that  village. 

In  1884  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Paustian  and  Miss  Matilda 
Lamp,  who  was  bom  in  Hickory  Grove  township,  April  30,  1863.  She  is  a 
daughter  of  Claus  H.  Lamp,  who  was  one  of  the  prominent  farmers  of  his  sec- 
tion of  Scott  county  but  has  now  retired  from  active  life  and  lives  at  1026  West 
Fourteenth  street,  Davenport.  He  was  the  parent  of  seven  children:  one  who 
died  in  infancy,  Matilda,  Caroline,  Julius,  Gustav,  Clara  and  Adolph.  To  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Paustian  were  born  eleven  children,  of  whom  seven  are  living,  namely: 
Meta,  Wilma,  Julius,  August,  Martha,  Hilda  and  Clarence.  Hugo  died  at  the 
age  of  six  years.  Harry  was  three  and  a  half  when  he  passed  away.  Alma  died 
when  three  years  old,  and  Edward  was  only  two  months  when  he  died. 

Although  other  tracts  embrace  a  larger  area  none  express  more  careful  and 
thorough  cultivation  of  the  soil  than  does  that  which  is  Mr.  Paustian's.  He  has 
not  spared  industry  to  make  it  productive  and  as  he  cultivates  the  fields  with  in- 
telligence he  knows  how  to  bring  from  them  the  largest  harvests. 


THOMAS  F.  HALLIGAN. 

Davenport,  the  commercial  center  of  Iowa  and  the  home  of  many  extensive 
wholesale  houses,  finds  one  of  its  prominent  representatives  in  Thomas  F. 
Halligan,  president  of  the  Halligan  Coflfee  Company,  an  enterprise  of  large  and 
extensive  proportions,  in  the  development  of  which  he  has  been  a  most  important 
factor.     In  commercial  affairs  he  displays  marked  ability  in  discriminating  be- 


'a.£c^ 


^/ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  83 

tween  the  essential  and  non-essential  and  bringing  into  close  harmony  the  varied 
forces  that  constitute  the  interests  of  the  enterprise  with  which  he  has  been 
associated.  He  is  one  of  the  city's  native  sons,  born  October  25,  1855.  His 
father,  Patrick  Joseph  Halligan,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  born  in  Summerhill, 
County  Meath,  August  31,  1825.  He  came  to  the  United  States  as  a  young  man 
of  twenty-four  years,  settling  in  Paterson,  New  Jersey,  in  1849.  He  there  re- 
sided for  two  years,  during  which  time  he  was  married,  on  the  27th  of  October, 
1850,  to  Miss  Ellen  McNally,  a  native  of  Clonard,  County  Kildare,  Ireland, 
who  came  to  the  United  States  in  1850  and  died  in  1897.  In  1851  Patrick  J. 
Halligan  and  his  young  wife  removed  from  Paterson,  New  Jersey,  to  Peru, 
Illinois,  where  for  two  years  he  was  connected  with  the  gas  business.  On  the 
17th  of  August,  1853,  he  arrived  in  Davenport  and  was  superintendent  of  the 
gas  company  here  from  1858  until  1888,  or  for  a  period  of  thirty  years,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  he  retired.  He  enjoyed  in  unqualified  measure  the  confidence 
and  trust  of  those  whom  he  represented  and  gave  to  them  an  efficient  and  valu- 
able service,  which  was  indicated  in  his  long  connection  with  the  company.  He 
enjoyed,  moreover,  the  unqualified  good  will  and  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact  outside  of  business  relations.  He  had  a  strong  love  for  the 
land  of  his  birth  and  was  a  member  of  the  Sarsfield  Guards  when  in  Ireland, 
but  was  ever  a  most  loyal  American,  in  full  sympathy  with  the  republican  form 
of  government  and  the  liberal  principles  for  which  this  country  stands.  He 
died  in  1893. 

Thomas  F.  Halligan  was  the  third  in  a  family  of  six  children,  all  of  whom  were 
born  in  Davenport  with  the  exception  of  the  eldest  son,  John.  In  St.  Mar- 
guerite's parochial  school  Thomas  F.  Halligan  pursued  his  studies  until  fifteen 
years  of  age,  when  he  accepted  a  position  in  a  flour  and  feed  store,  where  he 
continued  for  a  year.  He  then  became  delivery  clerk  in  the  grocery  store  of 
Morrison  &  Glaspell  and  thus  obtained  his  initial  knowledge  of  the  business,  with 
which  he  has  been  more  or  less  intimately  associated  since  that  time.  He  re- 
mained with  the  firm  and  their  successors  for  five  years  and  in  June,  1875,  ac- 
cepted a  position  with  Milton  J.  Glaspell.  On  the  ist  of  January,  1884,  he  en- 
tered into  partnership  with  Mr.  Glaspell  in  the  grocery  business  at  No.  16  East 
Third  street  under  the  firm  name  of  Glaspell  &  Halligan.  They  were  very  suc- 
cessful, the  firm  enjoying  a  growing  trade  until  1887,  when  Mr.  HalHgan  sold 
his  interest  and  with  G.  J.  Washburn  organized  the  Washburn-Halligan  Coffee 
Company,  carrying  a  large  line  of  teas,  coffees  and  spices.  This  undertaking 
also  proved  profitable  from  its  inception  and  after  five  years  at  their  original 
location  the  firm  in  1892  removed  from  Third  street  to  larger  quarters  at  No. 
215  East  Second  street.  On  two  occasions  they  suffered  losses  through  fire  but 
with  resolute  purpose  they  conducted  their  interests,  the  business  continuing  to 
prosper  and  grow  until  there  was  a  pressing  demand  for  still  more  commodious 
quarters.  In  1907  the  present  magnificent  building  was  erected  and  the  busi- 
ness is  now  carried  on  extensively  on  East  Fourth  street.  This  is  one  of  the 
most  complete  and  attractive  wholesale  buildings  in  Davenport,  where  the  whole^ 
sale  trade  of  this  section  of  the  country  largely  centers.  Mr.  Washburn  retired 
in  1896  and  the  business  was  then  reorganized  under  the  name  of  the  Halligan 
Coffee  Company,  with  Thomas  F.  Halligan  as  president,  R.  F.  Miller,  vice  pres- 


84  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

ident,  William  Lillis,  secretary,  and  Joseph  E.  Halligan,  treasurer.  The  trade 
today  extends  largely  over  Iowa,  Missouri,  the  Dakotas,  Minnesota  and  Ill- 
inois. The  house  sustains  an  unassailable  reputation  for  the  reliability  of  its 
business  methods,  and  the  spirit  of  enterprise  and  industry  which  dominates  every 
department  constitutes  the  basic  element  in  the  development  of  what  is  today  one 
of  the  largest  and  most  important  wholesale  concerns  of  the  city. 

On  the  17th  of  August,  1886,  Mr.  Halligan  was  married  to  Miss  Mary,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Bridget  Lillis.  Mrs.  Halligan  was  bom  in  Davenport 
and  by  her  marriage  has  become  the  mother  of  six  children:  Gilbert  L.,  Eugene 
J.,  Grace,  Camilla,  Thomas,  Francis  and  Angela. 

Mr.  Halligan's  social  nature  finds  expression  in  his  membership  with  the 
Commercial  Club,  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  and  the  Knights  of  Columbus, 
and  his  standing  in  business  circles  is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  he  has  been 
elected  to  the  presidency  of  the  Jobbers  &  Manufacturers  Association.  He  is 
active  in  every  project  concerning  the  welfare  of  the  city  and  is  a  loyal  son  of 
Davenport,  doing  everything  in  his  power  to  promote  her  welfare  along  the 
lines  of  substantial  and  permanent  growth  and  improvement.  He  is  recognized 
by  friends  and  business  associates  as  a  man  of  high  character  and  sterling  qual- 
ities and  his  life  record  exemplifies  many  traits  of  character  which  are  well  worthy 
of  emulation. 


BERNARD  A.  HUSCHKE. 

Bernard  A.  Huschke,  who  has  lived  retired  at  No.  1207  Grand  avenue  in 
Davenport  for  the  past  twelve  years,  successfully  followed  fanning  throughout 
his  active  business  career.  He  is  a  native  of  Germany,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  Prussia  on  the  12th  of  September,  1831.  He  lost  his  parents,  Charles  and 
Margaret  Huschke,  when  still  very  young.  His  father  held  a  court  offce  in 
Germany  and  served  as  an  army  official  for  about  nineteen  years.  Mr.  Huschke 
of  this  review  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land  and  there 
also  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade.  When  a  young  man  of  twenty- four  years  he 
set  sail  for  the  new  world,  landing  at  New  York  on  the  7th  of  October,  1855,  after 
an  ocean  voyage  of  sixty-four  days.  He  first  located  in  Cincinnati  but,  being 
unable  to  obtain  satisfactory  employment,  left  the  city  at  the  end  O'f  two  months 
and  went  to  Ferdinand,  Indiana,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  until  the  following 
spring.  On  leaving  the  Hoosier  state  he  came  to  Davenport  and  here  began  work 
at  the  blacksmith's  trade  but  after  a  couple  of  weeks  secured  employment  as  a 
farm  hand  at  a  wage  of  twelve  dollars  per  month.  Later  he  hired  out  at  a 
salary  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  dollars  per  year  and  continued  working  as  a 
farm  hand  until  the  time  oi  his  marriage  in  1858.  Following  that  important 
event  in  his  life  he  began  the  operation  of  a  rented  farm  of  eighty  acres  in 
Davenport  township  and  at  the  end  of  two  years  purchased  the  property,  making 
his  home  thereon  for  about  eight  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
sold  the  place  and  purchased  and  located  upon  a  quarter  section  of  land  in 
Pleasant  Valley  township,  to  the  further  cultivation  and  improvement  of  which 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  ,  35 

be  devoted  his  attention  until  1898,  making  it  a  rich  and  productive  farming 
property.  In  1898  he  disposed  of  the  place  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport, 
bemg  incapacitated  for  further  active  work  because  of  injuries  which  he  had  re- 
ceived in  a  runaway  accident.  He  won  a  gratifying  measure  of  prosperity  in  the 
conduct  of  his  agricultural  interests  and  has  long  been  numbered  among  the  sub- 
stantial and  respected  citizens  of  Scott  county. 

On  the  I2th  of  July,  1858,  Mr.  Huschke  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Barbara  Wachter,  who  was  born  in  Switzerland  on  the  9th  of  October,  1839,  her 
father  being  Frank  Wachter,  who  settled  in  this  county  in  1848. '  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Huschke  were  born  twelve  children,  the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows. 
Casper,  who  makes  his  home  in  Minnesota,  married  Miss  Theresa  Wager  and 
has  three  children:  Beatrice,  Genevieve  and  Herbert.  John,  living  in  Iowa, 
wedded  Miss  Mary  Schmidt,  by  whom  he  has  six  children..  Louisa,  the  next  in 
order  of  birth,  is  at  home.  Marie  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Henry  Meyer, 
of  Stuart,  Iowa,  and  is  now  the  mother  of  four  children.  Amelia  is  the  wife  of 
Ludwig  Schmidt,  of  Davenport,  and  has  three  children :  Walter,  Gertrude  and 
Lucy.  Leo,  who  wedded  Miss  Rose  Baldwin,  is  a  resident  of  Washington. 
Elizabeth,  living  in  Portland,  Oregon,  is  the  wife  of  Benjamin  Klotz,  by  whom 
she  has  four  children:  Rose,  Leo,  Frank  and  Anton.  The  Misses  Margaret, 
Carrie  and  Amanda  Huschke  are  still  under  the  parental  roof.  Clara  is  now  in 
a  convent  of  Dubuque.  Constantine,  who  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven  years, 
had  married  Miss  Lottie  Ryan,  who  is  also  deceased.  The  two  childreh  of  this 
union,  Ermentrude  and  Allen,  make  their  home  with  our  subject. 

Since  becoming  a  naturalized  American  citizen  Mr.  Huschke  has  given  his 
political  allegiance  to  the  democratic  party.  He  is  a  faithful  communicant  of  the 
Catholic  church  and  also  belongs  to  the  German  Pioneers  Society.  Though  born 
across  the  water  and  .maintaining  a  love  for  his  native  land,  he  is  yet  thoroughly 
American  in  spirit  and  interests  and  loyal  to  the  institutions  of  his  adopted 
country.  He  has  now  passed  the  seventy-eighth  milestone  on  life's  journey  and 
is  well  and  favorably  known  throughout  the  county  in  which  he  has  resided  for 
more  than  a  half  century. 


HENRY  VOLLMER. 


Henry  Vollmer,  long  a  respected  resident  and  active  business  man  of  Daven- 
port, learned  the  printer's  trade  as  the  initial  step  in  his  business  career  and  from 
a  hum.ble  position  worked  his  way  steadily  upward  until  he  gained  that  success 
which  comes  from  the  capable  management  of  large  and  important  printing  in- 
terests. He  was  a  native  of  Germany  and  one  of  a  family  of  several  children. 
When  little  more  than  three  years  of  age  he  was  brought  by  his  parents  to  the 
new  world,  the  family  home  being  estabHshed  in  St.  Louis,  where  the  days  of 
his  boyhood  and  youth  were  passed  and  his  education  was  acquired.  In  early 
manhood  he  learned  the  printer's  trade,  which  he  followed  in  St.  Louis  and 
nearby  towns  until  1861,  when  he  came  to  Davenport.  Here  he  took  a  position 
with  the  German  Democrat,  being  made  foreman  of  the  composing  room,  and  for 


86  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

almost  a  score  of  years  he  remained  on  that  paper,  his  long  connection  therewith 
being  incontrovertible  proof  of  his  capability  and  fidelity  in  discharging  the  du- 
ties that  devolved  upon  him.  In  1880  he  resigned  to  engage  in  business  on  his 
own  account  and  purchased  an  interest  with  J.  M.  Buck  in  a  rubber  stamp  man- 
ufacturing enterprise.  They  extended  the  scope  of  their  activities  to  include 
job  printing  and  the  partnership  relation  was  maintained  for  some  time,  but 
eventually  Mr.  Buck  sold  his  interest  to  A.  L.  Mossman  and  the  firm  of  Mossman 
&  Vollmer  was  formed.  Under  that  style  the  business  was  continued  until  the 
death  of  Henry  Vollmer,  although  for  about  a  year  prior  to  his  demise  his  son 
Emil  took  his  place  in  the  active  management  of  the  business.  Throughout  his 
life  Mr.  Vollmer  was  actuated  by  laudable  ambition  and  his  earnest  purpo.se  and 
unfaltering  industry  constituted  a  force  which  won  for  him  a  gratifying  measure 
of  success. 

In  1863  occurred  the  marriage  of  Henry  Vollmer  and  Miss  Dorothea  Plam- 
beck,  of  Davenport,  and  unto  tliem  were  born  seven  children :  Emil,  Henry, 
Carl,  Fred,  Arthur,  Agnes  and  Dora.  The  children  have  all  been  provided  with 
good  educational  privileges,  not  only  in  the  schools  of  Davenport  but  also  at 
Iowa  City.  Mrs.  Vollmer  was  brought  to  this  city  when  seven  years  of  age  by 
her  parents  and  her  father  died  three  years  later.  The  death  of  Mr.  Vollmer 
occurred  December  12,  1890,  and  thus  passed  away  a  man  whose  sterling  worth 
was  recognized  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  belonged  to  the  Turners  Society,  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  he  was 
also  known  and  honored  for  his  activity  and  faithfulness  in  political  circles.  In 
1883  he  was  elected. to  the  ofiice  of  county  recorder,  in  which  position  he  served 
for  two  terms,  retiring  in  1887  with  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  all  con- 
cerned. He  was  a  man  of  strict  probity  and  upright  character,  who  at  all  times 
and  under  all  circumstances  could  be  depended  upon  to  conserve  the  iest  inter- 
ests of  any  movement  or  measure  with  which  he  was  connected.  He  won  sub- 
stantial success  in  business  and  more  than  that  he  gained  the  confidence  and 
good  will  of  his  fellowmen,  leaving  to  his  family  the  priceless  heritage  of  an 
untarnished  name. 


CLAUS  KROEGER. 


Claus  Kroeger  is  numbered  among  those  representative  German-American 
citizens  who  came  to  this  country  from  the  fatherland  and  here  found  the  op- 
portunities for  advancement  which  they  sought  along  business  lines.  He  is 
numbered  among  the  old  German  settlers  of  Scott  county  and  for  almost  four 
decades  was  actively  and  helpfully  identified  with  its  agricultural  interests.  As 
the  result  of  energy,  perseverance  and  well  directed  efforts  he  is  now  able  to 
spend  the  evening  of  life  in  retirement,  enjoying  in  well  earned  rest  the  fruits  of 
former  years  of  toil.  Born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the,  14th  of  April,  1829, 
he  is  a  son  of  Hans  and  Lena  Kroeger,  whose  entire  lives  were  spent  in  the  father- 
land. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  87 

For  the  educational  advantages  which  Mr.  Kroeger  enjoyed  during  the  period 
of  his  boyhood  and  youth  he  is  indebted  to  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
country,  and  he  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until  the  outbreak  of  the  war 
of  1848-50  with  Denmark,  when  he  joined  the  German  army  and  served  through- 
out the  period  of  hostilities.  Returning  home,  he  remained  with  his  parents 
until  1854,  when  he  responded  to  the  call  of  the  new  world  and,  bidding  adieu 
to  home  and  fatherland,  sailed  for  the  United  States,  hoping  to  find  better  op- 
portunities for  advancement  in  business  than  were  offered  in  the  old  world.  He 
left  Germany  on  the  15th  of  March  and  upon  arriving  in  this  country  came  direct 
to  Davenport,  which  point  he  reached  on  the  20th  of  May,  more  than  two 
months  being  consumed  by  the  journey.  His  first  work  here  was  in  the  capacity 
of  farm  hand  and  thus  he  labored  by  the  month  for  about  six  years.  His  in- 
herent characteristic  of  thrift  prompted  him  to  carefully  save  his  earnings  and 
at  the  expiration  of  that  period,  feeling  that  the  capital  which  he  had  accumu- 
lated was  suffcient  to  justify  such  a  step,  he  established  a  home  of  his  own  by  his 
marriage,  on  the  21st  of  August,  i860,  to  Miss  Anna  Lage,  who  was  born  in 
Germany  on  the  9th  of  March,  1839,  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Anna  Lage,  old 
German  settlers  of  Scott  county.  In  1847,  when  a  little  maiden  of  eight  years, 
she  came  with  her  parents  to  the  United  States,  the  family  landing  at  New  Or- 
leans, whence  they  came  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis.  After  remaining 
m  that  city  for  about  six  weeks  they  continued  their  northward  journey  until 
they  arrived  in  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  the  father  purchased  a  tract  of  wild 
praire  land  which,  by  means  of  untiring  industry,  indefatigable  energy  and  un- 
ceasing perseverance,  he  converted  into  a  highly  cultivated  farm  and  which  later 
became  the  home  of  our  subject. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Kroeger  took  up  his  abode  upon  the  farm  in  Daven- 
port township  upon  which  his  father-in-law  originally  located,  continuing  to  de- 
vote his  time  and  energies  to  its  development  for  more  than  thirty  years.  In  the 
meantime  he  made  a  thorough  study  of  agriculture,  practiced  rotation  of  crops 
and  carried  on  his  farming  interests  in  a  capable  and  businesslike  way  that  brought 
most  desirable  results.  Annually  his  fields  yielded  rich  harvests  as  a  reward  for 
the  care  and  labor  bestowed  upon  them,  and  his  agricultural  interests  proved  a 
source  of  gratifying  revenue.  He  purchased  a  farm  in  Lyon  county,  Iowa,  which 
he  later  sold  at  a  very  advantageous  price.  That  his  efforts  were  crowned  with 
a  very  substantial  success  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  in  1893  he  was  able  to 
retire  from  further  active  work.  He  removed  to  Davenport,  purchasing  a  home 
at  1 162  Fourteenth  street,  where  he  has  since  resided,  a  goodly  competence  mak- 
ing it  possible  for  him  to  enjoy  the  comforts  of  life  without  further  recourse 
to  labor. 

With  the  passing  of  the  years  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kroeger  was  blessed 
with  six  children,  as  follows :  Henry,  a  progressive  farmer  operating  the  old 
homestead,  mention  of  whom  is  made  elsewhere  in  this  volume;  Lewis,  of  Lyon 
county,  Iowa ;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Henry  Goettsch,  of  Lyon  county ;  Gustav,  also 
residing  in  Lyon  county;  Minnie,  the  deceased  wife  of  Henry  Bolt,  of  Davenport; 
and  one  who  died  in  infancy.  Politically  Mr.  Kroeger  is  independent  and  while 
still  active  in  the  world's  work  held  several  township  offices.  He  holds  member- 
ship in  the  German  Pioneers  Association  and  also  in  the  Schleswig-Holstein  So- 


88  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

ciety,  and  he  is  widely  known  throughout  Davenport  township,  where  his  circle 
of  friends  is  almost  coextensive  with  the  circle  of  his  acquaintance.  He  has 
never  had  occasion  to  regret  his  determination  to  seek  his  fortune  in  this  country, 
for  here  he  found  the  opportunities  which  he  sought  and  by  earnest,  persistent 
and  unfaltering  efifort  carried  himself  forward  to  the  goal  of  success.  He  has 
now  passed  the  eighty-first  milestone  on  life's  journey  and  can  look  back  upon  a 
past  that  has  been  characterized  by  honest  labor  and  honorable  purposes. 


W.  F.  PECK,  M.  D. 


Those  best  acquainted  with  the  early  history  of  medicine  in  Iowa  will  agree 
that  no  one  man  has  done  more  to  advance  the  standing  of  the  profession  in  the 
state  than  Dr.  W.  F.  Peck.  Setting  a  high  mark  for  individual  attainment,  mak- 
ing his  own  name  as  a  surgeon  second  to  none  in  the  west,  he  was  at  the  same 
time  far-seeing  and  active  in  the  furtherance  of  measures  for  the  collective  ad- 
vancement of  his  calling.  He  did  the  effective  organizing  work  and  largely  in- 
fluenced the  legislation  which  gave  the  university  its  medical  department;  he 
was  among  the  foremost  in  procuring  the  medical  license  law  and  board  of  medi- 
cal examiners;  his  counsels  live  in  the  state  board  of  health,  State  Medical  So- 
ciety and  State  Orphans'  Home ;  and  Iowa's  efficient  railroad  surgical  service,  in 
which  work  this  state  was  a  pioneer,  was  organized  by  him. 

Washington  Freeman  Peck  was  born  in  Galen,  Wayne  county.  New  York, 
January  22,  1841.  His  parents,  William  H.  and  Alida  (Hawes)  Peck,  both 
natives  of  the  Empire  state,  were,  the  former  of  English  and  Scotch,  the  latter 
of  Dutch  descent.  His  great-grandfather,  Nathan  Peck,  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  war  and  a  descendant  of  Deacon  William  Peck,  a  London  mer- 
chant who,  with  his  wife  and  son  Jeremiah,  came  to  this  country  on  the  ship  Hec- 
tor in  company  with  Governor  Eaton,  John  Davenport  and  other  stanch  Puri- 
tans, arriving  in  Boston  in  the  spring  of  1637.  The  next  year  Deacon  William 
and  his  associates  founded  the  New  Haven  colony,  and  Jeremiah  became  the 
first  teacher  in  the  New  Haven  collegiate  school. 

Dr.  Peck,  though  lacking  the  advantages  of  a  general  education,  beyond  that 
to  be  obtained  in  the  common  schools,  was  a  tireless  student  in  the  school  of  life. 
By  keenly  observing  and  diligently  applying  the  lessons  there  learned  he  accom- 
plished results  beyond  those  achieved  by  most  college  graduates,  and  the  degree 
of  A.  M.  later  conferred  on  him  was  exceptionally  well  eariled. 

He  was  graduated  from  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College  in  the  spring  of 
1863,  with  the  highest  honors  of  his  class,  being  the  first  student  to  matriculate 
in  this  the  first  medical  college  in  the  land  to  successfully  combine  clinical  with 
didactic  teaching.  During  his  three  years  at  medical  college  he  secured,  together 
with  lectures  from  the  foremost  professional  celebrities  of  the  day,  three  months' 
service  each  in  the  hospitals  on  Blackwell's  and  Randall's  islands  and  eighteen 
months  of  invaluable  experience  in  the  wards  of  Bellevue.  Also,  just  before 
graduating,  he  availed  himself  of  a  trip  as  ship  surgeon  to  Havana  and  back, 
and  at  the  close  of  his  Bellevue  service  entered  Lincoln  General  Hospital,  Wash- 


•.•«^    VV 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  91 

ington,  D.  C,  as  a  contract  surgeon.  Here  he  did  good  work  and  made  valuable 
acquaintances  until,  weakened  by  an  attack  of  pneumonia,  he  was  compelled  to 
resign  from  the  very  arduous  duties  of  the  place  in  May,  1864.  While  treating 
a  neglected  gunshot  wound  during  his  service  in  Washington  he  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  infect  his  right  index  finger,  resulting  in  permanent  anchylosis.  M 
less  courageous  man  might  have  been  disheartened;  but  he  was  thankful  to  es- 
cape without  the  threatened  loss  of  his  hand,  and  the  crippled  finger  learned  to 
do  excellent  work. 

Returning  to  the  parental  home  at  Clyde  in  his  native  county,  he  allowed  him- 
self only  a  few  weeks  for  recuperation,  then  set  his  face  to  the  west  and  arrived 
at  Rock  Island,  June  9,  1864,  in  his  twenty- fourth  year  and  ready  to  work.  This 
place  he  had  chosen  as  his  prospective  field  of  labor,  but  after  inspecting  both 
towns  he  was  better  pleased  with  Davenport  across  the  river.  Here  he  fitted  up 
an  office  on  Third  street  near  Brady,  making  a  sleeping  room  of  his  "sanctum" 
and  taking  board  at  the  old  "Burtis."  By  July  2d,  as  his  journal  records,  he  had 
taken  part  in  a  consultation ;  had  joined  the  "Hawkeye  Club ;"  was  about  to  affili- 
ate with  the  local  Masons,  having  taken  the  Master's  degree  as  a  student;  and 
was  able  to  write :  "My  office  business  up  to  date  has  paid  my  expenses."  Thus 
promptly  did  he  become  identified  with  the  community  his  name  was  to  honor. 

Though  barely  out  of  his  teens  when  he  began  hospital  work  and  study  in 
the  great  city  his  journal  of  that  period  plainly  reveals  the  traits  which  marked 
his  character  through  life.  Fully  realizing  that  right  success  means  persistent 
hard  work,  together  with  habits  conservative  of  bodily  health  and  strength,  ha 
chose  "Success"  as  his  motto  and,  yielding  to  no  indulgence,  losing  no  opportunity 
and  sparing  no  effort,  he  bent  all  his  energies  to  attain  it.  Working  early  and 
late  in  the  wards  and  at  study,  that  he  might  find  time  for  clinics  and  such  lectures 
as  he  selected  to  attend;  never  avoiding  but  rather  courting  work;  planning, 
even  scheming,  for  additional  tasks ;  eager  for  the  additional  knowledge  and  train- 
ing they  would  afford ;  perfecting  his  hand  on  every  occasion  in  minor  surgical  man- 
ipulations; always  ready  to  assist  in,  or  himself  to  conduct  an  operation;  losing 
no  opportunity  to  make  post  mortem  examinations  and  carefully  to  note  their 
impressive  lessons,  he  reaped  much  fuller  returns  from  his  student  years  than 
if,  modestly  retiring,  or  allowing  himself  to  be  pushed  aside,  he  had  done  only 
the  work  needed  to  obtain  his  diploma. 

Keenly  alive  to  the  stirring  news  and  events  of  the  day,  both  on  the  field  and 
in  the  halls  of  congress,  Dr.  Peck's  deepest  interest  was  still  in  medical  affairs  and. 
medical  men.  Self-assured  but  unassuming,  he  made  good  use  of  his  almost 
daily  association  with  the  foremost  lecturers  and  surgeons  of  the  land.  Such 
men  as  J.  R.  Wood,  the  Motts  and  the  Flints ;  Hamilton,  Sayre,  Parker  and  Smith ; 
Professor  Silliman,  of  Yale,  and  Drs.  Gross  and  Pancoast,  of  Philadelphia,  took 
an  especial  interest  in  the  bright,  energetic  youth,  and  he  suffered  no  needless 
reticence  to  deprive  him  of  the  full  advantage  of  his  association  with  them.  He 
did  not  neglect  social  duties,  however,  exchanged  frequent  letters  with  mother, 
sister  and  brother ;  visited  relatives  and  friends  in  the  city ;  heard  a  sermon  when 
he  could ;  enjoyed  a  play  now  and  then,  and  indulged  rarely  in  a  friendly  game  of 
whist. 


92  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

His  student  days  over  and  a  successful  career  as  a  surgeon  opening  up  brightly 
before  him  in  the  west,  Dr.  Peck  returned  to  his  native  state  at  the  end  of  his 
first  year  of  practice  and  was  united  in  marriage,  September  i8,  1865,  to  Miss 
Maria  Purdy,  of  Butler,  Wayne  county.  New  York,  who  became  his  ever  effi- 
cient helper  thereafter  to  the  close  of  his  life,  and  who,  with  one  daughter,  Mrs. 
Henry  Vollmer,  of  Davenport,  survives  him.  Another  daughter  and  an  only  son 
died  in  early  youth. 

In  1866  Dr.  Peck  was  made  secretary  of  the  Scott  County  Medical  Society, 
became  its  president  a  few  years  later,  and  in  1876  was  elected  to  the  presi- 
dency of  the  State  Medical  Society,  thus  rapidly  advancing  to  the  front  rank  of 
his  profession.  He  became  an  active  member  of  the  American  Medical  Associa- 
tion, served  as  its  vice  president  and  was  honored  with  the  chairmanship  of  its 
surgical  section,  being  also  chosen  a  member  of  the  American  Surgical  Association, 
an  organization  whose  membership  is  limited  to  one  hundred. 

The  story  of  Dr.  Peck's  surgical  and  educational  work  was  well  and  concisely 
told  in  an  article  prepared  for  the  "Biographical  History  and  Portrait  Gallery  of 
Scott  County,  Iowa,"  1895,  by  the  late  Dr.  W.  D.  Middleton,  his  first  student, 
his  life-long  friend  and  associate,  and  his  worthy  successor  as  dean  of  the  medical 
faculty  of  the  State  University  of  Iowa.    Dr.  Middleton  writes : 

"To  the  educational  work  of  the  profession  Dr.  Peck  at  once  addressed  him- 
self with  the  ardor  of  an  enthusiast,  and  to  him  the  state  of  Iowa  is  indebted  for 
the  medical  department  of  its  State  University  an  institution  which  reflects  credit 
on  its  founder  and  upon  the  great  state  by  which  it  is  fostered  and  supported.  In 
1868  he  conceived  the  idea  of  building  up  a  medical  college  in  Iowa  which  would 
afford  facilities  for  the  first-class  education  of  young  men  desiring  to  enter  the 
medical  profession,  and  in  order  that  the  institution  might  be  established  upon  a 
permanent  basis,  he  determined  to  make  it  a  department  of  the  State  University 
at  Iowa  City.  He  first  laid  his  plans  before  Judge  John  F.  Dillon,  now  of  New 
York,  then  a  distinguished  citizen  of  Davenport,  and  secured  his  hearty  coopera- 
tion. Then,  in  June  of  1869,  a  comparatively  unknown  young  man,  he  presented 
himself  before  the  trustees  of  the  university  and  proposed  the  creation  of  a  medi- 
cal department.  He  came  before  the  board  unheralded  but  full  of  the  subject 
with  which  he  had  to  deal,  enthusiastic  in  his  expectations  and  eloquent  in  his 
appeals  for  liberal  treatment  of  his  profession  by  the  officials  of  what  should  be 
a  university  in  fact  as  well  as  in  name.  Surprising  as  it  may  seem  he  carried  the 
board  with  him,  and  the  preliminary  steps  were  taken  toward  the  establishment 
of  the  medical  school.  In  those  days,  however,  the  university  was  poor,  and  from 
the  day  it  was  founded  the  medical  department  was  in  financial  straits.  An  or- 
ganization was  not  effected,  or  at  least  perfected,  until  1870,  and  this  was  ac- 
complished in  the  face  of  difficulties  of  the  most  discouraging  and  perplexing 
kind.  When  the  organization  was  finally  completed  Dr.  Peck  was  made  professor 
of  surgery,  and  became  dean  of  the  faculty  and  the  executive  head  of  the  de- 
partment of  medicine.  Then  came  the  struggle  to  secure  the  needed  assistance 
from  the  State  Legislature,  to  overcome  hostility  engendered  by  professional  riv- 
alry, and  to  carry  on  at  the  same  time  a  work  which  would  compel  recognition  and 
approval  of  the  project.  At  another  city  in  the  state  a  medical  college  had  been 
established  at  an  earlier  date,  calling  itself  a  department  of  the  State  University 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  93 

and  with  an  ambition  to  be  recognized  as  such.  The  charter  of  the  university, 
however,  precluded  such  recognition  of  an  institution  not  located  at  Iowa  City, 
and  the  plan  proposed  by  Dr.  Peck  was  the  only  feasible  proposition  for  connect- 
ing a  medical  course  with  the  university  course.  Nevertheless  new  antagonisms 
and  sectional  jealousies  were  aroused  to  such  an  extent  that  at  times  the  advance- 
ment of  the  project  seemed  almost  hopeless.  Year  after  year  the  struggle  con- 
tinued, and  the  indomitable  will  power,  the  high  courage  and  ceaseless  effort  of 
Dr.  Peck  contributed  more  than  anything  else  to  final  success.  Supported  by  a 
loyal  and  competent  faculty  he  made  the  medical  department  an  institution  which 
commanded  the  respect  and  admiration  of  all  those  who  were  interested  in  the 
general  upbuilding  of  the  university,  and  by  and  by  the  opposition  to  it  ceased, 
appropriations  for  its  maintenance  were  freely  made,  and  its  founders  realized 
the  full  fruition  of  their  hopes." 

In  this  connection  the  Hon.  John  P.  Irish,  then  one  of  the  University  board 
of  trustees,  now  naval  officer  of  customs  at  the  port  of  San  Francisco,  who  was 
an  active  co-worker  in  the  project  of  the  new  school,  and  without  whose  efficient 
aid  it  would  probably  have  failed,  writes : 

"The  real  founder  of  the  medical  department  of  the  State  University  of  Iowa 
was  Dr.  Peck.  The  suggestion  of  the  foundation  came  from  myself,  *  *  * 
I  made  of  its  (the  University's)  interests  a  specialty  in  the  legislature  and  se- 
cured for  it  the  first  appropriation  that  it  ever  received  from  the  state  treasury." 
In  working  for  this  appropriation  Mr.  Irish  had  in  view,  as  he  says,  the  es- 
tablishing of  both  a  legal,  and  a  medical  department  of  the  university,  rightly  rea- 
soning that  through  them  he  would  enlist  for  it  the  sympathy  and  support  of 
most  of  the  influential  men  of  the  state. 

"Something  over  fifty  thousand  dollars"  was  voted  and  the  law  department, 
under  Chancellor  Hammond,  was  started  in  1868.  Later  "the  first  concrete 
action"  was  taken  toward  the  establishing  of  a  medical  department  when  Dr. 
Peck,  Mr.  Irish  and  Professor  Gustavus  Hinrichs  met  in  Mr.  Irish's  office  to  dis- 
cuss the  project.  The  outlook  was  not  an  encouraging  one.  There  was  no  money 
in  sight,  a  faculty  had  to  be  secured  who  would  serve  without  pay,  and  the  deter- 
mined opposition  of  the  Keokuk  Medical  School  had  to  be  met.  It  proved  a 
strong  opposition,  both  in  the  legislature  and  throughout  the  state,  and  "the  early 
years  (of  the  department)  were  passed  in  storm  and  tempest."  But  Dr.  Peck 
was  a  fighter,  and  he  was  ably  seconded.  From  the  legislature  of  1870  Mr.  Irish 
secured  a  second  appropriation  of  sixty-three  thousand  dollars,  and  by  the  most 
strenuous  elifort  prevented  the  passage  of  a  proviso  that  none  of  it  should  be 
used  for  the  medical  department.  The  victory  was  won;  but,  as  Mr.  Irish  de- 
clares: "There  would  have  been  no  medical  school  but  for  Dr.  Peck.  It  was 
founded  in  his  professional  zeal,  his  enormous  capacity  for  work,  his  command 
of  the  art  of  persuasion,  his  sleepless  vigilance,  his  right  intuitions  and  his  spirit 
of  sacrifice." 

To  quote  further  from  Dr.  Middleton's  article: 

"Soon  after  he  came  to  Davenport  Dr.  Peck  was  made  local  surgeon  of  the 
Rock  Island  Railroad  Company.  At  that  time  the  company  had  no  organized 
medical  department,  nor  is  it  probable  that  any  such  department  was  connected 
with  a  western  railroad,  if  indeed  any  of  the  railway  corporations  of  the  country 


94  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

had  gi-ogressed  to  that  extent.  The  work  which  came  to  Dr.  Peck,  however,  as 
local  railway  surgeon  was  well  done ;  so  well  that  it  commended  him  to  the  great 
and  constantly  growing  corporation,  and  in  1875  he  was  designated  to  act  as  sur- 
geon-in-chief of  the  company  and  to  him  was  assigned  the  task  of  organizing  its 
medical  and  surgical  department.  To  this  task  he  addressed  himself  with  an 
energy  and  tenacity  of  purpose  which  precluded  the  possibility  of  failure,  evincing 
an  executive  ability  of  as  high  character  as  his  professional  attainments,  and  the 
result  was  the  organization  of  a  medical  department  of  the  Rock  Island  Railway 
Company,  which  is  today  pronounced  by  competent  judges  the  best  and  most  ef- 
ficient organization  of  its  kind  in  the  United  States.  As  chief  of  this  department 
Dr.  Peck  had  on  his  surgical  staff  during  the  later  years  of  his  life,  nearly  one 
hundred  surgeons  located  at  different  points  on  the  lines  of  the  railway  company, 
and  his  personal  attention  was  given  to  a  vast  amount  of  surgical  work.  His  la- 
bors in  this  field  gained  for  him  wide  distinction,  and  when  he  summed  up  the 
results  of  his  experience  and  observation  in  a  paper  read  before  the  American 
Medical  Association,  while  acting  as  chairman  of  the  surgical  section  of  the  as- 
sociation, his  paper  was  published  in  all  the  leading  medical  journals  of  America 
and  also  in  the  principal  medical  journals  of  Europe,  translated  in  numerous  for- 
eign languages. 

"With  the  extension  of  his  practice,  with  surgery  as  his  specialty,  the  character, 
of  the  operations  successfully  performed  by  Dr.  Peck  attracted  attention  and 
made  him  famous  not  only  among  his  professional  brethren  but  among  the  people 
at  large.  As  early  as  1882  he  had  successfully  performed  the  operation  for  the 
relief  of  appendicitis.  *  *  *  It  is  not  known  that  Dr.  Peck  (whose  modesty 
was  a  distinguishing  characteristic)  ever  made  any  claim  of  originality  of  method 
in  this  operation,  but  the  statement  of  other  eminent  physicians  is  to  the  effect 
that  the  operation  was  the  first  of  the  kind  performed  in  the  United  States. 
*  *  *  In  1886  he  went  abroad  to  find  that  his  fame  had  preceded  him,  and  that 
physicians,  scientists  and  public  officials  in  the  old  world  were  by  no  means  unfa- 
miliar with  his  name  and  achievements.  At  this  time  he  spent  six  months  in  study 
and  travel  on  the  continent,  and  in  England,  Scotland  and  Ireland ;  and  in  1890  he 
again  went  abroad  as  a  delegate  to  the  International  Medical  Congress  held  in  Ber- 
lin, and  to  the  British  Medical  Association,  which  met  at  Birmingham." 

Of  Mercy  Hospital,  Davenport,  and  Mercy  Hospital,  Iowa  City,  Dr.  Peck 
was  the  honored  founder  and  trusted  adviser.  Having  secured  for  both  the 
efficient  management  of  the  Sisters  of  Mercy,  he  served  till  his  death  at  the  head 
of  their  medical  boards.  Of  the  former  institution  which,  almost  equally  with 
the  university  medical  department,  stands  as  a  monument  to  his  professional  and 
philanthropic  zeal,  the  story  is  an  interesting  one.  Almost  at  once  on  coming 
to  Davenport  he  was  impressed  by  the  need  of  some  better  provision  for  the  sick 
and  the  injured,  especially  among  the  friendless  poor,  and  he  enHsted  the  aid  of 
prominent  citizens — among  them  John  L.  Davies  and  C.  S.  Watkins,  mem- 
bers of  the  county  board  of  supervisors,  in  a  movement  to  secure  the  establish- 
ment of  a  city  hospital.  They  were  successful  to  the  extent  that  the  board  au» 
thorized  the  purchase  of  a  building  located  at  Eighth  and  Brown  streets  to  be 
used  for  the  purpose ;  but  this  action  was  later  rescinded.  Dr.  Peck  then  sought 
to  induce  Father  Borlando,  head  of  a  Catholic  institution  at  Georgetown,  D.  C, 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  95 

to  establish  a  Sisters  hospital  here.  Borlando  came,  but,  after  due  consideration, 
decided  against  the  project.  Soon  after,  however,  the  Sisters  of  Mercy  from 
De  Witt  proposed  to  open  an  asylum  here  for  the  insane  paupers,  then  kept  in 
the  poor  house.  Dr.  Peck  saw  his  opportunity  and  offered  his  gratuitous 
services,  with  those  of  an  associate  medical  board,  for  the  conducting  of  a  gen- 
eral hospital,  thus  securing  for  the  city  an  institution  which  has  now  no  superior 
of  its  kind  in  the  west.  At  his  suggestion  it  was  located  on  the  grounds  pur- 
chased in  1867  by  Father  Pelamourgues,  of  blessed  memory,  for  the  Sisters  of  The 
Immaculate  Conception. 

Mr.  Watkins,  who  was  one  of  Dr.  Peck's  earliest  patrons  and  friends,  in 
Davenport,  and  who  contributes  in  substance,  the  above  account  of  the  origin  of 
Mercy  Hospital,  gives  also  an  interesting  picture  of  the  man  as  he  knew  him. 
His  general  conversation  and  all  his  energies,  writes  JNIr.  Watkins,  were  in  the 
line  of  his  profession.  He  took,  or  seemed  to  take,  little  interest  in  poHtics,  busi- 
ness or  religion.  -Without  egotism  he  loved  appreciation,  but  was  most  concerned 
to  win  self -approval.  Easy  to  be  imposed  on  in  money  matters  and  giving  little 
thought  to  personal  profit,  "I  have  never  in  all  my  experience,"  says  Mr.  Watkins, 
"met  with  any  one  so  completely  and  practically  a  friend  of  humanity  as  Dr. 
Peck."  He  would  pick  up  deformed  children  on  the  streets,  advise  their  parents 
as  to  what  might  be  done  for  them,  and  care  for  the  little  unfortunates,  often  re- 
gardless of  recompense  or  expense.  The  sick  and  suffering  poor,  if  worthy,  al- 
ways found  in  him  a  friend;  he  would  give  them  his  best  services  freely  and 
seek  to  lighten  their  afflictions  even  when  overburdened  with  troubles  of  his  own.. 
Although  by  contact  with  the  world  he  developed  a  husk,  at  it  were,  which  was 
not  always  so  ea_sily  opened,  he  remained,  to  all  who  knew  him  in  those  earlier 
days,  "the  genial,  kind-hearted  and  truly  affectionate  Dr.  Peck." 

In  1888,  over-taxed  by  the  demands  of  his  large  practice  and  his  extensive 
charitable  and  educational  work  ,  his  health  began  to  fail,  and  by  the  summer  of 
1891  he  was  obliged  to  retire  from  active  life.  Made  professor  emeritus  of  surgery 
on  his  resignation  from  the  medical  department  he  had  founded,  it  was  hoped  he 
might  be  long  spared  to  give  it  his  counsel ;  but,  his  health  continuing  to  fail,  he  died 
at  his  home  in  Davenport,  December  12,  1891. 

The  writer  of  this  sketch  spent  some  months  in  Dr.  Peck's  office  when  first 
starting  in  practice  in  Davenport,  assisting  him  in  caring  for  the  first  sufferers  of 
the  cholera  epidemic  of  1873,  and  enjoyed  his  friendship  thereafter  to  the  close 
of  his  life.  Having  known  him  thus  intimately  I  do  not  find  the  warm  words  in 
his  praise  above  quoted  to  be  in  any  way  too  strong — he  deserved  them  all.  He 
had  his  enemies,  it  is  true,  and  they  found  in  him  a  good  fighter.  Determined 
and  courageous  but  always  fair,  having  engaged  in  a  just  cause  he  spared  no  one 
who  stood  in  his  way  to  "success."  Though  giving  little  time  or  thought  to  gen- 
eral business  matters  he  yet  knew  how  to  bind  to  him  loyal  friends  who  cared 
for  his  interests  as  their  own.  His  power  to  attract  and  interest  young  men 
especially  was  phenomenal,  and  under  his  inspiring  leadership  many  adopted  and 
followed  up  the  laborious  paths  which  conduct  to  honor  and  success  in  the  medi- 
cal profession.  Though  always  ready  with  his  best  services  and  sympathy  for 
the  afflicted  he  held  it  right  to  charge  roundly  for  good  work,  where  there  was 
ability  to  pay,  and  he  generally  made  sure  of  his  fees  in  advance,  especially  from 


96  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

those  belonging  to  the  profligate  or  dead-beat  class.  With  little  use  for  new 
remedies  as  a  rule,  giving  comparatively  little  medicine  of  any  kind,  indeed, 
prescribing  only  when  the  indications  were  plain,  and  then,  for  the  most  part; 
single  drugs,  he  inspired  a  confidence  and  cheer  in  his  patients  which  were  bet- 
ter than  medicine,  and  which  made  his  very  presence  in  the  sickroom  curative. 
He  was  sometimes  accused  by  those  less  careful  and  less  courageous  than  him- 
self, of  cutting  ruthlessly  for  the  sake  of  cutting.  No  one,  I  think,  could  have- 
been  less  deserving  of  this  accusation.  His  first  care  was  always  to  consider 
well  both  the  need  for  and  the  probable  outcome  of  an  operation.  These  decided 
in  its  favor  he  went  ahead  fearlessly  and  did  his  best.  But  he  would  often  de- 
cide against  operations  which  others  less  considerate  and  less  skilled  in  diagnosis 
were  quite  ready  to  undertake.  Born  to,  and  loving  his  profession,  he  strongly 
opposed  any  lowering  of  its  ethical  standards,  and  gave  the  hand  of  fellowship 
only  to  those  he  esteemed  worthy.  Too  busy  to  be  a  great  reader  (save  from  the 
page  of  living  pathology  ever  open  before  him),  even  the  medical  books  and 
journals — the  best  of  vfhich  he  kept  always  about  him — would  often  accumulate 
unread  on  his  table.  Genial  socially,  loved  and  respected  by  all  clases,  there  was 
yet  a  certain  reserve,  amounting  almost  to  hauteur,  about  him  which  prevented 
his  becoming  the  hail-fellow  well-met  so  common  in  the  medical  profession.  Of 
medium  height  and  build,  his  decided  step  and  voice,  sharp  but  kindly  blue  eye, 
and  commanding  presence  proclaimed  him  the  leader  in  any  assembly  he  attended, 
and  he  was  seldom  absent  from  an  important  council  of  his  fellows.  His  short 
fifty  years  were  crowded  full  of  achievement.  May  Iowa  be  blessed  with  many 
more  such  workers. 

Charles  Hicklen  Preston. 


JENNINGS  PRICE  CRAWFORD,  M.  D. 

The  life  work  of  Dr.  Jennings  Price  Crawford  was  of  signal  service  to  his 
f ellowmen  in  the  city  in  which  he  long  made  his  home.  Not  only  his  professional 
skill  and  ability  but  his  social  characteristics  and  his  genuine  personal  worth  en- 
deared him  to  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  kindly  and  sympathetic  in  nature  and 
he  wisely  used  the  talents  with  which  he  was  endowed  for  the  benefit  of  those  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact.  His  history,  therefore,  cannot  fail  to  prove  of  interest 
to  many  of  our  readers.  He  came  of  an  old  New  England  family,  the  ancestry 
being  traced  back  to  John  Crawford,  who  left  his  home  in  the  Scottish  highlands 
and  settled  in  the  new  world  during  its  early  colonization.  To  the  same  family 
belonged  Colonel  William  Crawford,  who  figured  in  both  the  colonial  and  Revo- 
lutionary wars,  his  military  service  covering  thirty  years. 

Dr.  Crawford  was  born  near  Marion,  Iowa,  August  27,  1855.  He  and  his 
twin  brother.  Dr.  A.  J.  Crawford,  now  deceased  but  formerly  a  distinguished  phy- 
sician of  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  were  the  sons  of  Jennings  and  Sarah  (Price)  Craw- 
ford. In  his  youthful  days  Dr.  Crawford,  of  this  review,  mastered  the  branches 
of  learning  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  county,  thus  spending  a  portion  of 
each  year  in  study  until  he  reached  the  age  of  seventeen,  when  he  had  opportunity 


^    d 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  99 

to  attend  Western  College  at  Western,  Iowa,  and  in  that  institution  completed  his 
literary  course.  His  professional  education  was  acquired  in  the  medical  depart- 
ment of  the  Iowa  State  University,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1883  on  the 
completion  of  a  four  years'  course  with  the  valedictory  honors  of  his  class.  Dur- 
ing the  two  vacations  he  had  acted  as  house  physician  at  Mercy  Hospital  in  Daven- 
port and  thus  to  his  theoretical  training  added  the  broad  and  invaluable  experience 
of  hospital  practice.  The  late  Dr.  W.  F.  Peck  was  his  preceptor  and  professor  in 
surgery  and,  no  doubt,  he  inspired  Dr.  Crawford  with  his  preference  for  surgical 
work  as  the  latter  always  had  the  greatest  admiration  for  his  teacher,  who  was  a 
noted  surgeon.  He  took  a  post-graduate  course  at  Bellevue  Hospital  College,  New 
York  city. 

Opening  an  office  in  Davenport  in  1883,  Dr.  Crawford  steadily  advanced  in  his 
chosen  field,  winning  high  professional  honors  that  made  him  regarded  as  one  of 
the  eminent  physicians  and  surgeons  of  Davenport  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.    He 
never  ceased  to  be  a  student  of  his  profession  but  throughout  his  life  read  broadly 
and  with  thoughtful  consideration  carried  his  researches  into  the  realms  of  scien- 
tific knowledge,  doing  everything  in  his  power  to  promote  his  own  efficiency  and 
add  to  that  general  knowledge  of  medicine  and  surgery  which  constitutes  a  source 
of  public  health.     He  stood  high  in  the  ranks  of  his  profession,  not  only  in  this 
city  but  in  the  state,  and  was  not  unknown  beyond  the  borders  of  Iowa.     He  held 
membership  in  the  American  Medical  Association  and  frequently  attended  its 
meetings.     He  was  also  seen  in  the  meetings  of  the  Iowa  State  Medical  Society, 
the  Iowa  and  Illinois  District  Medical  Association  and  the  Scott  County  Medical 
Society.     He  was  a  frequent  contributor  to  medical  Hterature  and  one  of  his  last 
public  appearances  was  for  the  presentation  of  a  paper  which  he  had  prepared  on 
surgery  before  the  Iowa  State  Medical  Society,  at  Des  Moines.     The  addresses 
which  he  delivered  in  such  meetings  were  frequently  published  in  the  leading  medi- 
cal journals,  for  they  were  carefully  prepared  and  presented  not  only  the  results 
of  his  own  experience  but  also  of  his  wide  research.     He  served  as  a  member  of 
the  staff  of  both  Mercy  and  St.  Luke's  Hospitals  and  was  one  of  the  most  active 
promoters  of  the  interest  of  those  two  institutions.     His  large  surgical  practice 
took  him  to  the  hospitals  almost  daily  and  his  skill  and  ability  were  of  such  high 
order  that  his  death  came  as  a  distinct  loss  to  both.     He  acted  as  district  surgeon 
for  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railroad  and  took  a  prominent  part  in 
arranging  for  the  meeting  of  the  Iowa  State  Medical  Society,  which  was  held  in 
Davenport  about  two  years  before  his  death — an  important  meeting  still  pleas- 
antly remembered  by  the  physicians  of  this  vicinity  who  shared  with  him  in  the 
honors  and  responsibilities  of  being  the  entertainers  on  that  occasion.     The  Illi- 
nois Society  met  in  Rock  Island  at  the  same  time  and  joint  gatherings  were  fea- 
tures of  their  meetings.    As  his  health  began  to  fail  Dr.  Crawford  gradually  with- 
drew from  his  professional  service,  for  he  realized  the  advance  that  was  being 
made  by  the  disease  which  eventually  terminated  his  life. 

In  no  other  environment  did  Dr.  Crawford  find  the  happiness  and  contentment 
which  came  to  him  in  his  own  home,  for  he  was  a  man  of  domestic  tastes  and  his 
greatest  joy  was  in  the  companionship  of  his  wife  and  children.  On  the  14th  of 
October,  1885,  he  married  Miss  A!tina  Williams,  a  daughter  of  A.  F.  Williams,  who 
at  one  time  was  a  member  of  the  Seig  Iron  Company  and  prominent  in  the  busi- 


100  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

ness  circles  of  Davenport.  He  died  many  years  ago  but  is  still  survived  by  his 
widow,  who  spends  the  summer  seasons  in  Davenport  and  the  winter  months  in 
California,  where  she  has  a  daughter  living.  Unto  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Crawford  were 
born  five  children,  Frances  Louise,  Genevieve,  Helen,  Dorothy  and  Margaret,  the 
last  two  being  twins. 

Dr.  Crawford  held  membership  in  the  Calvary  Baptist  church,  in  which  he  was 
an  active  and  loyal  worker,  being  a  trustee  of  the  church  and  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday  school  for  many  years.  He  was  also  one  of  the  charter  members  of 
the  San  Grail  Club  and  belonged  to  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  was  interested  in 
all  those  movements  which  had  for  their  object  the  betterment  of  mankind  and  he 
was  also  a  stalwart  champion  of  projects  for  the  public  good,  rejoicing  in  the 
growth,  advancement  and  welfare  of  his  city.  He  was  so  widely  known  and  such 
was  the  hold  which  he  had  upon  the  affection  of  his  fellow  townsmen  that  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1907,  brought  a  sense  of  personal  bereavement  to  the 
large  majority  of  Davenport's  citizens.  On  the  Sunday  following  his  demise,  in 
place  of  the  regular  lesson  in  the  Sunday  school  of  the  Calvary  Baptist  church, 
there  was  held  a  memorial  service  in  his  honor,  in  which  many  who  had  known  him 
long  and  well  testified  to  his  goodness  of  heart  and  the  honor  of  his  life,  which  in 
all  of  its  phases  was  of  such  high  character  as  to  constitute  an  example  that  is  well 
worthy  of  emulation. 


WILLIAM  H.  GEHRMANN. 

William  H.  Gehrmann,  starting  in  business  life  in  America  at  a  salary  of  eight 
dollars  per  month,  is  today  the  vice  president  and  general  manager  of  the  Kohrs 
Packing  Company  of  Davenport,  in  which  connection  he  is  active  in  the  control 
of  one  of  the  leading  enterprises  of  the  city.  His  business  affairs  have  been  so 
carefully  managed  that  success  has  placed  him  in  a  prominent  position  among 
Davenport's  representative  men.  He  was  born  in  Uetersen,  Germany,  March 
15,  1858,  and  is  a  son  of  Dietrich  and  Anna  (Dieckman)  Gehrmann,  also  natives 
of  Germany.  The  father  was  a  manufacturer  of  chicory,  a  root  treated  and  used 
as  a  substitute  for  coffee.  He  was  quite  a  prominent  citizen  of  his  native  coun- 
try, in  which  both  he  and  his  wife  spent  their  entire  lives. 

William  H.  Gehrmann  was  educated  in  the  private  schools  of  his  native  town 
and  afterward  learned  bookkeeping,  which  he  followed  for  two  years.  In  1875, 
when  a  youth  of  seventeen  years,  he  sailed  for  America,,  making  the  voyage 
alone  as  a  passenger  on  the  steamship  Schiller.  This  was  the  last  complete  trip 
which  she  made,  as  she  was  lost  at  sea  on  her  return  trip,  being  wrecked  on  the 
Needles  off  the  English  coast.  Mr.  Gehrmann  landed  at  New  York  city  and 
soon  afterward  started  for  the  middle  west,  going  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where 
he  secured  a  place  in  a  grocery  store  at  a  salary  of  eight  dollars  per  month.  He 
afterward  was  employed  in  a  wholesale  grocery  house  of  that  city,  with  which 
he  was  connected  until  1879,  when  he  went  to  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  and  entered 
the  training  school  of  the  Turners  Academy  for  the  training  of  teachers  of 
gymnastics.     Following  his  graduation  in  1880  he  returned  to  St.  Louis  and  ac- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  101 

cepted  a  position  as  teacher  in  the  gymnasium  of  the  Toensfeldt  Institute  and 
St.  Louis  Turn  Verein.  There  he  continued  until  the  spring  of  1887,  when  he 
went  to  Walkerville,  Montana,  and  with  the  capital  he  had  saved  from  his  earn- 
ings engaged  in  the  butchering  business  on  his  own  account.  In  this  undertaking 
he  prospered  but  in  1895  he  sought  a  broader  field  of  labor  in  Anaconda,  Mon- 
tana, where  he  organized  the  Montana  Meat  Company  in  connection  with  Mar- 
cus Daly  and  Conrad  Kohrs.  In  1898,  however,  he  sold  out  his  interest  to  his 
partners  and  came  to  Davenport,  where  he  assumed  the  management  of  the  in- 
terests of  the  Kohrs  Packing  Company,  which  had  been  established  in  1874  by 
Henry  Kohrs.  He  is  now  the  vice  president  and  general  manager  of  what  is 
today  one  of  the  extensive  business  concerns  of  the  city,  employing  about  one 
hundred  people.  The  output  of  the  market  is  known  throughout  Iowa,  Illinois 
and  Missouri  and  all  points  in  the  south.  They  do  their  own  killing,  dressing 
and  packing  and  the  establishment  is  under  government  inspection.  Everything 
is  conducted  with  the  strictest  regard  to  sanitation  and  the  excellence  of  the  prod- 
ucts insures  a  continuance  of  a  liberal  and  growing  patronage. 

On  the  7th  of  September,  1887,  Mr.  Gehrmann  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Helen  Kohrs,  a  daughter  of  Henry  Kohrs,  and  they  have  two  sons,  Wil- 
liam C.  and  Harry  John.  Fraternally  Mr.  Gehrmann  is  connected  with  the  Elks 
and  the  Masons  and  is  prominent  as  a  club  man  in  this  city.  He  has  taken  an 
active  interest  in  all  public  affairs  as  one  of  the  leading  representatives  of  trade 
interests  in  Davenport.  He  also  figures  in  financial  circles  as  a  director  of  the 
Iowa  National  Bank.  He  is  prominent  among  the  German-American  citizens 
here  as  the  president  of  the  Davenport  Turner  Society  and  is  interested  in  the 
educational  progress  of  the  city,  doing  effective  work  in  behalf  of  the  public 
schools  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  education  since  1901.  His  record  has  been 
characterized  by  continuous  progress  along  every  line  to  which  he  has  directed 
his  activity  and  most  of  all  he  is  known  as  a  representative  and  prominent  busi- 
ness man  who  accomplishes  what  he  undertakes  by  reason  of  well  formulated 
plans  and  close  and  unremitting  application. 


JXMES  FRANCIS  PHELPS. 

The  history  of  Davenport  and  its  leading  citizens  contains  no  name  which 
awakens  a  feeling  of  more  sincere  respect  and  honest  regard  than  that  of  James 
Francis  Phelps,  who,  in  the  years  of  his  connection  with  the  city,  came  to  be 
recognized  as  an  influential  factor  in  business  circles  and  also  as  one  whose  ef- 
forts in  other  directions  were  of  far-reaching  and  beneficial  import.  He  was 
born  October  6,  1821,  at  Schroon,  New  York.  The  public  school  system  of 
that  state  afforded  him  his  educational  privileges  and  his  experiences  in  youth 
were  those  of  agricultural  life,  for  he  remained  upon  his  father's  farm  until 
thirty  years  of  age.  Thinking  to  find  broader  opportunities  in  different  busi- 
ness lines,  he  then  removed  to  West  Troy  and  engaged  in  the  lumber  business. 
From  that  time  until  his  death  he  was  identified  with  the  lumber  trade  save  for 
a  brief  period.    He  continued  to  make  his  home  in  the  Empire  state  until  1876, 


102  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

when  he  removed  to  Middlebury,  Vermont,  settling  on  a  farm  with  the  hope 
that  the  experiences  of  outdoor  life  might  prove  beneficial  to  his  health,  which 
had  become  impaired.  The  year  1885  witnessed  his  arrival  in  Davenport,  where 
he  retained  his  residence  until  his  demise.  Since  first  embarking  in  the  lumber 
business  he  retained  his  interest  in  the  business  and  became  a  prominent  repre- 
sentative of  the  lumber  trade  in  this  section  of  the  country.  He  was  a  leading 
stockholder  in  the  Lindsey  &  Phelps  Lumber  Company  and  also  in  the  Cloquet 
Lumber  Company  of  Cloquet,  Minnesota.  In  business  affairs  his  judgment  was 
sound,  his  sagacity  keen  and  his  enterprise  unfailing,  and  in  the  years  of  an 
active  career  he  won  substantial  success,  his  record  being  that  of  a  man  whose 
course  in  business  affairs  measured  up  at  all  times  to  the  full  standard  of  honor- 
able, upright  manhood. 

At  Schroon,  New  York,  in  1848,  Mr.  Phelps  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Lucina  Tyrrell,  and  unto  them  was  bom  a  son,  A.  T.  Phelphs,  who  is  now 
cashier  of  the  National  Bank  of  Watervliet,  New  York.  The  wife  and  mother 
died  April  5,  1853,  and  on  the  20th  of  December,  1854,  Mr.  Phelps  married  Miss 
Jeanette  Finch. 

Mr.  Phelps  attended  and  supported  the  Methodist  church.  He  was  a  man 
of  high  ideals,  progressive  in  citizenship  and  ready  at  all  times  to  give  loyal 
support  to  those  projects  and  movements  which  are  intended  for  the  better- 
ment of  the  community.  He  traveled  extensively,  finding  great  pleasure  in  vis- 
iting points  of  scenic  and  historic  interest,  especially  in  his  own  country.  His 
attachment  for  America  was  one  of  the  deep-rooted  interests  of  his  life,  his  love 
of  country  being  the  expression  of  an  unfaltering  patriotism.  He  continued 
his  residence  in  Davenport  until  his  death,  which  occurred  April  3,  1906,  and 
was  the  occasion  of  deep  regret  to  many  who  knew  and  honored  him.  The 
physical  and  moral  life  were  intensely  vital  in  him  and  the  ringing  response  which 
his  character  gave  to  every  test  made  him  a  man  honored  and  respected  wherever 
known  and  most  of  all  where  best  known.  While  he  won  for  himself  a  substan- 
tial and  creditable  position  in  business  circles,  he  also  applied  his  knowledge  and 
working  powers  to  wider  and  more  impersonal  interests  in  which  the  general 
public  was  largely  the  beneficiary. 


RUDOLPH  LANGE. 


There  are  few  men  who  pass  from  this  life  that  leave  behind  them  among 
their  friends  a  sense  of  such  uniform  sorrow  as  did  Rudolph  Lange  when  he 
was  called  to  the  home  beyond.  He  had  for  many  years  been  a  resident  of  Dav- 
enport and  his  good  qualities  had  endeared  him  to  all  with  whom  he  came  in 
contact.  He  was  born  in  Kassel,  Germany,  March  7,  1832,  and  acquired  his 
education  in  that  country,  where  the  period  of  his  minority  was  spent.  He  was 
a  young  man  of  twentyrtwo  years  when  in  1854  he  bade  adieu  to  the  father- 
land and  sailed  for  the  United  States,  landing  at  New  York,  where  he  remained 
for  a  brief  period.  He  then  started  westward,  going  first  to  Pittsburg,  where  he 
continued  for  a  time,  and  later  proceeding  to  Fort  Madison,  Iowa.     Soon  after- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  105 

ward  he  removed  to  the  vicinity  of  Buriing-ton  and  while  there  residing  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  CaroHne  Schlapp,  thus  laying  the  foundation  for  a 
happy  home  life.  While  there  residing  he  established  and  conducted  a  grocery 
store  until  the  latter  part  of  the  '60s,  when  he  removed  to  St.  Louis,  where  he 
remained  until  1870.  In  the  latter  year  he  came  to  Davenport  and  soon  acquired 
the  interests  of  Henry  Knoepper  and  George  H.  Schlapp  in  the  Arsenal  Brew- 
ery in  East  Davenport.  About  1872  the  firm  of  Koehler  &  Lange  was  formed 
and  the  operation  of  this  brewery  was  continued  by  the  firm  until  they  sold  out 
in  1896  to  the  Davenport  Malting  Company.  The  business  was  carefully  con- 
ducted along  systematic  lines  and  the  enterprise,  diligence  and  close  applica- 
tion of  Mr.  Lange  contributed  in  large  measure  to  their  success. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lange  were  born  three  children :  Emil,  who  is  now  Hv- 
ing  in  Los  Angeles,  California ;  Adelia,  the  wife  of  Dr.  H.  Pape ;  and  Ella,  at 
home.  Mr.  Lange  erected  a  fine  residence  on  Fulton  avenue,  which  is  occupied 
his  his  widow  and  daughter,  and  he  delighted  to  dispense  its  hospitality  to  his 
many  friends.  He  was  quiet  and  unostentatious  in  manner,  but  those  who  came 
within  the  circle  of  his  friendship  found  him  a  genial,  courteous  and  considerate 
gentleman,  while  in  his  own  home  he  exemplified  the  spirit  of  an  ideal  husband 
and  father.  He  held  membership  in  Damon  Lodge,  No.  10,  K.  P.,  and  also  in  the 
East  Davenport  Turner  Society.  He  never  courted  favor  and  probably  never 
weighed  a  single  act  of  his  life  in  the  scale  of  public  policy  but  he  had  high 
standing  among  the  business  men  of  the  city,  and  at  his  death  which  occurred 
December  18,  1897,  left  no  enemies.  His  political  allegiance  was  given  to  the 
democracy  and  he  was  a  public-spirited  man  in  that  he  endorsed  and  supported 
all  measures  and  movements  for  the  general  good. 


CHARLES  N.  VOSS. 


Germany  has  furnished  her  full  quota  to  the  citizenship  of  Davenport,  and 
prominent  among  those  who  claim  the  fatherland  as  the  place  of  their  nativity 
is  Charles  N.  Voss,  who  with  German  intelligence  and  pertinacity  has  con- 
ducted his  business  aiifairs  to  successful  completion,  rising  from  a  comparatively 
humble  place  to  the  presidency  of  the  German  Savings  Bank.  He  was  born  in 
Neustadt,  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  13th  of  October,  1847,  and  pursued  his 
education  in  the  public  and  private,  schools  of  his  native  town.  He  made  his 
initial  step  in  the  business  world  in  connection  with  the  di'ry-goods  trade,  in 
which  he  continued  until  coming  to  America  in  1867.  Landing  at  New  York 
city,  he  made  his  way  to  Petersburg,  Illinois,  where  he  was  employed  as  clerk 
in  a  store  until  1869,  when  he  came  to  Davenport  and  again  secured  a  position 
as  salesman,  entering  the  service  of  Kehoe  &  Carhart,  one  of  the  leading  dry- 
goods  firms  in  this  city,  with  which  he  continued  until  they  retired  from  business 
about  1873.  The  following  year  he  engaged  as  teller  in  the  Davenport  Sav- 
ings Bank,  there  remaining  until  1880,  when  he  went  to  Avoca,  Iowa,  where 
he  followed  the  milling  business,  for  a  few  years.  In  1883  he  assisted  in  the 
organization  of  the  Avoca  Bank,  which  succeeded  to  the  banking  business  of 


106  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

J.  W.  and  E.  W.  Davis,  and  in  this  institution  Mr.  Voss  accepted  the  position  of 
cashier,  so  continuing  until  1891. 

Returning  to  Davenport  in  that  year,  Mr.  Voss  accepted  the  cashiership  of  the 
Iowa  National  Bank,  with  which  he  continued  until  the  ist  of  January,  1893, 
when  he  became  cashier  of  the  German  Savings  Bank.  In  1906,  when  the  Citi- 
zens National  Bank  was  consolidated  with  the  German  Savings  Bank,  he  was 
elected  to  the  presidency  and  still  remains  as  the  chief  executive  officer  of  what 
is  today  recognized  as  one  of  the  strongest  and  most  important  financial  con- 
cerns of  the  city.  He  is  also  the  president  of  the  German  Trust  Company,  which 
was  promoted  and  conducted  by  the  stockholders  of  the  German  Savings  Bank. 
He  is  likewise  financially  interested  in  various  other  business  enterprises  and 
concerns,  which  profit  by  his  knowledge  and  keen  discernment,  for  his  judg- 
men  is  always  sound  and  his  business  methods  progressive.  He  is  today  ac- 
counted one  of  the  foremost  representatives  of  banking  circles  in  Iowa. 

In  1873  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Voss  and  Miss  Louise  Hoerring, 
a  native  of  Davenport.  They  have  four  children:  Hertha  L.,  instructor  of 
foreign  languages  in  the  State  University  of  Iowa;  Otto  R.,  a  practicing  physi- 
cian of  Walnut,  Iowa;  Agneta,  the  wife  of  Arnold  L.  Peterson;  and  Carl  H., 
a  graduate  of  St.  John's  Military  Academy.,  The  family  are  prominent  socially 
and  Mr.  Voss  is  known  as  one  of  Davenport's  leading  citizens,  his  opinions  carry- 
ing weight  in  various  councils  relative  to  municipal  interests  and  business  devel- 
opment. 


FRED  VOLLMER. 


During  thirteen  years'  connection  with,  the  bar  of  Davenport,  Fred  Vollmer 
has  made  steady  progress,  recognizing  the  fact  that  in  law  advancement  must 
depend  upon  individual  efifort  and  merit.  He  was  born  in  this  city,  December 
12,  1874.  His  father,  Henry  Vollmer,  was  a  native  of  Bremen,  Germany,  and 
came  to  the  United  States  in  1853,  when  three  years  of  age,  his  parents  crossing 
the  Atlantic  to  America  and  settling  in  Davenport.  After  attaining  to  years,  of 
maturity,  Henry  Vollmer  became  a  prominent  citizen,  both  in  his  commercial 
connections  and  in  his  association  with  public  afifairs.  For  many  years  he  con- 
ducted a  printing  business  and  the  enterprise  was  one  of  large  and  profitable 
proportions.  As  a  citizen  he  took  active  and  helpful  interest  in  various  measures 
for  the  public  good  and  for  four  years  served  as  county  recorder.  He  married 
Dora  Plambeck  and  continued  a  resident  of  Davenport  from  1853  until  1890, 
when  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest. 

Reared  in  the  city  of /his  nativity,  Fred  Vollmer  at  the  usual  age  began  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  and  passed  through  consecutive  grades  until  he 
was  qualified  to  enter  the  Iowa  State  University.  It  was  in  that  institution  that 
he  prepared  for  a  professional  career,  being  graduated  from  the  law  department 
with  the  class  of  1896.  He  was  then  admitted  to  practice  and  opened  an  office 
in  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  remained.  He  has  always  engaged  in  the 
general  practice  of  law,  keeping  well  informed  on  various  branches  of  juris- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  107 

prudence  and  his  continued  research  and  investigation  along  professional  lines 
has  given  him  rank  among  the  more  able  and  successful  lawyers  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Vollmer  is  also  active  in  politics  as  a  supporter  of  the  democratic  party 
and  his  labors  have  been  an  effective  force  in  promoting  its  success.  In  1908  he 
was  elected  county  attorney,  which  position  he  is  still  filling  and  neither  fear  nor 
favor  can  swerve  him  in  the  faithful  performance  of  his  duties.  His  social 
relations  are  with  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  outside  of 
fraternal  organizations  he  has  many  warm  friends,  having  always  resided  in  the 
city  where  he  yet  makes  his  home. 


CORNELIUS  H.  MURPHY. 

Cornelius  H.  Murphy,  self-educated  and  self-made,  is  now  a  leading  lawyer 
of  the  Davenport  bar,  having  a  large  and  representative  clientage.  He  was  bom 
in  Wilmington,  Delaware,  on  the  15th  of  March,  1857.  His  father,  Dennis 
Murphy,  a  native  of  County  Cork,  Ireland,  came  to  the  United  States  in  1848 
and  for  some  years  was  in  the  employ  of  Cornelius  Vanderbilt.  He  afterward 
removed  to  Wilmington,  Delaware,  and  in  1867  came  to  Iowa,  settling  in  Dewitt, 
Clinton  county,  where  he  established  a  grocery  store,  which  he  conducted  with 
continuous  success  for  many  years.  He  remained  a  resident  of  that  city  until 
his  death  in  1907.  He  had  for  about  eighteen  years  survived  his  wife,  who  bore 
the  maiden  name  of  Ellen  Harkin  and  was  a  native  of  County  Donegal,  Ireland. 

Cornelius  H.  Murphy  was  a  youth  of  ten  years  when  he  accompanied  his 
parents  on  their  westward  removal  to  Dewitt,  Iowa,  where  in  the  public  schools 
he  continued  his  education  until  he  began  preparation  for  the  practice  of  law  as 
a  student  in  the  State  University,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  the  law  class 
of  1889.  He  had  to  work^his  own  way  through  school,  employment  on  the  rail- 
road giving  him  funds  which  enabled  him  to  pursue  his  education.  Laudable 
ambition,  however,  prompted  him  to  qualify  for  a  professional  career,  while  de- 
termination and  energy  enabled  him  to  set  at  naught  the  difficulties  and  obstacles 
which  barred  his  path.  Following  his  graduation  he  entered  the  office  of  P.  B. 
Wolfe,  at  Dewitt,  where  he  remained  for  a  year,  after  which  he  spent  two  years 
in  law  practice  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

On  the  expiration  of  that  period  Mr.  Murphy  came  to  Davenport,  where  he 
has  since  been  located,  and  his  success  at  the  bar  is  the  best  evidence  of  his 
ability.  He  prepares  his  cases  with  great  thoroughness  and  care,  is  strong  in 
argument  and  logical  in  his  deductions  and  as  the  years  have  passed  he  has  en- 
joyed a  continually  growing  practice  that  has  connected  him  with  much  of  the 
important  litigation  tried  in  the  courts  of  the  district.  He  also  figures  promi- 
nently in  republican  circles,  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  central  committees  of 
the  party  and  his  opinions  carry  weight  in  its  councils.  For  four  years  he  filled 
the  off-ce  of  assistant  county  attorney,  but  has  no  desire  for  political  preferment 
outside  the  strict  path  of  his  profession.  He  is,  however,  deeply  interested  in 
the  political  questions  of  the  day  and  is  thoroughly  grounded  in  the  principles 
that  divide  the  two  great  parties. 


108  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

On  the  24th  of  May,  1893,  Mr.  Murphy  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jessie 
Webster,  a  native  of  Muscatine,  Iowa,  and  a  daughter  of  W.  W.  and  Eliza  J. 
Webster.  They  are  well  known  in  the  social  circles  of  the  city  and  Mr.  Murphy 
is  a  prominent  Mason,  belonging  to  Trinity  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  while  in 
Zarepath  Consistory  he  has  attained  the  thirty-second  degree  of  the  Scottish 
Rite.  He  is  now  senior  warden  of  the  eighteenth  degree  and  he  also  belongs  to 
Kaaba  Temple  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  is  likewise  a  past  chancellor  of  Damon 
Lodge,  No.  10,  K.  P.,  is  a  member  of  the  Pythian  grand  lodge  and  is  serving  on 
the  judiciary  and  other  important  committees.  He  is  also  a  stalwart  champion 
of  the  temperance  cause  and  his  influence  is  ever  found  on  the  side  of  right  and 
progress,  reform  and  advancement.  During  the  years  of  his  residence  in  Daven- 
port he  has  made  many  friends  and  is  one  of  the  popular  as  well  as  one  of  the 
leading  members  of  the  bar. 


LEVI  RICHARD  BANNISTER. 

The  birth  of  Levi  Richard  Bannister  occurred  in  Blair,  Nebraska,  September 
2,  1870,  his  parents  being  Chester  and  Johanna  Bannister,  who  were  married  in 
Illinois,  the  native  state  of  the  mother,  but  went  to  Nebraska  to  live,  being  among 
the  pioneer  settlers  in  that  state.  He  was  the  youngest  of  their  nine  children,  his 
brothers  and  sisters  being:  Miles,  deceased;  Cal,  living  in  Nebraska;  William, 
a  resident  of  Kansas;  Marion,  in  Nebraska;  La  Fayette,  deceased;  Julia,  living 
in  Omaha ;  Mary,  in  Black  Hills ;  and  Bell,  in  Nebraska. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  Mr.  Bannister  began  to  look  about  him  for  a' 
means  of  livelihood.  He  went  to  Kansas  but  remained  in  the  Jayhawker  state 
for  only  a  short  time  and  then  returned  to  Nebraska.  Three  years  later  he  re- 
moved to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  he  has  ever  since  resided  and  where  he 
speedily  established  a  home  for  himself.  Upon  his  arrival  in  Iowa'  he  worked 
as  a  farm  hand  until  his  marriage  in  1900,  when  he  located  on  the  farm  where  he 
now  resides.  It  belongs  to  his  wife  and  is  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  tlwenty 
acres  on  section  32,  Hickory  Grove  township.  It  is  a  valuable  property,  being 
fertile  and  well  improved.  Aside  from  his  general  farming  Mr.  Bannister  has 
had  great  success  as  a  breeder  of  Scotch  shorthorn  cattle,  and  he  is  a  stockholder 
in  the  Farmers  Elevator  Company  of  Walcott. 

On  May  5,  1895,  Mr.  Bannister  married  Miss  Caroline  Magdaline  Arp,  who 
was  born  on  the  farm  they  now  occupy,  August  14,  1861.  Her  parents  were 
Timm  and  Bertha  (Arp)  Arp,  both  natives  of  Holstein,  Germany,  though  resident 
in  different  towns.  They  were  married  across  the  water  and  came  direct  to  Daven- 
port on  landing  in  New  Orleans,  making  the  journey  up  the  Mississippi  river 
in  1851.  They  spent  two  years  in  Davenport,  the  father  working  at  the  carpenter 
trade  and  among  other  things  assisting  in  the  construction  of  the  First  Lutheran 
church.  Upon  his  removal  to  the  country  Mr.  Arp  took  up  the  new  vocation  of 
farming  which  proved  congenial  and  profitable.  Beside  the  farm  now  owned 
by  his  daughter,  he  owned  another  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  adjoining. 
He  has  five  children  as  follows :  Paul  William,  of  Hickory  Grove  township,  occu- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  109 

pying  a  neighboring  farm  to  the  subject  of  the  sketch;  Johannas  Adolph,  also  a 
neighbor ;  Henry  Peter,  of  Glyndon,  Minnesota ;  Mrs.  Bannister ;  and  Ferdinand 
Theo,  of  Tea,  South  Dakota.  Mr.  Arp  was  bom  May  23,  1819,  and  died  Septem- 
ber 21,  1890,  and  Mrs.  Arp  was  born  March  31,  1830,  and  died  March  14,  1899. 
The  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bannister  has  been  blessed  by  the  birth  of  five  chil- 
dren: Birdie  Johanna;  William  Chester;  Carlisle  Timm;  Catherine  Margaret, 
who  died  in  infancy;  and  Emil  Qifford. 

Mr.  Bannister  gives  a  stanch  adherence  to  the  policies  and  principles  of 
democracy.  He  is  now  serving  his  third  term  as  constable,  in  which  capacity 
he  has  given  most  efficient  service.  Fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the  Eagles 
and  the  Modem  Woodmen  of  America  in  their  Walcott  camps.  Mr.  Bannister 
has  many  friends  and  is  well  regarded,  being  a  public-spirited  man,  strong  in  his 
advocacy  of  those  measures  he  believes  will  bring  the  greatest  good  to  the  greatest 
number. 


HANS  KRUSE. 


Among  the  residents  of  Davenport  who  are  now  living  retired,  their  present 
comfortable  financial  position  being  the  direct  result  of  former  activity  and  enter- 
prise along  agricultural  lines,  is  numbered  Hans  Kruse.  He  is  one  of  those 
sturdy,  industrious  and  frugal  German  citizens  who  through  their  untiring 
efforts,  indefatigable  energy  and  strong  purpose  have  lived  their  lives  to  good 
advantage  and  are  entitled  to  a  place  among  the  substantial  and  representative 
citizens  of  Scott  county.  Born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  7th  of  September, 
1838,  he  is  a  son  of  Jochira  and  Anna  Kruse.  The  father,  who  was  a  blacksmith 
by  trade,  came  to  the  United  States  with  his  family  in  1854,  the  ocean  voyage 
requiring  fifty-six  days.  After  landing  at  New  York  the  family  did  not  tarry  in 
the  eastern  metropolis  but  came  by  rail  direct  to  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  and  then 
across  the  river  to  Davenport.  In  this  city  the  father  established  a  blacksmith 
shop  on  Fourth  street  and  there  followed  his  trade  for  about  two  years.  At  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  sold  out  and  took  up  agricultural  pursuits  as  a  renter 
in  Davenport  township.  Later  he  purchased  land  in  Iowa  county  and  developed 
a  good  farm,  upon  which  he  and  his  wife  passed  their  remaining  days.  His  death 
occurred  when  he  had  reached  his  seventy-third  year,  while  his  wife  survived  un- 
til ninety-one  years  of  age.  In  their  family  were  six  children:  Hans,  the  subject 
of  this  review;  Claus,  now  deceased;  Jochim,  also  deceased;  Peter,  of  Iowa 
county;  Brant,  a  resident  of  Alaska;  and  Lena,  the  wife  of  Henry  Martin,  of 
Davenport. 

Hans  Kruse  acquired  a  good  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Germany 
and  was  a  lad  of  fifteen  years  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  emigra- 
tion to  the  new  world.  After  his  arrival  in  Scott  county  he  was  employed  as  a 
farm  hand  for  about  four  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which  period  he  went  to  work 
on  the  farm  which  his  father  had  rented  in  Davenport  township.  There  he  re- 
mained for  about  six  years  and  then,  on  the  12th  of  November,  1867,  established 
pleasant  home  relations  of  his  own  through  his  marriage  to  Miss  Ida  Hahn,  a 
daughter  of  Wolfe  Hahn,  of  Davenport  township.     After  their  marriage  the 


110  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

young  couple  took  up  their  abode  on  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  which  Mr.  Kruse  had 
purchased  in  Blue  Grass  township.  When  it  came  into  his  possession  it  was  all 
wild  prairie  land,  but  with  characteristic  energy  he  fenced  it  in,  erected  a  house 
and  began  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  breaking  the  sod  and  transforming  the  land 
into  fertile  and  productive  fields.  With  the  passing  of  the  years  he  brought  the 
farm  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  became  so  prosperous  by  reason  of 
the  careful  conduct  of  his  agricultural  interests  that  he  was  able  eventually  to 
purchase  more  land  in  that  township.  He  continued  to  make  his  home  on  that 
place  for  twenty  years  and  then  purchased  a  farm  in  Davenport  township,  to 
which  he  removed,  leaving  one  of  his  sons  to  operate  the  old  homestead.  He  re- 
mained on  the  new  farm  for  eleven  years,  devoting  his  energies  to  general  farm- 
ing pursuits  with  such  success  that  at  the  end  of  that  time  he  was  able  to  with- 
draw from  active  life  and  retire  from  business  with  a  competency  sufficient  to 
supply  him  with  all  of  the  comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life.  He  came 
to  Davenport  in  1898  and  here  erected  a  fine  residence  on  Brown  street,  where 
he  has  since  made  his  home.  A  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Davenport 
township,  another  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Blue  Grass  township,  and 
valuable  town  property  are  the  visible  evidence  of  a  life  of  thrift  and  industry 
on  the  part  of  Mr.  Kruse,  whose  success  has  come  to  him  as  the  legitimate  and 
logical  result  of  intelligently  applied  labor  and  well  directed  eflforts. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kruse  were  born  two  sons,  namely:  Charles,  operating 
his  father's  farm  in  Davenport  township,  who  married  Katie  Rugi,  by  whom  he 
has  two  children,  Erma  and  Ella ;  and  Henry,  on  the  old  homestead  in  Blue  Grass 
township,  who  married  Amelia  Rilk  and  has  three  children — Hilda,  Ella  and 
Norma.  The  wife  and  mother,  who  was  born  in  1847,  passed  away  on  the  3d  of 
April,  1906,  her  remains  being  interred  at  Fairmount  cemetery. 

Mr.  Kruse,  whose  residence  in  Scott  county  extends  over  a  period  of  more 
than  a  half  century,  is  numbered  among  the  old  settlers  of  this  district,  where 
he  has  gained  an  extensive  circle  of  warm  friends,  and  he  is  one  of  the  prominent 
and  honored  members  of  the  German  Pioneers  Association.  Since  age  conferred 
upon  him  the  right  of  franchise  he  has  given  stalwart  support  to  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  democracy  but  has  never  sought  nor  desired  public  office  as  a 
reward  for  party  fealty.  He  has,  however,  at  all  times  been  most  public-spirited 
in  his  citizenship  and  although  born  across  the  water,  has  ever  been  thoroughly 
identified  with  American  interests  and  institutions,  while  Scott  county  has  no 
more  worthy  and  representative  citizen  than  this  adopted  son. 


PROFESSOR  JAMES  MADISON  DE  ARMOND. 

No  history  of  educational  interests  of  Davenport  would  be  complete  with- 
out extended  reference  to  the  life  work  of  James  Madison  DeArmond,  who  for 
many  years  was  connected  with  the  ward  schools  of  the  city  as  principal.  He 
stood  for  all  that  is  highest  and  best  in  educational  work  and  his  aims,  his  pur- 
poses and  his  labors  inspired  other  teachers  and  pupils,  so  that  the  results  of  his 
achievements  are  yet  seen  in  the  lives  of  those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 


Tct   ^- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  113 

leaving  the  impress  of  his  strong  individuality  and  laudable  ambition  upon  them. 
A  native  of  Pennsylvania,  Professor  DeArmond  was  born  in  Blair  county  on 
the  7th  of  September,  1846.  His  grandfather's  brother,  Michael  DeArmond,  was 
a  brave  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  doing  active  duty  with  Company  B, 
Fifth  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  Volunteers.  He  took  part  with  his  company  irf 
the  battle  of  Long  Island,  August  27,  1776,  and  also  in  other  important  engage- 
ments. The  father  was  James  DeArmond,  who  for  many  years  followed  gen- 
eral farming  in  Pennsylvania,  leaving  that  state  about  1864.  His  identification 
with  agricultural  interests  in  Iowa  continued  until  1871,  when  he  removed  to 
Greenfield,  Missouri,  where  he  established  his  home.  There  his  remaining  days 
were  passed,  his  death  occurring  in  1885,  when  he  had  reached  the  very  venerable 
age  of  ninety-five  years.  His  widow  survived  him  and  for  a  long  period  made 
her  home  with  Judge  DeArmond  of  Butler,  Missouri.  She  has  now  passed  away. 
Judge  DeArmond,  congressman  from  Missouri,  W.  W.  DeArmond,  an  attorney 
of  Chicago,  and  Dr.  J.  A.  DeArmond,  of  Davenport,  were  brothers  of  our  subject. 
Professor  James  Madison  DeArmond  was  reared  upon  the  old  homestead  in 
the  Keystone  state,  early  becoming  familiar  with  the  duties  and  labors  incident 
to  the  development  of  the  fields.  He  received  such  education  as  the  common 
schools  aflForded  and  remained  on  the  home  farm  until  his  eighteenth  year,  and 
when  he  left  home  for  the  first  time  he  attended  college  in  Williamsport,  Penn- 
sylvania. He  had  been  a  student  in  that  institution  for  a  year  when  his  parents 
removed  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  and  he  accompanied  them.  He  continued  his 
education  here  and  within  a  year  was  graduated  from  the  high  school  of  Daven- 
port. Entering  upon  educational  work,  he  was  appointed  principal  of  public 
school  No.  6,  and  his  success  in  that  field  of  labor  was  most  marked.  He  was 
afterward  made  principal  of  school  No.  5  and  creditably  filled  that  position  until 
he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  the  city  by  President  Cleveland  in  1885.  He 
served  with  distinction  in  that  position,  his  administration  being  generally  satis- 
factory to  the  public,  for  his  efficiency,  systematic  labors  and  intelligently  directed 
methods  of  conducting  business  made  this  a  model  office.  On  the  expiration  of 
his  four  years'  term  he  retired  and  for  a  year  thereafter  was  engaged  in  no 
business.  He  was  then  again  placed  on  the  roll  of  school  superintendents  as  the 
head  of  school  No.  3,  which  position  he  continued  to  fill  until  his  death.  He 
held  to  high  ideals  in  his  work,  continuously  seeking  out  new  methods  which 
would  prove  of  practical  value  in  the  conduct  and  advancement  of  the  schools. 
He  had  a  great  passion  for  history  and  made  himself  authority  especially  upon 
the  history  of  his  own  country,  while  upon  that  of  foreign  lands  he  was  scarcely 
less  versed.  In  1874  he  became  a  member  of  the  Iowa  State  Teachers  Associa- 
tion, of  which  he  served  as  secretary  for  a  year.  He  was  prominent  among  the 
organizers  of  the  Iowa  Reading  Circle  and  did  much  to  advance  its  interests  as 
long  as  his  health  permitted. 

In  1869  Professor  DeArmond  was  married  to  Miss  Rachel  Scott,  a  daughter 
of  Colonel  Thomas  Scott,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  four  children,  who  are 
all  now  deceased.  Professor  DeArmond  was  for  many  years  a  member  of 
Trinity  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  in  his  Hfe  exempHfied  the  beneficent  spirit  of 
the  craft,  which  is  based  upon  mutual  helpfulness  and  brotherly  kindness.  He 
was  always  a  stanch  democrat  in  his  political  faith  and  undoubtedly  would  have 


114  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

been  chosen  for  the  office  of  mayor  had  he  not  been  too  modest  to  accept  the 
honor.  At  all  times  he  rejoiced  in  Davenport's  advancement  and  cooperated  in 
many  movements  for  its  progress.  His  labors  were  of  a  most  effective  charac- 
ter, for  while  he  held  to  high  ideals  he  utilized  practical  methods  in  achieving 
results.  During  the  periods  of  vacation  he  did  much  newspaper  work  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Democrat.  He  attended  the  Presbyterian  church  and  held  member- 
ship with  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution.  He  always  took  great  interest 
in  young  people  and  performed  his  professional  services  with  a  sense  of  conscien- 
tious obligation,  reaHzing  how  important  is  the  training  of  the  young  as  a  prepar- 
ation for  life's  work.  He  knew  that  he  was  implanting  in  the  minds  of  pupils 
seeds  of  knowledge  and  truth  which  in  due  time  would  bear  fruit,  and  he  was 
therefore  most  careful  to  give  them  that  which  in  later  life  would  be  most 
helpful. 


JOHANNES  A.  ARP. 


Johannes  A.  Arp,  one  of  the  progressive  agriculturists  of  Hickory  Grove 
township,  was  born  in  Davenport,  November  9,  1855,  but  removed,  with  his  par- 
ents, to  the  farm  he  now  operates  shortly  after  his  birth.  His  father,  Timm  Arp, 
was  a  native  of  Holstein,  Germany,  and  there  married  Miss  Bertha  Arp,  also 
a  native  of  that  province.  Shortly  after  their  marriage  they  embarked  upon 
their  journey  to  this  country,  crossing  the  ocean  by  the  southern  route  and  land- 
ing at  New  Orleans,  whence  they  made  their  way  up  the  Mississippi  to  Daven- 
port, reaching  the  city  some  time  in  1851.  Here  Mr.  Arp  followed  his  trade 
of  a  carpenter  for  a  couple  of  years,  assisting  in  the  construction  of  several  of 
the  more  important  buildings,  among  them  being  the  First  Lutheran  church. 
Later  he  engaged  in  farming  in  conjunction  with  his  brother  Jochim,  upon  a  tract 
of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Hickory  Grove  township,  which  they  operated 
successfully  for  a  number  of  years.  Later  they  divided  the  property,  half  of  it 
falling,  in  the  course  of  time  to  the  heritage  of  Johannes  A.  Arp,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch.  In  the  family  were  five  children :  Paul  WilUam,  a  sketch  of  whose 
life  follows:  Johannes  A.,  the  subject  of  this  review;  Henry  Peter,  of  Glyndon, 
Minnesota ;  Caroline  Magdaline,  the  wife  of  Levi  Richard  Bannister,  of  Hickory 
Grove  township;  and  Ferdinand  Theo,  of  Tea,  South  Dakota. 

Johannes  A.  Arp  has  passed  the  greater  part  of  his  life  upon  the  land  he 
now  cultivates.  In  his  early  years  he  assisted  his  father  in  the  cultivation  of 
its  fields,  even  during  the  period  when  many  boys  give  little  thought  to  the  seri- 
ous responsibilities  of  life  and  are  devoting  all  their  time  to  school  and  lessons. 
When  he  married  in  1879,  he  assumed  full  charge  of  the  farm,  which  has  since 
been  his  concern.  The  improvements  which  his  father  and  uncle  instituted 
upon  the  place,  he  has  bettered,  while  he  has,  through  care  and  skill,  brought  the 
fertility  of  the  soil  to  its  most  productive  state.  He  has  been  an  earnest,  indus- 
trious and  thrifty  farmer  and  is  now  in  the  enjoyment  of  an  income  which  is 
a  just  recompense  for  his  toil. 

In  1 88 1  Mr.  Arp  married  Miss  Amelia  Puck,  likewise  a  native  of  Scott 
county  and  a  daughter  of  Egger  Puck.    They  have  four  children :  Adolph,  Emil, 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  115 

Theo  and  Gustave.  The  eldest  is  residing  in  South  Dakota,  but  the  others  are 
at  home.  After  the  death  of  his  wife,  Mr.  Arp  wedded  Miss  Dora  Hansen,  who 
was  bom  in  Schleswig,  Germany,  October  20,  1872.  In  1891  she  and  a  brother, 
Detlief,  and  a  sister  came  to  Davenport.  The  former  is  now  a  resident  of  North 
Dakota,  and  the  latter  is  Mrs.  Thomas  Daily,  of  Davenport.  A  sister  Maggie, 
who  is  the  wife  of  John  Westphal,  of  Davenport,  and  a  brother  Hans,  now  of 
Jackson  county,  Minnesota,  had  preceded  Mrs.  Arp  to  the  United  States,  as  they 
came  in  1883.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arp  was  celebrated  November 
6,  1906,  and  has  been  blessed  with  one  son,  Qifford. 

Mr.  Arp  has  given  his  unqualified  support  in  political  matters  to  the  demo- 
cratic party  but  has  taken  no  active  part  in  the  public  life  of  his  community.  He 
is,  however,  a  man  of  considerable  spirit  and  is  deeply  concerned  for  the  welfare 
of  his  fellow  citizens,  whose  respect  and  esteem  he  enjoys. 


PAUL  WILLIAM  ARP. 

Paul  William  Arp,  a  brother  of  Johannes  A.,  was  born  in  Davenport,  January 
II,  1853,  ^^d  was  little  more  than  an  infant  when  his  parents  removed  to  t|he 
farm  adjoining  that  on  which  he  now  lives.  He  assisted  with  the  cultivation  of 
the  homestead  until  he  was  married  when  he  engaged  in  farming  for  himself, 
purchasing  the  eighty  acres  of  land  he  now  owns.  He  has  instituted  all  the  im- 
provements which  adorn  the  place  and  in  the  cultivation  of  the  fields  displays 
the  skill  of  the  husbandman  who  is  born  as  well  as  reared  to  his  vocation.  While 
not  one  of  the  larger  tracts  of  land  in  Hickory  Grove  township,  it  may  compare 
favorably  with  any  as  regards  to  fertility  and  the  condition  in  which  Mr.  Arp 
maintains  his  fields  and  buildings.  He  is  thrifty,  industrious  and  progressive, 
and  in  consequence  has  won  a  well  merited  success  from  his  farming. 

In  1903  Mr.  Arp  was  united  in  marriage  tO'  Miss  Anna  Wellendorf,  who  was 
born  in  Prepstei,  Holstein,  Germany,  January  2,  1857.  She  came  to  America  in 
1901,  reaching  Davenport  July  7  of  that  year,  and  there  she  joined  her  brother 
James  Wellendorf,  who  is  a  resident  of  that  city. 

Mr.  Arp  is  a  representative  of  the  sturdy  German  race  whose  unremitting 
toil  has  done  so  much  toward  developing  the  resources  of  Scott  county,  and  of 
Hickory  Grove  township  in  particular  to  their  highest  degree.  He  enjoys  the 
well  earned  esteem  of  his  associates  and  fellow  agriculturists.  He  is  a  democrat 
in  his  pohtical  preferences. 


COLONEL  THOMAS  SCOTT. 

Colonel  Thomas  Scott,  one  of  the  most  honorable  and  genial  business  men 
and  popular  residents  of  Davenport,  passed  away  May  26,  1905.  He  was  born 
in  Lawrence  county,  Ohio,  June  3,  1823,  and,  removing  to  Indiana,  was  there 
married  in  1845.    He  continued  his  residence  in  that  state  until  1857,  when  he 


116  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

came  to  Davenport,  where  he  entered  the  wholesale  grocery  business  as  a  member 
of  the  firm  of  Ryan,  Scott  &  McCann.  Later  he  engaged  in  the  live  stock  and 
commission  business  and  in  1880  removed  to  Chicago  to  become  a  commission 
merchant  in  that  line  at  the  Union  Stock  Yards.  For  seventeen  years  he  suc- 
cessfully conducted  business  in  that  city,  after  which  he  returned  to  Davenport 
in  1897  and  lived  retired  here  until  called  to  his  final  rest.  His  success  was  due 
to  his  capable  management  and  indefatigable  energy.  He  was  one  of  the  twelve 
organizers  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  this  city,  which  was  also  the  first  national 
bank  established  in  the  United  States.  For  years  he  served  as  one  of  the  directors 
of  the  Davenport  Savings  Bank  and  his  name  was  ever  an  honored  one  in  finan- 
cial circles  and  on  commercial  paper. 

Prominent  in  public  aflFairs,  he  represented  the  first  ward  as  alderman  for 
several  terms  and  while  a  member  of  the  city  council  exercised  his  official  pre- 
rogatives in  support  of  many  measures  and  movements  for  the  pubHc  good.  His 
political^ allegiance  was  given  to  the  republican  party,  which  at  one  time  honored 
him  with  the  nomination  for  mayor.  He  stood  as  a  splendid  type  of  American 
manhood  and  citizenship,  loyal  at  all  times  to  his  honest  convictions  and  to  the 
best  interests  of  the  community  at  large. 

In  the  family  of  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Scott  were  the  following  children:  Mrs. 
Selinda  Hewitt,  Mrs.  Rachel  De  Armond,  Thomas  Winfield,  Warren  W.,  Mrs. 
Cora  S.  Smith  and  Charles  L. 


JOHN  L.  ZOECKLER. 


The  industrial  and  commercial  history  of  Davenport  would  be  incomplete 
were  there  failure  to  make  prominent  reference  to  John  L.  Zoeckler,  who  was 
the  founder  of  the  packing-house  interests  of  this  city  and  the  promoter  of  a 
business  which  in  the  course  of  years  grew  to  large  proportions  and  constituted 
not  only  a  source  of  individual  wealth  but  of  public  prosperity  as  well. ,  Mr. 
Zoeckler  was  born  in  Wheeling,  West  Virginia,  and  was  sixty-eight  years  of  age 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  May  28,  1906.  His  youthful  days  were 
spent  in  his  native  city  and  its  public  schools  afforded  him  his  educational  privi- 
leges. When  a  young  man  of  twenty-eight  years  he  came  to  Davenport  and 
from  that  time  forward  was  associated  with  business  interests  here.  After  a  brief 
period  he  established  a  packing  house  which  constituted  the  nucleus  of  the  pack- 
ing industry  and  as  the  years  passed  the  enterprise  grew  until  the  firm  name  of 
John  L.  Zoeckler  &  Sons  became  widely  known.  In  the  course  of  years  he 
associated  his  boys  with  him  in  the  business  but  remained  as  the  chief  executive 
head  of  the  enterprise  until  1906,  when  he  retired  from  active  life.  Some  time 
later  the  plant  was  sold  to  the  Kohrs  Packing  Company.  Placing  his  dependence 
upon  the  safe,  substantial  qualities  of  energy  and  wise  management,  Mr.  Zoeckler 
made  steady  progress  in  the  business  world  and  his  name  came  to  be  widely  known 
and  honored  on  commercial  paper.  His  efforts  constituted  an  important  element 
in  making  Davenport  a  leading  commercial  and  industrial  center  of  Iowa. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  117 

In  early  manhood  Mr.  Zoeckler  was  wedded  to  Miss  Veronica  Orth,  by  whom 
he  had  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  namely:  Charles,  Mrs.  Julius  Brammer, 
Mrs.  John  F.  Kehrman  and  John  H.  The  last  named  died,  leaving  a  widow  and 
children.  Following  the  death  of  his  first  wife  Mr.  Zoeckler  was  again  married, 
in  1898,  his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Anna  BraunHck,  a  daughter  of  H.  G. 
Braunlick,  who  is  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Mr.  Zoeckler  also  had 
several  grandchildren,  with  whom  he  was  ever  a  favorite  because  of  the  interest 
which  he  displayed  in  their  joys  and  sorrows.  He  was  devoted  to  his  family 
and  did  everything  in  his  power  to  promote  their  happiness.  For  years  he 
resided  at  No.  1337  West  Second  street,  where  he  reared  his  children,  but  later 
removed  to  Eighth  street  and  Western  avenue,  where  he  erected  a  modern  home 
that  he  occupied  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  prominent  in  local  Masonic 
circles  and  held  several  offices  in  the  lodge.  He  passed  away  when  in  Denver, 
Colorado,  his  remains  being  brought  back  to  Davenport  for  interment.  He 
was  a  man  of  genial  nature,  whose  friends  were  legion,  so  that  his  death  was 
widely  and  deeply  deplored  in  this  city,  where  he  had  long  made  his  home.  To 
every  test  his  character  gave  ringing  response  and  in  no  utterance  of  his  life  was 
there  anything  equivocal,  while  in  his  entire  career  there  was  not  a  single  esoteric 
phase  to  be  found.  He  dealt  justly  with  all  men  and  even  generously  and  at 
the  same  time  managed  his  business  affairs  so  capably  that  the  interests  of  his 
family  were  wisely  conserved  and  to  them  he  left  a  very  substantial  competence. 


OTTO  DENKMANN. 


Otto  Denkmann,  who  has  spent  practically  his  entire  life  in  Scott  county  and 
was  successfully  identified  with  general  agricultural  pursuits  throughout  his  active 
business  career,  is  now  living  retired  in  Davenport.  He  was  born  in  Prussia, 
Germany,  on  the  17th  of  August,  1847,  a  son  of  John  and  Marie  Denkmann. 
In  1847  the  mother  set  sail  for  the  United  States  with  her  infant  son  and  reached 
American  shores  after  an  ocean  voyage  of  about  nine  weeks,  landing  at  New 
Orleans  three  days  before  Christmas.  In  the  Crescent  City  she  joined  her  hus- 
band, who  had  previously  emigrated  to  this  country.  They  made  their  way  up 
the  Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis,  where  they  were  compelled  to  tarry  until 
spring  on  account  of  the  ice  in  the  river.  After  arriving  in  Davenport  in  the 
spring  of  1848,  John  Denkmann  purchased  about  one  thousand  acres  of  prairie 
land  within  nine  miles  of  the  city,  erected  a  shanty  and  there  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  His  widow  afterward  took  up  her  abode  in  Davenport  and  here 
passed  away  in  her  sixty-eighth  year.  Unto  this  worthy  couple  were  born  eight 
children,  namely:  William,  who  is  deceased;  Erminie;.  Charles,  who  has  also 
been  called  to  his  final  rest;  Anna,  who  is  the  widow  of  Dr.  Brunner  and  re- 
sides in  Fremont,  Nebraska;  Julius,  living  in  Davenport  township;  Frederick, 
who  makes  his  home  in  Walcott,  Iowa ;  Otto,  of  this  review ;  and  Amelia,  the 
wife  of  Carl  Rocco,  of  Rock  Island. 

Otto  Denkmann,  whose  name  initiates  this  review,  was  scarcely  a  year  old 
when  brought  to  Scott  county  by  his  parents  and  he  has  since  continued  to  reside 


118  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

within  its  borders.  In  pursuit  of  an  education  he  attended  school  at  Walcott 
and  after  putting  aside  his  text-books  turned  his  attention  to  farming,  which 
branch  of  activity  claimed  his  energies  throughout  his  active  business  career. 
His  farm  in  Blue  Grass  township  remained  his  home  until  he  disposed  of  the 
property  about  1874  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport.  He  is  now  living  re- 
tired but  still  has  important  financial  interests,  being  a  stockholder  in  the  Farm- 
ers &  Mechanics  Bank  of  Davenport  and  also  in  the  Rock  Island  Savings  Bank. 
He  also  owns  considerable  city  property. 

On  the  I2th  of  October,  1869,  Mr.  Denkmann  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Helena  Paul,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  17th  of 
January,  1850,  and  who  came  to  Scott  county  with  her  parents  in  1866.  Her 
father,  Christopher  Paul,  was  a  prosperous  agriculturist  of  Buffalo  township  and 
was  likewise  prominent  in  public  affairs,  serving  as  justice  of  the  peace  and  also 
as  assessor.  He  was  the  president  of  the  German  Insurance  Company  and  was 
widely  recognized  as  an  influential  and  respected  citizen  of  his  community.  His 
demise  occurred  in  1894,  when  he  had  attained  the  age  of  seventy-six  years,  while 
his  wife  was  fifty- four  years  old  when  called  to  her  final  rest.  Their  children 
were  twelve  in  number,  as  follows :  Margaret,  who  is  deceased ;  Anna ;  Eggert ; 
Mrs.  Denkmann ;  Christ,  who  has  likewise  passed  away ;  Elsie ;  Christina ;  Louisa ; 
Johanna;  Henry;  Wilhelm;  and  Lewis.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Denkmann  have 
been  born  seven  children,  the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows.  Theresa,  living  in 
Illinois,  married  William  Scranton  and  is  now  the  mother  of  five  children :  Ray- 
mond, Earl,  Etta,  Loen  and  Lillian.  Tillie  is  the  widow  of  Robert  Napset  and 
has  one  daughter,  Corinne.  Hugo,  who  resides  in  Fullerton,  Nebraska,  wedded 
Miss  Olive  Parker  and  has  two  children,  Dorothy  and  Perry.  Charles,  who 
makes  his  home  in  Davenport,  married  Miss  Agnes  Courtney.  Alma  is  the  wife 
of  G.  P.  Stebolt,  of  California.  Oscar,  living  in  Davenport,  married  Miss  Ella 
Bearris  and  has  one  son,  C.  O.     Alfreda  Denkmann  is  deceased. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Denkmann  is  a  republican  and  on  that  ticket  he  was 
elected  to  the  position  of  trustee  in  Davenport  township.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  German  Shooting  Club  and  also  belongs  to  the  Old  German  Settlers  Asso- 
xiation.  The  period  of  his  residence  in  this  county  now  covers  more  than  six 
decades  and  he  has  long  been  numbered  among  its  successful,  respected  and  rep- 
resentative citizens. 


DWIGHT  G.  KREUL,  M.  D. 

Dr.  D wight  G.  Kreul,  a  well  known  and  successful  medical  practitioner  of 
Davenport,  was  born  in  Wisconsin  on  the  nth  of  December,  1870,  his  parents 
being  John  C.  and  Theresa  (Schmidt)  Kreul.  The  father,  a  native  of  Saxony, 
Germany,  obtained  his  education  in  that  country  and  was  a  graduate  of  Prague 
University.  In  early  manhood  he  set  sail  for  the  United  States  and  after  landing 
on  the  shores  of  the  new  world  took  up  his  abode  in  the  state  of  Wisconsin. 
There  he  was  actively  and  successfully  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  through- 
out the  remainder  of  his  life,  passing  away  in  1871. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  121 

Dwight  G.  Kreul  supplemented  his  preliminary  education,  obtained  in  the 
public  schools,  by  a  course  of  study  in  the  normal  school,  while  subsequently  he 
entered  the  University  of  Wisconsin.  After  completing  his  more  specifically  lit- 
erary education  he  took  up  the  study  of  medicine  at  .Marquette  and  in  1897  won 
the  degree  of  M.  D.  Locating  for  practice  in  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  he  there 
remained  for  a  year,  on  the  expiration  of  which  period  he  went  to  Europe  and 
spent  about  twelve  months  in  post-graduate  work  at  London  and  Vienna.  On 
returning  to  the  United  States  he  opened  an. office  in  Davenport,  Iowa,  and  has 
here  been  engaged  in  the  general  practice  of  medicine  to  the  present  time,  his 
patronage  steadily  growing  in  volume  and  importance  as  he  has  demonstrated 
his  ability  to  cope  with  the  intricate  problems  which  continually  confront  the 
physician. 

In  1901  Dr.  Kreul  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emma  Schmidt,  a  native 
of  Davenport  and  a  daughter  of  Robert  Schmidt.  They  are  now  the  parents  of 
two  children,  Phyllis  and  Gregor.  Dr.  Kreul  is  a  worthy  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  exemplifying  its  teachings  in  his  daily  life.  Realizing  fully  the  obli- 
gations that  devolve  upon  him  in  his  professional  capacity,  he  performs  all  du- 
ties with  a  sense  of  conscientious  obligation  and  has  won  favorable  regard  by 
reason  of  his  skill  and  his  personal  worth. 


HENRY  C.  PLAMBECK. 

Henry  C.  Plambeck,  a  retired  cigar  manufacturer  of  Davenport,  has  lived  in 
well  earned  ease  for  the  past  fifteen  years.  His  birth  occurred  at  Preetz,  Hol- 
stein,  Germany,  on  the  28th  of  April,  1841,  his  parents  being  Detlef  and  Mar- 
garet (Brooks)  Plambeck.  The  father,  who  was  born  in  181 1,  was  engaged  in 
the  shoe  and  tanning  business  in  Germany,  although  his  ancestors  had  followed 
general  agricultural  pursuits.  He  likewise  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Danish  army, 
as  his  country  was  at  that  time  under  Danish  rule.  In  1852,  in  company  with  his 
wife  and  children,  he  set  sail  for  the  new  world,  landing  at  New  Orleans  after  an 
ocean  voyage  of  eight  weeks.  The  trip  up  the  Mississippi  to  Davenport  con- 
sumed four  weeks,  for  the  ice  in  the  river  impeded  the  progress  of  their  boat  and 
several  stops  were  necessary.  On  arriving  in  this  city  Detlef  Plambeck  opened 
a  shoe  shop  but  soon  afterward  his  health  became  impaired  and  after  lying  ill 
for  about  two  and  a  half  years  he  passed  away  in  1855.  His  widow  still  sur- 
vives at  the  remarkable  age  of  ninety-seven  years,  her  birth  having  occurred  on 
the  28th  of  February,  1813.  She  is  the  oldest  person  living  in  Scott  county  and  has 
a  very  wide  acquaintance  within  its  borders.  She  became  the  mother  of  seven 
children,  three  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  The  others  were  as  follows :  Detlefine, 
who  is  deceased,  as  is  also  her  husband,  Louis  Feid;  Henry  C,  of  this  review; 
Dorothea,  the  widow  of  Henry  Vollmer ;  and  Minnie,  who  is  the  widow  of  Lud- 
wig  Bruning. 

Henry  C.  Plambeck  did  not  begin  his  education  until  he  was  a  lad  of  about 
eight,  as  he  suffered  from  ill  health  during  the  early  years  of  his  life.  He  was 
eleven  years  of  age  at  the  time  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  emigration  to 


122  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

the  United  States,  and  for  about  two  months  he  attended  a  German  school  in 
Davenport  but  on  account  of  the  illness  of  his  father  was  compelled  to  abandon 
his  studies  and  assist  in  the  support  of  the  family.  He  was  first  employed  as  a 
farm  hand,  clearing  hazel  brush  at  a  wage  of  twenty-five  cents  per  day,  and  sub- 
sequently worked  in  the  vicinity  of  Davenport  at  various  occupations,  scorning 
no  employment  that  would  yield  him  an  honest  living.  In  1855  he  began  learn- 
ing the  cigar  maker's  trade  and  was  continuously  identified  with  that  line  of  ac- 
tivity for  four  decades  or  until  the  time  of  his  retirement  in  1895.  He  was  in 
the  service  of  the  Kuhnen  Cigar  Company  for  about  thirty  years,  acting  in  the 
capacity  of  foreman  for  about  twenty-three  years  of  that  time.  At  two  different 
intervals  he  was  engaged  in  business  at  Davenport  as  a  cigar  manufacturer  on 
his  own  account  and  also  conducted  an  enterprise  of  that  character  in  Denver, 
Colorado,  for  about  a  year.  When  his  untiring  energy  and  capable  management 
had  brought  him  a  handsome  competence  he  put  aside  business  cares  and  for  the 
past  fifteen  years  has  lived  in  honorable  retirement  at  Davenport,  making  his 
home  with  his  mother. 

Mr.  Plambeck  belongs  to  the  German  Pioneers  Society  and  is  also  a  worthy 
exemplar  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  has  a  very  wide  acquaintance  in  the 
county  which  has  been  his  home  for  more  than  a  half  century  and  enjoys  the 
respect  of  all  with  whom  business  or  social  relations  have  brought  him  in  contact. 


MRS.  CATHRINA  LAGE. 

Mrs.  Cathrina  Lage,  who  resides  at  No.  1445  West  Third  street,  is  the  widow 
of  Jochem  Lage,  who  was  one  of  the  early  German  settlers  of  Scott  county,  and 
she  also  belonged  to  a  family  who  came  here  among  the  pioneers.  She  was 
born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  August  i,  1843,  a  daughter  of  Claus  and  Anna  Weise. 
Her  father  died  when  she  was  very  young  and  her  mother  married  again.  In  1852 
the  family  emigrated  to  America  and,  landing  at  New  Orleans,  ascended  the  Mis- 
sissippi river  to  Davenport.  Her  stepfather  remained  for  a  time  in  Scott  county 
and  then  removed  to  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  where  he  bought  a  tract  of  farm  land 
upon  which  he  and  his  wife  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives. 

Mrs.  Lage  grew  to  womanhood  in  Iowa  and  became  very  conversant  with 
agricultural  methods,  for  when  she  came  here  in  the  early  days  there  was  much 
to  be  done  and  a  large  share  of  the  work  fell  to  the  daughters  of  a  family.  On 
the  26th  of  June,  1864,  she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Jochem  Lage.  He  was 
born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  October  24,  1838,  and  was  about  nine  years  of  age 
when  in  1847  his  parents,  Henry  and  Anna  Lage  sailed  for  America.  Choosing 
the  southern  route,  they  landed  at  New  Orleans,  whence  they  took  a  boat  up  the 
Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  They  remained  in  that  city  a  few  months 
and  then  came  to  Davenport.  In  Qeona  township,  Scott  county,  Henry  Lage, 
bought  eighty  acres  of  prairie  land,  on  which  he  built  a  small  house  and  made 
other  improvements,  living  there  until  his  death  in  1858. 

Jochem  Lage  continued  to  live  with  his  parents,  assisting  his  father  in  the 
farm  work  and  later  assuming  some  of  the  responsibilty  in  the  operation  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  123 

homestead,  until  he  married.  Then  he  and  his  wife  started  housekeeping  upon 
eighty  acres  of  land  adjoining  the  parental  place,  which  had  been  given  to  him  by 
his  father.  He  resided  there  eight  years  and  then  he  removed  to  Davenport, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  real-estate  business,  to  which  he  devoted  his  attention 
profitably  for  a  number  of  years.  He  died  January  24,  1892,  having  witnessed  in 
the  forty  odd  years  he  had  been  a  resident  of  Scott  county  the  great  development 
of  its  agricultural  possibilities  and  participated  in  the  growth  of  Davenport  from 
villagehood  to  a  flourishing  commercial  center. 

Mrs.  Lage  became  the  mother  of  nine  children,  as  follows:  Henry,  who  is 
married  and  lives  in  Richmond,  Missouri;  Laura,  who  makes  her  home  with  her 
mother;  Emma,  who  is  the  widow  of  Amiel  Fick  and  has  three  children,  Laura 
and  the  twins,  Harry  and  Hattie ;  Otto  and  Louisa,  both  at  home ;  Clara,  the  wife 
of  Joseph  Nadler,  of  Moline,  Illinois ;  Hugo,  at  home ;  and  two  who  died  in  in- 
fancy. Having  experienced  many  of  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life  in  her  youth, 
Mrs.  Lage  derives  added  pleasure  from  the  comforts  she  now  enjoys,  and  from 
the  knowledge  that  her  several  children  are  well  established  in  their  respective 
positions  in  life.    In  politics  Mr.  Lage  was  a  democrat. 


A.  W.  ELMER,  M.  D. 


Dr.  A.  W.  Elmer,  who  since  1886  has  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine  in 
Davenport,  making  a  specialty  of  the  treatment  of  the  diseases  of  the  eye,  ear, 
nose  and  throat,  for  which  he  is  qualified  by  thorough  study  both  at  home  and 
abroad,  was  born  in  Harrisville,  Alcona  county,  Michigan,  February  11,  1858. 
His  father,  D.  J.  Elmer,  a  native  of  the  state  of  New  York,  sailed  on  the  Great 
Lakes  and  also  on  the  high  seas.  When  young  he  removed  to  Michigan  and  in 
1868  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  establishing  his  home  near  Big  Rock,  where 
he  secured  a  tract  of  land  and  engaged  in  farming  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a 
century.  In  1894,  however,  he  put  aside  the  active  work  of  the  fields  and  re- 
moved to  Onawa,  Iowa,  where  he  is  now  living  retired  at  the  age  of  eighty-four 
years.    His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Jane  Sellick,  is  also  still  living. 

Dr.  Elmer  began  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  this  county  after  the 
removal  of  the  family  to  Iowa,  when  he  was  a  lad  of  ten  years.  Later  he  entered 
Griswold  College  and  was  graduated  in  1883  with  the  B.  A.  degree.  Two  years 
he  devoted  to  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  Michigan  State  University  at  Ann 
Arbor,  after  which  he  entered  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  and  graduated  in 
1886  on  the  completion  of  the  medical  course.  The  same  year  he  located  for 
practice  in  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  resided  and  in  the  intervening  years 
has  enjoyed  a  large  and  growing  patronage  which  has  come  to  him  in  recognition 
of  the  skill  and  ability  that  he  has  displayed  in  handling  important  cases.  He 
manifests  conscientious  obligation  in  the  discharge  of  his  professional  duties,  and 
broad  reading  has  kept  him  in  touch  with  the  advance  of  the  medical  fraternity 
as  science  has  yielded  up  its  secrets  for  the  benefit  of  mankind.  He  has  always 
made  a  specialty  of  the  treatment  of  diseases  of  the  eye,  ear,  nose  and  throat 
and  has  come  to  be  regarded  in  Davenport  as  authority  upon  those  branches. 


124  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

He  spent  the  year  1897  in  study  in  Vienna,  where  he  was  under  the  instruction 
and  attended  the  clinics  of  some  of  the  most  eminent  speciaHsts  of  the  old  world. 
In  addition  to  a  large  private  practice  he  is  acting  as  oculist  to  the  two  leading 
hospitals  of  Davenport  and  also  for  the  Rock  Island  Railroad. 

In  1890  Dr.  Elmer  was  married  to  Miss  Kate  Hart,  a  native  of  Adrian,  Mich- 
igan, and  unto  them  were  born  two  children,  William  Hart  and  Katherine. 
They  have  gained  many  friends  in  the  city  where  they  have  resided  throughout 
the  period  of  their  married  life.  Dr.  Elmer  has  little  leisure  for  outside  interests 
and  yet  is  always  courteous  in  manner  and  kindly  in  spirit.  His  attention  is 
largely  given  to  his  professional  duties,  however,  and  to  the  end  of  furthering  his 
knowledge  and  promoting  his  efficiency  he  holds  membership  in  the  County, 
State  and  American  Medical  Associations. 


WILLIAM  B.  MURRAY. 

William  B.  Murray,  a  well  known  and  prosperous  citizen  residing  at  No. 
2012  Ripley  street  in  Davenport,  has  lived  retired  since  1892  but  was  formerly 
actively  engaged  in  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  is  still  the  owner  of  two 
hundred  and  thirty  acres  of  fine  farming  land  in  Lincoln  and  Sheridan  town- 
ships. His  birth  occurred  ten  miles  east  of  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  30th 
of  March,  1834,  his  parents  being  George  and  Esther  Murray.  The  latter 
passed  away  in  the  Keystone  state  in  1853.  George  Murray,  who  followed  mer- 
chandising and  railroad  contracting  while  in  Pennsylvania,  came  to  Scott  county, 
Iowa,  in  1855  and  purchased  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  improved  land  in 
Davenport  township,  the  other  members  of  his  family  joining  him  soon  afterward. 
He  later  bought  a  tract  of  three  hundred  and  seventy  acres  near  Mount  Joy  but 
continued  to  reside  on  his  original  purchase  until  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Daven- 
port, where  his  demise  occurred  on  the  ist  of  May,  1887.  His  children  were  ten 
in  number  but  four  of  his  daughters  passed  away  in  Pennsylvania  while  yet 
young  in  years.  Those  who  came  to  this  state  were  as  follows :  William  B.,  of 
this  review ;  Anna,  who  is  now  deceased,  as  is  also  her  husband,  Albert  Kratzer ; 
Thomas,  who  died  in  the  army;  George,  who  has  likewise  been  called  to  his  final 
rest;  James,  a  resident  of  Davenport;  and  Mary  E.,  who  is  deceased,  as  is  also 
her  husband,  John  Hyland. 

William  B.  Murray  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Johnstown  and 
Summerhill,  Pennsylvania,  and  after  putting  aside  his  text-books  worked  for  his 
father  in  the  store  and  also  acted  as  timekeeper  for  the  railroad  men.  On  coming 
to  this  county  he  turned  his  attention  to  farming  and  after  living  with  his  father 
for  a  short  time  took  up  his  abode  on  a  portion  of  the  three  hundred  and  seventy 
acre  tract  near  Mount  Jay,  which  he  broke  up  and  improved.  He  built  a  nice 
residence  and  there  carried  on  his  agricultural  interests  energetically  and  success- 
fully until  the  time  of  his  retirement  from  active  life  in  1892,  since  which  year 
he  has  made  his  home  in  Davenport.  As  the  years  passed  and  he  prospered  in 
his  undertakings  he  added  to  his  landed  holdings  by  additional  purchase  and  also 
received  some  property  from  his  father.    He  is  still  the  owner  of  two  hundred 


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HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  127 

and  thirty  acres  of  valuable  land  in  Lincoln  and  Sheridan  townships  and  is 
likewise  a  stockholder  in  the  Iowa  National  Bank  and  the  Davenport  Savings 
Bank. 

On  the  30th  of  October,  1862,  Mr.  Murray  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Carrie  Criswell,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  a  daughter  of  James  and  Jane 
Criswell.  Her  mother  passed  away  in  Pennsylvania  in  1856  and  the  following 
year  she  accompanied  her  father  on  the  removal  to  Scott  county.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Murray  were  born  seven  children.  George,  the  eldest,  who  makes  his 
home  in  Grinnell,  Iowa,  wedded  Miss  Eliza  Coapley  and  has  four  children: 
Vera,  Grace,  Elsie  and  Mabel.  Minnie  died  at  the  age  of  six  years.  James  E., 
who  is  likewise  deceased,  married  Miss  Ida  Garner,  by  whom  he  had  four  chil- 
dren :  Walter ;  Hazel ;  and  Martha  C.  and  James  E.,  both  of  whom  have  passed 
away.  Albert,  who  wedded  Miss  Stella  Regnitter,  resides  in  Davenport.  Elsie 
died  in  1879,  when  but  two  years  of  age.  Frank  passed  away  when  only  eleven 
months  old.    William  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Murray  is  a  democrat  in  his  political  views  and  has  been  an  active  worker 
in  the  local  ranks  of  the  party.  While  living  on  the  farm  he  held  nearly  all  of  the 
township  offices,  including  those  of  justice  of  the  peace,  trustee  and  school  di-s 
rector.  During  his  two  years'  term  of  service  as  county  supervisor  the  court- 
house was  erected  and  his  name  is  inscribed  on  the  comer  stone  of  that  struc- 
ture. In  the  winter  of  1894  he  was  the  representative  from  this  district  to  the 
general  assembly  at  Des  Moines.  Public-spirited  and  loyal  to  a  marked  degree, 
he  proved  a  faithful  and  efficient  incumbent  in  the  various  offices  to  whjch  his 
fellow  townsmen  called  him.  He  and  his  wife  are  consistent  members  of  the 
English  Lutheran  church,  exemplifying  its  teachings  in  their  daily  lives.  In  the 
county  where  he  has  now  made  his  home  for  more  than  a  half  century  he  is  very 
widely  and  favorably  known,  for  the  salient  traits  of  his  character  are  such  as 
have  won  for  him  the  respect  and  friendship  of  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in 
contact. 


EDWARD  F.  STROHBEHN,  M.  D. 

The  circumstances  which  surrounded  the  birth  and  early  environment  of  Dr. 
Edward  F.  Strohbehn  have  had  little  to  do  with  the  success  which  he  has  at- 
tained in  the  medical  profession,  for  he  has  so  used  his  talents  and  powers  in 
former  years  that  he  has  come  to  be  known  as  one  of  the  foremost  physicians 
and  surgeons  of  eastern  Iowa,  now  practicing  in  Davenport.  Dr.  Strohbehn 
was  born  in  Hamburg,  Germany,  July  24,  1865,  a  son  of  F.  William  and  Louise 
(Zapf)  Strohbehn.  The  father,  who  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  began  to 
learn  the  shoemaker's  trade  ere  he  had  completed  his  education.  As  was  the 
custom  in  foreign  lands,  he  served  in  the  Danish  army  before  that  province  be- 
came a  part  of  Germany.  After  serving  for  three  years  he  went  to  Hamburg 
and,  after  passing  a  rigid  examination,  became  a  citizen  of  that  place.  In  1869 
he  emigrated  with  his  family  to  America  and,  locating  in  Davenport,  continued 
working  at  his  trade  until  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  May  6,  1890. 


128  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Edward  F.  Strohbehn  was  a  little  lad  of  six  and  a  half  years  when  he  was 
brought  by  the  parents  to  Davenport,  and  in  the  schools  of  this  city  he  began  his 
education.  Ambitious  to  acquire  a  higher  education  than  was  afforded  by  the 
common  schools,  he  sought  and  found  employment  with  John  Berwald,  of 
Davenport,  and  from  his  earnings  saved  the  money  that  enabled  him  to  pursue 
a  course  in  the  Iowa  State  University.  He  then  engaged  in  teaching  for  a  time 
and  in  this  way  earned  the  capital  that  enabled  him  to  take  up  the  study  of  medi- 
cine in  the  medical  department  of  the  State  University.  He  was  graduated 
from  that  institution  in  March,  1891.  For  a  time  thereafter  he  acted  as  interne 
in  Mercy  Hospital  of  Davenport,  while  still  later  he  was  an  assistant  in  the 
Iowa  State  Hospital  for  the  Insane  at  Mount  Pleasant.  In  the  fall  of  1891  he 
went  to  Vienna,  Austria,  and  there  took  a  post-graduate  course  in  medicine,  and 
subsequent  to  his  return  opened  an  office  in  Davenport,  where  he  has  been  suc- 
cessfully practicing  to  the  present  time.  During  the  years  that  have  passed  he 
has  displayed  marked  ability  and  familiarity  with  the  most  modern  and  advanced 
methods  of  the  medical  profession  and  has  a  patronage  that  is  most  gratifying. 
In  addition  to  his  private  practice  he  is  also  medical  examiner  for  the  Germania 
Kranken  Verein  and  the  Claus  Groth  Gilde. 

On  the  13th  of  November,  1895,  Dr.  Strohbehn  was  married  to  Miss  Alice 
Lynde,  a  daughter  of  Edward  A.  and  Ophelia  D.  Lynde,  of  Sterling,  Massa- 
chusetts. Dr.  and  Mrs.  Strohbehn  have  six  children :  Louise,  Edward  L.,  Mary 
Ella,  Vallie  Davis,  Elizabeth  and  Walter  William.  The  Doctor  has  attained 
the  thirty-second  degree  in  Masonry  and  belongs  to  various  medical  societies. 
Of  studious  nature,  he  is  ever  seeking  to  advance  his  knowledge  along  the  Hne 
of  his  profession  and  today  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  able  and  successful  phy- 
sicians of  the  state,  and  by  his  labors,  his  high  professional  attainments  and  his 
sterling  characteristics  has  justified  the  respect  and  confidence  in  which  he  is  held 
by  the  medical  fraternity  and  the  local  public. 


WILLIAM  J.  MANN. 


William  J.  Mann,  who  was  for  more  than  a  third  of ,  a  century  actively 
identified  with  the  industrial  interests  of  Scott  county  as  a  carriage  builder,  has 
lived  retired  in  Davenport  since  October,  1906.  His  birth  occurred  in  Waldeck, 
Germany,  on  the  27th  of  September,  1833,  his  parents  being  Jacob  and  Anna 
Kathrina  Mann,  who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  that  country.  The  father  fol- 
lowed farming  throughout  his  active  business  career.  After  completing  his 
education  William  J.  Mann  turned  his  attention  to  the  mastery  of  the  wagon 
maker's  trade.  In  1851,  when  a  youth  of  eighteen  years,  he  set  sail  for  the 
United  States,  landing  at  Baltimore,  Maryland,  on  the  9th  of  May,  after  an 
ocean  voyage  of  six  weeks.  He  worked  at  his  trade  in  Baltimore  for  about 
four  and  a  half  years  and  then  went  to  Chicago,  Illinois,  where  he  was  employed 
as  a  wagon  maker  for  one  year.  In  1856  he  came  to  Davenport  and  fob"  four 
years  worked  in  a  carriage  shop  on  Fourth  street.  During  the  next  seven  years 
he  followed  his  trade  in  Muscatine  and  in  1867  embarked  in  business  on  his  own 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  129 

account,  opening  a  shop  at  Walcott,  Iowa.  Later  he  also  opened  an  implement 
store  there  and  conducted  the  same  successfully  for  a  period  of  thirty-five  years, 
when  he  sold  out  and  retired  to  private  life.  He  continued  to  reside  in  Wal- 
cott for  about  five  years  after  his  retirement  and  on  the  loth  of  October,  1906, 
came  to  Davenport,  now  making-  his  home  in  the  handsome  modern  residence 
which  he  erected  at  No.  221 1  Ripley  street. 

On  the  6th  of  November,  1857,  Mr.  Mann  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Schaeffer,  who  was  born  in  Germany  on  the  i8th  of  September,  1838, 
and  whose  parents  passed  away  in  that  country.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mann  were 
born  seven  children,  the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows.  Mary,  who  wedded 
Charles  Yust  of  Colorado,  is  now  the  mother  of  eight  children,  namely:  Charles, 
Clara,  William,  Henry,  Dorothy,  George,  Edward  and  Carter.  William,  liv- 
ing in  Minnesota,  married  Miss  Caroline  Stoltenberg,  by  whom  he  has  five 
children:  William,  Walter,  Myrtle,  Nina  and  Winnie.  Amelia,  who  gave  her 
hand  in  marriage  to  Edward  Meyer  of  Hickory  Grove  township,  has  five  chil- 
dren :  Lillie,  Hilda,  William,  Herbert  and  Arthur.  George,  who  makes  his  home 
in  Redfield,  South  Dakota,  wedded  Miss  Nina  Armstrong  and  has  four  chil- 
dren: Eva,  Dorothy,  Millie  and  a  baby.  Louis,  living  in  Osmond,  Nebraska, 
married  Miss  Agnes  Graham,  by  whom  he  has  two  children,  Winnie  and  Lulu. 
Edward,  who  resides  at  Calumet,  O'Brien  county,  Iowa,  wedded  Miss  Tena 
Benedix  and  has  one  son,  Randolph.  Miss  Hilda  Mann  is  at  home.  The  wife 
and  mother  was  called  to  her  final  rest  on  the  3d  of  February,  1901,  and  her 
loss  was  sincerely  mourned  by  all  who  knew  her. 

Politically  Mr.  Mann  is  independent  and  while  residing  in  Walcott  he  served 
as  a  school  director  for  about  twelve  years.  He  is  a  well  known  member  of 
the  German  Pioneer  Association  of  Scott  county,  and  has  now  passed  the 
seventy-sixth  milestone  on  life's  journey.  Coming  to  the  new  world  in  early 
manhood,  he  utilized  his  opportunities  to  the  best  advantage  and  gradually 
worked  his  way  upward  until  he  gained  a  place  among  the  prosperous,  respected 
and  representative  citizens  of  his  community. 


HUGO  G.  BRAUNLICK. 

The  development  of  musical  taste  and  talent  in  Davenport  was  attributable 
in  large  degree  to  Hugo  G.  Braunlick,  who  for  many  years  was  recognized  as 
one  of  the  leading  music  teachers  of  this  city.  He  possessed  the  love  for  and 
ability  in  the  interpretation  of  the  art  that  is  so  characteristic  of  the  German 
people.  His  birth  occurred  in  Saxony,  German,  January  16,  1831,  and  he  was 
a  representative  of  a  prominent  family  there.  He  studied  both  forestry  and 
music  in  Meissen  and  Dresden  and,  like  the  young  men  of  the  period,  was  in- 
tensely interested  in  the  political  situation  of  the  country.  The  spirit  of  politi- 
cal unrest  which  was  felt  throughout  Europe  found  expression  in  Germany  in 
the  war  of  1848,  and  Mr.  Braunlick,  interested  in  the  movemem  for  the  attain- 
ment of  larger  liberties  for  the  German  people,  acted  as  aide  to  one  of  the  rev- 


130  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

olutionary  leaders.  Subsequent  to  this  time  the  family  crossed  the  Atlantic 
to  America  and  his  parents  spent  their  last  days  in  Brooklyn,  New  York. 

Hugo  G.  Braunlick,  however,  continued  his  westwardly  way  to  Davenport, 
where  he  arrived  in  1853  and  no  man  took  a  more  active  or  influential  part  in 
developing  the  early  musical  tastes  of  this  city  than  he.  For  a  long  period 
he  engaged  in  teaching  music,  in  which  profession  he  held  high  rank.  At  one 
time  he  was  a  contributor  to  the  Democrat,  his  articles  being  of  a  practical 
nature.  As  a  landscape  gardner,  in  which  connection  he  became  widely  known, 
he  laid  out  the  grounds  of  many  of  the  best  residences.  His  training  in  forestry 
and  his  natural  artistic  talent  both  well  qualified  him  for  work  of  this  charac- 
ter and  his  services  were  in  great  demand. 

In  1857  Mr.  Braunlick  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza  Uchtorf,  and  unto  them 
were  born  six  children :  Dr.  H.  U.,  Hugo,  Mrs.  John  L.  Zoeckler,  Freda,  Emily 
and  Mrs.  J.  C.  Gude. 

Mr.  Braunlick  held  membership  in  the  DeBeroit  Club  and  was  a  leader  of 
the  Maennerchor  of  Davenport  for  many  years.  In  his  youth  there  were  many 
stirring  and  thrilling  experiences  especially  in  cotmection  with  his  military  his- 
tory, but  in  later  years  his  life  was  of  a  more  quiet  character  and,  pursuing  the 
even  tenor  of  his  way,  with  regard  at  all  times  for  the  rights  and  privileges  of 
others,  he  commanded  the  good  will  and  esteem  of  those  with  whom  he  was  as- 
sociated and  won  for  himself  many  friends  among  Davenport's  leading  citizens. 


NICKLAUS  JANSEN. 


Nicklaus  Jansen,  who  has  lived  retired  in  Davenport  for  the  past  eight  years, 
won  his  competence  as  an  agriculturist  and  is  still  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  where  he  also 
has  a  timber  tract  comprising  seven  and  a  half  acres.  His  birth  occurred  in  Hol- 
stein,  Germany,  on  the  4th  of  May,  1846.  In  his  youthful  days  he  attended  the 
schools  of  his  native  land  and  after  putting  aside  his  text-books  began  learning 
the  carpenter's  trade.  In  1867,  when  a  young  man  of  twenty-one  years,  he  set 
sail  for  the  new  world  and  after  landing  at  New  York  came  direct  to  Davenport, 
Iowa.  Here  he  began  work  at  the  carpenter's  trade  but  in  a  short  time  turned 
his  attention  to  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  was  employed  as  a  farm  hand 
for  about  ten  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  purchased  and  located 
upon  the  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Aliens  Grove  township 
which  has  since  remained  in  his  possession.  The  property  was  well  improved 
and  he  made  his  home  thereon  for  twenty-three  years,  annually  gathering  bounte- 
ous harvests  as  a  reward  for  the  care  and  labor  which  he  bestowed  upon  the  fields. 
He  next  bought  a  sixty-acre  tract  of  land  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  on  which  he 
resided  for  two  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  disposed  of  the  place  to  his 
son-in-law  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport.  Here  he  has  lived  retired  since 
1902,  enjoying  in  well  earned  ease  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil. 

On  the  13th  of  February,  1877,  Mr.  Jansen  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Julia  Krousa,  a  native  of  Holstein,  Germany,  and  a  daughter  of  Henry  and 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  131 

Anna  (Hensen)  Krousa.  The  father  passed  away  when  his  daughter  Julia 
was  but  five  years  of  age  and  the  mother  afterward  married  again,  becoming 
the  wife  of  John  Kardell.  In  1852  Mrs.  Jansen  was  brought  to  the  United 
States  by  her  parents,  who  became  early  settlers  of  Davenport.  Unto  our 
subject  and  his  wife  have  been  born  three  children,  namely:  Alvina,  who  gave 
her  hand  in  marriage  to  Ferd  Weisenberg,  by  whom  she  has  three  children- 
Arnold,  Ellis  and  Orville;  Carrie,  who  married  George  Thoem,  of  Davenport, 
Iowa,  and  is  likewise  the  mother  of  three  children — Edna,  Harry  and  Leroy;  and 
Celia  D.,  who  is  still  at  home.  Mr.  Jensen  has  lived  in  this  county  for  more 
than  four  decades  and  is  a  well  known  member  of  the  German  Pioneers  Associa- 
tion. The  hope  that  led  him  to  leave  his  native  land  and  seek  a  home  in  America  has 
been  more  than  realized.  He  found  the  opportunities  he  sought  and  through 
their  wise  utilization  worked  his  way  steadily  upward  until  he  gained  a  place  among 
the  substantial  and  respected  citizens  of  his  community. 


HERMANN  D.  EHLMANN. 

Hermann  D.  Ehlmann,  residing  at  No.  1803  Washington  street  in  Davenport, 
is  now  living  retired,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil  as  an  agriculturist. 
His  birth  occurred  in  Hanover,  Germany,  on  the  7th  of  November,  1827,  his 
parents  being  Gerhardt  and  Marguereta  Ehlmann,  both  of  whom  passed  away 
in  the  fatherland.  After  his  education  had  been  completed  he  worked  as  a 
farm  hand  until  the  time  of  his  emigration  to  the  United  States  in  1851,  land- 
ing at  New  Orleans  after  an  ocean  voyage  of  six  weeks  and  two  days.  From  the. 
Crescent  City  he  made  his  way  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  he  was  married 
and  where  he  remained  for  four  and  a  half  years,  being  employed  in  a  tobacco 
factory.  On  coming  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  in  1856,  he  first  worked  in  a  brick- 
yard and  in  fact  scorned  no  employment  at  which  he  could  earn  an  honest  living. 
Later  in  the  same  year  he  purchased  forty  acres  of  timber  land  in  Montpelier 
township,  Muscatine  county,  and  erected  a  house  thereon,  residing  on  the  place 
for  nine  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  disposed  of  the  property 
and  for  two  years  devoted  his  time  and  energies  to  the  operation  of  a  rented 
farm  in  Buffalo  township,  Scott  county.  He  then  purchased  and  located  upon 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Fulton  township,  Muscatine  county,  and  afterward 
bought  two  more  tracts  of  similar  size  in  the  same  township,  where  he  carried 
on  his  agricultural  interests  energetically  and  successfully  for  about  thirty-five 
years.  Having  won  a  handsome  competence  by  reason  of  his  unremitting  in- 
dustry and  capable  management,  he  then  put  aside  the  active  work  of  the  fields 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  lived  retired. 

On  the  25th  of  August,  1852,  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  Mr.  Ehlmann  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Catherine  Neyhaus,  who  was  bom  in  Han- 
over, Germany,  on  the  4th  of  February,  1825.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ehlmann  became 
the  parents  of  five  children,  the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows.  The  first  born 
died  in  infancy.  Henry,  who  is  a  resident  of  Oklahoma,  first  wedded  Miss  Caro- 
line Harter,  by  whom  he  had  three  children :  Anna,  Herman  and  John.    For  his 


132  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

second  wife  he  chose  Miss  Margaret  Neve  and  their  union  has  been  blessed  with 
two  children,  Helen  and  Emma.  Margaret  Emma  Ehlmann  gave  her  hand  in 
marriage  to  Albert  Eourthouse,  of  Oklahoma,  and  is  now  the  mother  of  six 
children,  namely :  Theodore,  Hugo,  August,  Lulu,  Wanda  and  Clarence.  Emilie, 
who  is  the  wife  of  John  Hartz,  makes  her  home  in  Davenport.  John  D.  Ehl- 
mann has  passed  away.  Mrs.  Ehlmann,  the  wife  of  our  subject,  was  called  to 
her  final  rest  on  the  28th  of  October,  1893,  and  Mr.  Ehlmann  now  makes  his 
home  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  John  Hartz. 

At  the  polls  Mr.  Ehlmann  casts  his  ballot  in  support  of  the  men  and  measures 
of  the  democratic  party.  The  cause  of  education  has  ever  found  in  him  a  stal- 
wart champion  and  while  residing  in  Muscatine  county  he  served  as  a  school 
director  of  Fulton  township  for  seven  years.  He  is  now  in  the  eighty-third 
year  of  his  age  and  receives  the  veneration  and  respect  which  should  ever  be 
accorded  one  who  has  traveled  thus  far  on  life's  journey  and  whose  career 
has  at  all  times  been  upright  and  honorable.  The  period  of  his  residence  in  this 
part  of  the  state  covers  more  than  a  half  century,  and  he  is  well  known  and  highly 
esteemed  as  a  man  who  owes  his  present  prosperity  entirely  to  his  own  well 
directed  labor  and  indefatigable  energy. 


SIMON  KOCH. 


Simon  Koch,  who  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  the  possessor  of  more  business 
property  than  almost  any  other  capitalist  of  Davenport,  reached  his  enviable  finan- 
cial standing  through  the  avenue  of  indefatigable  and  honorable  business  activity, 
and  his  life  record,  therefore,  may  serve  as  a  splendid  example  to  the  ambitious 
young  man  who  desires  to  attain  success  without  infringing  upon  the  rights  of 
others.  Mr.  Koch  was  born  in  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  October  28,  1834,  and 
was  in  his  eighteenth  year  when  he  bade  adieu  to  the  fatherland  and  sailed  for  the 
United  States.  He  located  in  Pennsylvania  in  1852,  retaining  his  residence  in  that 
state  for  two  years,  after  which  he  came  to  Davenport.  He  made  his  home  in  this 
city  for  about  sixteen  years  and  in  that  time  was  married,  in  1869,  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Harrison,  a  daughter  of  Peter  Harrison,  who  came  from  England  to  the  new 
world  in  1850  with  his  father,  John  Harrison,  who  established  the  family  home  in 
Scott  county.  The  latter  was  engaged  in  farming  here  and  continued  to  occupy 
the  old  homestead  place  until  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest.  His  son,  Peter  Har- 
rison, in  response  to  the  country's  call  for  troops,  enlisted  for  service  in  an  Iowa 
regiment  and  did  active  duty  at  the  front  until  the  close  of  the  war,  when  he 
returned  to  Davenport.  After  a  short  time,  however,  he  went  south  to  live. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Koch  were  bom  six  children:  Mrs.  J.  Ryan,  Lillian,  Mat- 
thias, Otto  S.,  William  and  Frank. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Koch  remained  in  Davenport  until  the 
early  '70s,  when  they  removed  to  Chicago  and  there  Mr.  Koch  engaged  in  contract 
work  for  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  Company  in  partnership  with  the  father  of  P. 
W.  McManus.  They  were  engaged  extensively  in  building  bridges  and  trestles 
and  doing  important  engineering  work.     It  was  through  that  avenue  of  business 


^?-XK?    (H^V 


c^ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  135 

that  he  gained  the  monetary  influence  which  he  held  until  his  death,  his  success 
being  evidenced  in  his  extensive  investments  in  real  estate,  which  made  him  the 
possessor  of  more  down  town  property  than  was  held  by  the  great  majority  of  cap- 
italists in  this  city.  He  was  a  man  of  keen  business  discernment,  seldom,  if  ever, 
at  fault  in  a  matter  of  judgment,  and  his  sagacity  and  enterprise  enabled  him  to 
win  success  where  others  met  with  failure.  He  seemed  to  know  just  when,  where 
and  how  to  place  his  invested  interests  and  the  rise  in  realty  values  consequent  on 
the  growth  of  the  city  has  made  his  property  a  constantly  increasing  source  of 
profit.  His  political  allegiance  was  given  to  the  democracy  and  his  religious  faith 
was  manifest  in  his  membership  in  the  Catholic  church.  He  was  generous  in  his 
support  thereof  and  was  also  the  patron  of  many  worthy  organized  charities. 


D.  P.  PEEKENSCHNEIDER. 

D.  P.  Peekenschneider,  now  living  retired  in  Davenport,  was  in  former 
years  actively  identified  with  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  is  still  in  pos- 
session of  considerable  farming  property,  owning  three  hundred  and  forty-seven 
acres  of  valuable  land  in  Cleona  township,  Scott  county,  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  Cedar  county  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Cherokee  county,  Iowa. 
He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  26.  of  September,  1833,  his  parents  be- 
ing Hans  and  Elizabeth  Peekenschneider.  The  father,  who  was  engaged  in 
farming  on  a  small  scale,  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Danish  army.  In  the  year 
1862  he  and  his  wife  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States  and  both  passed 
away  in  this  country. 

D.  P.  Peekenschneider  obtained  his  education  in  the  fatherland  and  after 
leaving  school  learned  the  miller's  trade.  In  1857  he  and  his  brother  William 
embarked  on  a  sailing  vessel  bound  for  American  shores,  landing  at  New  York 
after  an  ocean  voyage  of  forty-six  days.  They  made  their  way  at  once  to 
Davenport,  Iowa,  here  joining  a  brother,  Charles  Peekenschneider,  who  had 
come  to  the  new  world  in  1853.  Following  his  arrival  in  this  county  Mr.  Peek- 
enschneider of  this  review  worked  as  a  farm  hand  for  about  seven  years,  en- 
gaging in  threshing,  breaking  prairie,  etc.  He  then  devoted  his  attention  to. 
the  operation  of  a  rented  farm  in  Hickory  Grove  township  for  about  two 
years  and  on  the  expiration  of  that  period,  in  1863,  bought  a  half  section  of 
land  in  Cleona  township  in  association  with  his  two  brothers.  Half  of  the  land 
had  been  broken  and  there  was  a  small  house  on  the  property.  The  three  broth- 
ers took  up  their  abode  thereon  and  after  improving  the  land  divided  it  and 
erected  the  necessary  buildings.  Our  subject  there  continuously  carried  on  his 
farming  interests  until  1909,  when  he  put  aside  the  active  work  of  the  fields  and 
came  to  Davenport,  having  won  a  handsome  competence  through  his  well  di- 
rected labors  as  an  agriculturist.  As  he  prospered  in  his  undertakings  he  added 
to  his  landed  holdings  from  time  to  time  and  is  still  the  owner  of  three 
hundred  and  forty-seven  acres  in  Cleona  township,  this  county,  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  Cedar  county  and  a  quarter  section  of  land  in  Cherokee  county, 
this  state. 


136  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

On  the  nth  of  November,  1865,  Mr.  Peekenschneider  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Wilhelmina  Woolfretz  whose  birth  occurred  in  Prussia,  Germany, 
on  the  25th  of  November,  1846,  and  who  came  to  the  United  States  with  her 
mother  in  1865,  her  father  having  passed  away  in  Germany.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Peekenschneider  were  born  twelve  children,  namely:  Charles,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty-three  years ;  Frederick,  living  in  Cleona  township,  who 
wedded  Miss  Emma  Mangert,  by  whom  he  has  nine  children— Hertha,  Olga, 
Otto,  Herbert,  Elsie,  Anna,  Meta,  Fred  and  William;  Herman,  who  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Cherokee  county,  Iowa,  and  wedded  Miss  Louisa  Moon,  by  whom  he  has 
seven  children— Wilhelmina,  Hugo,  Alma,  Edna,  Harry,  LilHan  and  Arthur; 
August,  who  makes  his  home  in  Cedar  county  and  who  married  Miss  Louisa 
Hansen,  by  whom  he  has  one  child,  Adeline;  Emma,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
twenty-four  years;  Caroline,  who  passed  away  when  thirty  years  of  age;  Detlef, 
who  lives  in  this  county ;  Ferdinand,  who  died  when  a  lad  of  nine  years ;  Amelia, 
who  is  the  wife  of  Fred  Cooper  and  lives  on  the  old  home  place ;  Robert  and 
Ella,  both  at  home ;  and  Walter,  who  died  at  the  age  of  two  years. 

Since  becoming  a  naturalized  American  citizen  Mr.  Peekenschneider  has  ex- 
ercised his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  measures  of  the  demo- 
cratic party.  From  1868  until  1909,  or  for  more  than  four  decades,  he  acted  as 
treasurer  of  the  school  board  of  Hickory  Grove  township  and  in  this  connection 
did  valuable  service  for  the  cause  of  education.  He  is  widely  and  favorably 
known  throughout  the  county  which  has  been  his  home  for  more  than  a  half 
century,  having  won  the  warm  regard  and  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he  has  come 
in  contact. 


JOSEPH  SHOREY. 


Among  Davenport's  lawyers  whose  worth  is  evidenced  in  the  extent  and 
importance  of  litigated  interests  entrusted  to  their  care,  is  numbered  Joseph 
Shorey,  who  in  connection  with  the  Davenport  Loan,  Building  and  Savings 
Association  and  also  in  political  circles  is  likewise  demonstrating  his  worth  as 
a  man  and  citizen.  He  was  bom  here  on  the  nth  of  July,  1870.  His  father, 
Joseph  G.  Shorey,  a  native  of  Jonesboro,  Maine,  was  born  July  24,  1826,  and 
came  to  Davenport  in  November,  1855,  accompanied  by  his  wife,  who  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Abigail  Newhall  and  was  a  native  of  Lynn,  Massachusetts. 
There  were  also  two  children  in  the  family  at  that  time.  The  father  was  a  car- 
penter and  worked  at  his  trade  for  a  period,  but  afterward  turned  his  attention  to 
pumpmaking.  He  was  quite  successful  and  after  a  continued  and  prosperous 
business  for  a  number  of  years  retired  from  active  life  and  is  now  enjoying  a  well 
earned  rest.  His  life  in  a  manner  has  been  quietly  and  uneventfully  passed, 
for  he  has  never  sought  to  figure  prominently  before  the  public.  On  the  con- 
trary he  concentrated  his  time  and  energies  upon  his  business  relations  until 
his  retirement  and  has  since  devoted  his  attention  to  those  things  which  afford 
him  interest  and  recreation.  In  the  family  were  seven  children,  four  sons  and 
three  daughters,  but  only  two  are  now  living,  the  elder  brother  being  A.  O. 
Shorey. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  137 

Joseph  Shorey  was  the  youngest  of  the  family  and  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools,  pursuing  his  course  until  he  graduated  from  the  high  school  with 
the  class  of  1889.  The  following  year  he  entered  the  University  of  Iowa  and 
completed  the  latter  course  in  1892.  For  practical  experience  he  then  entered 
the  ofiSce  of  Bills  &  Hass,  with  whom  he  remained  for  seven  years,  at  the  end 
of  which  time  he  establisheid  himself  in  an  independent  practice,  opening  his 
office  in  August,  1899.  He  has  since  secured  a  good  clientage  and  has  made 
steady  progress  along  professional  lines.  He  has  also  been  officially  connected 
with  the  Davenport  Loan,  Building  and  Savings  Association  since  1900  as  its 
secretary.  This  association  was  organized  in  1877  and  is  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  useful  institutions  of  the  character  in  the  city.  Mr.  Shorey  also  figures 
prominently  in  political  circles,  giving  loyal  allegiance  to  the  republican  party 
and  taking  active  interest  in  local  affairs.  In  1900  he  was  elected  alderman 
from  the  fourth  ward  but  whether  in  office  or  out  of  it  he  does  effective  work 
for  general  improvement  and  advancement. 

On  the  7th  of  September,  1898,  Mr.  Shorey  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Henrietta  Hapke,  a  native  of  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania,  and  unto  them  have 
been  born  two  sons,  Wilson  H.,  whose  birth  occurred  August  i,  1900;  and 
Joseph  Robert,  born  September  2,  1904.  Mr.  Shorey  is  connected  with  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and  while  club  and  fraternal  relations  have  played 
little  part  in  his  hfe,  he  is  recognized  as  a  man  of  social,  genial  nature  and  by 
his  genuine  worth  has  made  many  a  warm  friend. 


WILLIAM  DE  WITT  WELLS. 

The  world  has  little  use  for  the  misanthropist — he  who  sees  little  chance 
for  doing  good  nor  uses  his  opportunities  to  benefit  his  fellowmen.  The  worth 
of  the  individual  is  determined  by  the  value  of  his  labors  as  a  factor  in  the 
world's  progress  and  judged  by  this  standard  Professor  William  DeWitt  Wells 
constituted  an  important  factor  in  educational  advancement,  leaving  the  im- 
press of  his  individuality  and  his  ability  upon  the  public-school  system  of  Iowa 
where  his  labors  were  put  forth.  At  the  time  of  his  demise  he  was  serving  as 
superintendent  of  schools  in  Scott  county  and,  working  toward  high  ideals,  was 
doing  much  toward  promoting  the  efficiency  of  the  system  of  public  education 
here. 

A  native  of  Pennsylvania,  he  was  born  in  Rutland,  August  23,  1858,  and  was 
a  son  of  Sanford  and  Jane  (DeWitt)  Wells.  The  father  was  a  contractor  and 
bridge  builder  and  at  one  time  engaged  in  teaching  school  near  Waterloo,  Iowa, 
removing  with  his  family  to  that  place  when  his  son  William  was  but  two  years 
of  age.  He  had  made  his  way  northward  from  Missouri,  having  been  driven  out 
of  that  state  by  the  Confederates,  and  all  through  his  life  W.  D.  Wells  wf>re  a 
scar  on  his  brow  caused  by  a  bullet  that  struck  him  as  he  lay  in  his  cradle,  the 
family  home  being  under  bombardment  there. 

Educated  in  the  schools  of  East  Waterloo,  Professor  Wells  eventually  com- 
pleted the  high  school  course  and  received  his  first  teacher's  certificate  in  1874, 


138  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

when  sixteen  years  of  age.  He  then  engaged  to  teach  school  two  miles  from 
Cedar  Falls  and  later  was  identified  with  the  schools  of  Finchford  and  Jesup, 
acting  as  principal  at  the  latter  place  for  three  years  save  for  a  term  spent  in 
the  normal  school  at  Cedar  Falls  in  order  that  the  improvement  of  his  own  edu- 
cation might  make  him  more  capable  to  superintend  and  direct  the  education 
of  others.  From  Jesup  he  went  to  Ames,  where  he  was  graduated  in  1883.  The 
following  year  Professor  Wells  came  to  Scott  county  and  was  principal  of  the 
schools  at  LeClaire  for  four  years,  during  which  period  he  won  many  warm 
friends  there.  In  1888  he  went  to  Grundy  Center,  where  he  engaged  in  teaching 
for  eight  years,  and  in  1897  he  came  to  Davenport  to  accept  the  principalship  of 
public  school  No.  3.  In  the  summer,  several  years  before,  he  had  come  to  this 
city  as  an  instructor  in  the  Scott  County  Normal  Institute  and  his  lectures  were 
regarded  as  among  the  best  delivered  by  the  many  strong  men  who  were  gathered 
here  in  educational  work.  After  three  years  he  was  promoted  and  became  prin- 
cipal of  the  Davenport  high  school.  In  this  capacity  he  found  an  opportunity 
to  apply  his  talents,  realize  his  ambitions  and  exercise  his  abilities  as  an  educator. 
Under  his  guidance  the  high  school  as  an  institution  took  an  enormous  stride 
forward ;  education  was  placed  upon  an  advanced  and  scientific  basis  and  a  better 
grade  of  scholarship  attained.  The  development  of  the  high  school  became  a 
passion  with  Mr.  Wells.  With  infinite  pains,  with  personal  sacrifices,  with  un- 
bounded energy  and  enthusiasm,  he  devoted  himself  to  his  task.  Whatever  was 
in  him  of  knowledge,  of  strength,  of  peculiar  personal  fitness,  he  faithfully  and 
earnestly  offered  for  the  advancement  of  his  school.  During  his  tenure  of  office 
the  new  high  school  was  built,  and  its  eminence  as  an  institution  of  learning  is  a 
splendid  monument  to  the  brains  and  genius  of  Mr.  Wells.  In  1906  he  was 
elected  county  superintendent  of  schools  and  reelected  in  1908.  He  had  re- 
ceived a  life  diploma  from  the  state  in  1891  and  this  brought  him  recognition  as 
one  of  the  foremost  educators  of  Iowa  connected  with  her  public-school  system. 
He  manifested  untiring  zeal  in  his  work  and  his  own  enthusiasm  was  an  in- 
spiration to  the  teachers  with  whom  he  was  associated.  He  held  to  his  high  stand- 
ard and  while  always  kind  and  forbearing,  he  yet  maintained  that  discipline 
which  would  not  permit  the  student  to  shirk  his  work,  realizing  that  the  greatest 
kindness  which  he  could  show  to  the  pupil  was  to  demand  of  him  conscientious 
and  capable  performance  of  his  schoolroom  duties. 

On  the  30th  of  March,  1886,  in  LeQaire,  Professor  Wells  was  married  to 
Miss  Kate  Moore,  a  daughter  of  B.  F.  and  Catharine  Moore.  They  became  par- 
ents of  eight  children :  Lois,  Leon,  Ben,  Edvena,  DeWitt,  Lydia  and  two  who  died 
in  infancy.  Mr.  Well's  home  was  ever  one  of  refinement  and  culture  and  con- 
stituted an  attractive  place  of  meeting  for  the  many  friends  of  the  family. 

Professor  Wells  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  prominent  representatives 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity  in  Scott  county.  He  was  received  as  an  entered  ap- 
prentice in  Snow  Lodge,  No.  44,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  at  LeClaire,  January  9,  1885, 
and  on  the  6th  of  February  was  admitted  to  fellowcraft,  while  on  the  6th  of 
March  he  became  a  Master  Mason.  In  1892  he  took  the  four  degrees  of  capitu- 
lar Masonry  in  Ionic  Chapter,  No.  100,  R.  A.  M.,  at  Grundy  Center,  Iowa,  and  in 
1896  he  was  made  a  member  of  Ruth  Chapter  of  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star. 
He  received  the  degree  of  the  Red  Cross  in  St.  Simon  of  Cyrene  Commandery, 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  139 

No.  9,  K.  T.,  May  7,  1902,  and  was  knighted  in  the  same  order  on  the  21st  of 
May,  receiving  the  Knight  of  Malta  and  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  March  5,  1903. 
In  September  of  the  same  year  he  attained  the  thirty-second  degree  of  the 
Scottish  Rite  and  thus  was  familiar  with  all  branches  of  Masonry.  He  served 
as  master  of  Trinity  Lodge  in  1892,  1893  and  1894  and  he  belonged  Kaaba  Temple 
of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Woodmen  camp.  In 
church  circles  he  was  equally  well  known,  his  membership  in  his  later  years  be- 
ing with  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Davenport,  in  the  work  of  which  he 
took  active  and  helpful  part.  He  was  the  first  teacher  and  practically  the  founder 
of  the  Brotherhood  Bible  class  of  that  church  and  his  influence  and  aid  were  given 
in  support  of  the  various  projects  instituted  to  promote  the  growth  and  extend 
the  influence  of  the  church.  Professor  Wells'  position  on  any  vital  question  was 
never  an  equivocal  one.  He  stood  for  all  that  is  upright  and  honorable  in  man's 
relations  with  his  fellowmen,  and  more  than  that  tempered  justice  with  mercy, 
consideration  with  kindness,  and  righteousness  with  the  spirit  of  charity.  Thus 
his  became  an  honored  name  because  of  the  qualities  which  he  displayed  in  his 
life,  and  when  he  passed  away,  April  25,  1909,  his  name  was  inscribed  with  those 
who  had  made  the  world  better  for  their  having  lived. 


JAMES  H.  CLEMENT. 

On  the  pages  of  history  from  the  earliest  ages  have  appeared  the  names  of 
those  renowned  for  personal  bravery — men  who  have  dared  to  face  the  imple- 
ments of  war  in  defense  of  principle  or  country.  Among  Davenport's  citizens 
whose  military  record  is  such  as  elicits  praise  and  honor  is  numbered  James  H. 
Clement,  a  veteran  of  the  Mexican  war  and  for  a  considerable  period  a  repre- 
sentative of  the  United  States  navy.  He  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania, 
in  1 82 1,  and  spent  his  early  life  in  the  east,  becoming  connected  with  the  navy, 
with  which  he  did  active  duty  for  a  number  of  years.  When  the  country  became 
involved  in  war  with  Mexico  he  stanchly  defended  the  interests  of  the  Federal 
government  and  enlisted  from  Pennsylvania.  He  was  wounded  while  in  the 
army  but  with  the  spirit  of  the  true  soldier  again  took  his  place  on  active  duty 
as  soon  as  his  health  permitted. 

In  1 87 1  Mr.  Clement  arrived  in  Davenport  and  for  many  years  thereafter 
held  a  position  on  Government  Island,  although  he  retired  some  time  before 
his  demise. 

In  1867,  in  Blackhawk  county,  Iowa,  Mr.  Clement  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
A.  Dorian,  whose  father,  Robert  Dorian,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Iowa,  com- 
ing to  this  state  at  an  early  day  from  Indiana.  He  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania 
but  was  closely  identified  with  the  development  of  the  middle  west,  first  in 
Indiana  and  afterward  in  Iowa,  where  his  labors  constituted  an  effective  force 
in  supplanting  pioneer  conditions  with  the  evidences  of  a  modern  civilization. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Qement  were  born  a  daughter  and  son:  Caroline,  who  is 
now  Mrs.  W.  E.  Scott;  and  William,  whd  died  in  1904.  The  mother  has  con- 
tinued to  make  her  home  in  Davenport  since  the  death  of  her  husband,  which 


140  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

occurred  on  the  24th  of  September,  1897.  He  was  a  self-made  man,  charitable 
and  public-spirited,  and  possessed  a  strong  and  impressive  character.  He  held 
membership  in  the  Methodist  church  and  his  life  was  in  consistent  harmony  with 
his  professions.  He  was  devoted  to  his  family  and  his  home  and  while  his 
chief  interests  in  life  centered  there,  he  yet  found  opportunity  to  do  good  to  his 
fellowmen,  giving  throughout  his  life  many  tangible  evidences  of  a  helpful,, 
charitable  and  benevolent  spirit. 


T.  w.  McClelland. 


In  a  history  of  the  men  whose  labors  have  constituted  a  salient  feature  in 
Davenport's  upbuilding  and  development,  mention  should  be  accorded  T.  W.  Mc- 
Clelland, who,  coming  to  this  city  in  early  manhood  and  empty  handed,  made 
steady  progress  through  the  long  years  of  an  active  business^ career  and  came  to 
be  known  as  one  of  the  most  potent  forces  in  Davenport's  commercial  activity. 
A  native  of  Pennsylvania,  he  was  born  near  the  city  of  Pittsburg,  July  31,  183 1. 
His  father,  Archibald  McClelland,  was  a  native  of  Belfast,  Ireland,  and  became 
the  founder  of  the  family  in  the  new  world.  The  opportunities  which  T.  W.  Mc- 
Clelland received  in  his  youth  were  somewhat  limited,  for  in  his  boyhood  days  he 
began  earning  his  livelihood  by  working  in  a  store.  He  afterward  learned  the 
carpenter's  trade  and  for  a  time  engaged  in  contracting  with  his  father,  but  the 
opportunities  of  the  rapidly  growing  west  proved  too  alluring  for  him  to  remain 
longer  in  his  Pennsylvania  home  and  in  1852  he  came  to  Davenport  by  way  of 
Cleveland,  Ohio.  The  city  was  then  comparatively  small  but  seemed  to  have  a 
bright  future  before  it  and  Mr.  McClelland  therefore  regarded  it  as  a  favorable 
place  of  location.  Here  he  first  worked  at  his  trade  but,  watchful  of  opportuni- 
ties for  advancement  in  business  lines,  he  established,  in  1855,  the  sash,  door  and 
blind  factory  which  constituted  the  nucleus  of  the  extensive  business  which  is 
still  carried  on  by  his  son  Wilson,  under  the  style  of  the  T.  W.  McClelland  Com- 
pany. The  late  John  Hornby  was  his  partner  for  a  time  but  through  the  greater 
portion  of  forty-seven  years  the  business  was  carried  on  by  Mr.  McClelland.  Un- 
der his  capable  management  it  developed  rapidly  and  from  time  to  time  extensive 
alterations  and  additions  were  made  that  the  plant  might  be  adequate  to  cope  with 
the  demands  of  the  trade.  On  the  organization  of  the  business  Mr.  McClelland 
inculcated  as  its  standard  thoroughness  in  workmanship,  substantiality  in  product 
and  reliability  in  trade  relations,  and  from  the  inception  this  business  policy  has 
been  steadily  continued.  In  his  more  active  days  he  erected  many  residences  and 
business  buildings  in  Davenport,  a  large  part  of  which  still  stand  as  monuments 
to  his  skill  and  ability.  The  reputation  which  he  enjoyed  for  honest  dealing  is 
indicated  in  the  fact  that  on  many  occasions  the  men  employing  him  made  no 
contract  whatever,  knowing  that  he  could  be  depended  upon  to  conserve  their  best 
interests  and  welfare,  having  no  trouble  at  the  time  of  settlement.  He  built  the 
stockade  and  the  enclosed  buildings  on  Rock  Island,  in  which  the  Confederate  pris- 
oners were  confined  during  the  war.  He  also  erected  the  First  National  Bank 
building,  the  Parker  residence,  which  is  now  the  home  of  C.  A.  Ficke,  and  in 


tkj^UJ.^ 


■<^ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  143 

many  other  instances  gave  evidence  of  his  skill  in  the  line  of  Davenport's  archi- 
tectural development.  He  was,  moreover,  one  of  the  original  stockholders  and 
directors  of  the  old  Citizens  National  Bank  and  was  interested  in  a  number  of 
Davenport  enterprises.  His  judgments  in  business  matters  were  always  the  out- 
come of  careful  consideration  and  his  record  constitutes  an  example  which  inay 
well  be  followed  by  those  who  wish  to  attain  success  through  honorable  methods. 
In  this  city,  in  1857,  Mr.  McClelland  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  B. 
Knapp,  and  here  they  always  maintained  their  home,  its  hospitality  being  greatly 
enjoyed  by  their  many  friends.  Throughout  the  years  of  his  residence  here  Mr. 
McClelland  took  an  active  interest  in  all  that  pertained  to  the  benefit  of  the  city. 
In  early  days  he  did  his  part  as  a  member  of  a  volunteer  fire  department  and  in 
1869  he  was  awarded  official  honors  in  his  election  as  alderman  of  the  fifth  ward. 
In  1873  he  was  called  to  represent  the  fourth  ward  in  the  city  council  and  was 
again  elected  in  1874.  His  death  occurred  January  26,  1902.  A  man  of  quiet 
and  unobtrusive  manner,  he  was  nevertheless  a  fast  friend  and  his  course  at  the 
same  time  was  characterized  by  great  kindness  and  courtesy.  His  was  a  familiar 
face  in  many  places  where  the  most  interesting  men  gathered  in  Davenport  and  in 
his  demise  the  community  lost  one  of  its  most  honored  and  useful  citizens,  for 
he  was  a  representative  of  that  group  of  men  whose  lives  are  conspicuous  for  abil- 
ity, force  of  character,  integrity  and  generous  aims.  Mrs.  McQelland  is  still 
living  in  Davenport. 


FRANK  J.  PETO. 


The  name  of  Frank  J.  Peto  deserves  place  on  the  list  of  Davenport's  honored 
dead  because  of  the  fact  that  he  was  a  reliable  and  progressive  business  man, 
long  connected  with  the  wholesale  and  retail  saddlery  trade  of  this  city.  The 
growth  and  development  of  a  community  does  not  depend  upon  a  single  individual 
or  even  upon  a  few  but  upon  the  aggregate  efforts  of  the  many,  and  by  his  dili- 
gence, determination  and  intelligent  effort  Frank  J.  Peto  not  only  won  success 
for  himself  but  also  contributed  his  full  share  to  the  work  of  general  advance- 
ment. He  resided  for  many  years  at  No.  424  West  Eighth  street.  He  was  one 
of  Davenport's  native  sons,  his  parents,  Frank  J.  and  Louisa  (Dames)  Peto, 
having  been  early  citizens  here.  In  fact  the  father  was  one  of  the  first  settlers 
of  the  town  and  aided  in  promoting  its  early  progress.  At  the  usual  age  Frank 
J.  Peto  was  sent  to  the  public  schools  and  after  putting  aside  his  text-books 
joined  his  father  in  business  and  was  associated  with  him  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death.  They  conducted  a  wholesale  and  retail  saddlery  enterprise  and  the  ex- 
cellence of  their  product  insured  them  a  ready  sale  on  the  market.  Moreover, 
their  business  methods  were  such  as  would  bear  close  investigation  and  scrutiny, 
the  firm  enjoying  high  reputation  for  reliability. 

On  the  i8th  of  March,  1901,  Mr.  Peto  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Laura 
Wiese,  a  daughter  of  Fred  and  Christiana  (Schnock)  Wiese,  who,  as  the  name 
indicates,  were  of  German  lineage.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peto  was 
blessed  with  two  children,  Alice  E.  and  Camilla.     Mr.  Peto  was  popular  and 


144  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

prominent  in  local  fraternal  organizations,  holding  membership  with  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  the  Modem  Woodmen  of  America  and  the  I.  C.  M.  A.  He  was  a 
man  of  even  terperament,  of  social  disposition,  of  genial  and  kindly  nature  and 
at  all  times  was  considerate  of  the  rights  and  privileges  of  others.  These  qualities 
won  him  high  regard  and  in  Davenport,  the  city  of  his  residence,  he  had  a  circle 
of  friends  almost  coextensive  with  the  circle  of  his  acquaintances. 


C.  A.  FICKE. 


C.  A.  Ficke,  a  self-made  man  whose  life  record  constitutes  a  most  creditable 
chapter  in  Davenport's  history,  is  enrolled  among  the  eminent  representatives  of 
the  bar  and  in  various  other  lines  of  business  activity  has  given  evidence  of  his 
quick  recognition  and  utilization  of  opportunity.  Such  is  the  position  which  he 
holds  in  public  regard  that  his  opinions  are  always  an  influencing  factor  in  the 
consideration  of  vital  municipal  questions.  A  native  of  the  duchy  of  Mecklen- 
burg, Germany,  he  was  born  April  21,  1850,  in  Boitzenburg,  his  parents  being 
Christopher  H.  and  Elizabeth  (Praesent)  Ficke.  The  father  was  a  merchant  who 
in  1852  came  to  the  United  States  with  his  family,  after  which  he  took  up  his 
abode  on  a  farm  in  Scott  county,  Iowa. 

C.  A.  Ficke,  but  two  years  of  age  when  the  family  came  to  the  new  world, 
was  reared  amid  rural  surroundings  and  obtained  his  early  education  in  the  coun- 
try schools.  He  found  farm  work  too  narrow  for  his  taste  and  ambition,  how- 
ever, and  at  the  age  of  twelve  years  he  entered  a  store  in  Lowden,  Cedar  county, 
where  he  was  employed  for  a  year.  Realizing  the  need  of  a  more  comprehensive 
education  than  he  had  already  acquired,  he  entered  the  public  schools  of  Daven- 
port at  the  age  of  thirteen  years  and  made  his  expenses  by  working  outside  of 
school  hours.  Thus  he  obtained  a  good  English  education  and  by  clerking  in  a 
dry-goods  store  and  carefully  saving  his  earnings  was  enabled  to  pursue  a  com- 
mercial course  in  Bryant  &  Stratton  Business  College  of  this  city.  Thus  fitted 
by  education  for  important  duties  in  life,  he  obtained  a  situation  in  the  United 
States  assessor's  office,  where  he  continued  until  1869,  when  he  entered  the  Dav- 
enport National  Bank.  There  he  was  promoted  through  intermediate  positions 
until  he  became  discount  clerk.  It  was  his  ambition,  however,  to  become  a  mem- 
ber of  the  bar  and  out  of  business  hours  he  spent  his  time  in  studying  and  reading 
law  in  the  office  of  H.  R.  Claussen.  Resigning  his  position  in  the  bank  in  1876, 
he  entered  the  New  York  Law  School  at  Albany,  where  he  pursued  the  regular 
course  and  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1877. 

Mr.  Ficke  afterward  spent  six  months  in  travel  in  Europe  and  on  returning 
to  Davenport  entered  upon  active  practice.  No  dreary  novitiate  awaited  him.  He 
was  successful  from  the  first,  seeming  to  possess  a  ready  and  natural  discrimina- 
tion as  to  legal  problems.  Moreover,  he  prepared  his  cases  with  great  thorough- 
ness and  care,  determining  with  accuracy  the  salient  features  and  giving  to  each 
point  bearing  upon  his  case  its  due  relative  prominence.  His  practice  has  been 
of  an  extensive  and  important  character  and  he  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  lead- 
ing representatives  of  the  Davenport  bar. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  145 

Always  interested  in  public  affairs,  in  which  connection  his  opinions  have 
been  regarded  as  sound  and  progressive,  Mr.  Ficke  has  been  honored  with  numer- 
ous offices.  At  one  time  he  was  affiliated  with  the  republican  party  and  was 
"hairman  of  its  county  and  congressional  committees,  but  a  change  in  his  poHtical 
opinions  led  him  in  1880  to  become  a  strong  supporter  of  Grover  Qeveland  for 
the  presidency.  In  1886  he  was  elected  county  attorney  for  Scott  county  and  in 
1890,  against  his  protest,  was  nominated  and  elected  to  the  mayoralty.  When 
convinced  by  the  public  that  he  was  the  choice  of  the  people  for  the  office,  he  bent 
his  energies  to  the  faithful  performance  of  the  duties  that  devolved  upon  him  as 
the  chief  executive  of  the  municipality  and  such  was  his  service  that  in  1891  he 
was  renominated  by  acclamation  and  elected  by  the  largest  majority  ever  re- 
ceived by  any  mayor  of  Davenport.  At  the  close  of  his  second  term  he  declined  a 
third  nomination.  His  was  a  vigorous,  businesslike  administration,  in  which  many 
improvements  were  secured  for  the  city,  including  paving,  sewer  building  and  the 
execution  of  other  public  projects. 

In  addition  to  his  law  practice  Mr.  Ficke  is  largely  interested  in  loaning  money 
and  devotes  much  of  his  time  to  his  numerous  real-estate  interests.  He  has  made 
most  extensive  investments  and  his  judgment  is  seldom,  if  ever,  at  fault  concerning 
the  value  of  property.  He  regards  real  estate  as  the  safest  of  all  investments  and 
the  judicious  use  he  has  made  of  his  opportunities  in  this  direction  has  placed  him 
among  Davenport's  most  successful  men. 

On  the  24th  of  March,  1882,  Mr.  Ficke  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Fan- 
nie Davison,  a  daughter  of  Abner  Davison,  a  prominent  attorney  of  this  city. 
They  have  three  children,  one  of  whom  is  Arthur  D.,  a  rising  young  lawyer  asso- 
ciated with  his  father  in  practice.  Mr.  Ficke  is  a  man  of  simple  habits,  devoted 
to  his  family  and  loyal  to  his  friends.  He  is  broad  minded  and  well  read — a 
cultured,  genial  gentleman  who  has  traveled  extensively  and  with  whom  associa- 
tion means  expansion  and  elevation.  He  is  keenly  alive  to  all  the  vital  interests 
of  the  times  and  has  never  counted  as  a  source  of  happiness  those  things  which 
minister  merely  to  self  without  regard  to  the  duties  and  obligations  of  citizenship. 


MRS.  IDA  HORST. 


Mrs.  Ida  Horst,  who  has  made  her  home  in  the  city  of  Davenport  for  the  past 
two  decades,  is  the  widow  of  Qaus  Horst,  who  carried  on  farming  and  stock- 
raising  in  Davenport  township  and  was  quite  an  extensive  landowner.  Mr.  Horst 
was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  30th  of  December,  1819,  his  parents 
being  Hans  and  Margaret  (Goetch)  Horst,  who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  the 
fatherland.  He  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land  and  con- 
tinued to  reside  there  until  1847,  when  as  a  young  man  of  twenty-eight  he  crossed 
the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States,  landing  at  New  Orleans  in  November.  He 
made  his  way  as  far  up  the  river  as  St.  Louis  and  there  worked  on  a  dairy  farm 
during  the  winter,  having  gained  a  thorough  knowledge  of  dairying  in  Germany, 
In  the  spring,  when  the  ice  in  the  river  had  melted,  he  came  to  Davenport,  Iowa, 
and  here  worked  at  various  occupations  for  a  time.    In  1850  he  purchased  eighty 


146  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

acres  of  prairie  land  in  Davenport  township,  which  he  broke  and  on  which  he 
erected  a  dwelling,  taking  up  his  abode  therein.  That  farm  remained  his  place 
of  residence  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life  but  as  time  passed  by  and  his 
financial  resources  increased,  owing  to  his  well  directed  industry  and  capable 
management,  he  added  to  his  holdings  by  additional  purchase  until  at  his  death 
he  was  the  owner  of  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  valuable  land  in  Scott 
county  and  also  had  a  farm  in  Lucas  county,  this  state.  In  addition  to  cultivating 
the  cereals  best  adapted  to  soil  and  climate  he  was  also  engaged  in  the  raising  of 
cattle,  which  branch  of  his  business  added  materially  to  his  income. 

On  the  17th  of  May,  1850,  Mr.  Horst  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ida 
Hahn,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  20th  of  February, 
1828,  her  parents  being  Johann  and  Margaret  (Boege)  Hahn.  She  was  still 
young  when  her  father  died  and  her  mother  afterward  married  again.  In  1847 
the  family  emigrated  to  America,  landing  at  New  Orleans,  whence  they  went  to 
St.  Louis  and  then  came  to  Davenport,  arriving  in  this  city  on  the  21st  of  June 
of  that  year.  Mrs.  Horst  went  to  live  with  an  EnglisTi  family  and  thus  learned 
to  talk  and  read  the  language.  By  her  marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  seven 
children,  the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows :  Louisa,  residing  in  Davenport,  is  the 
widow  of  Herman  Voss  and  has  one  son,  Bernhardt.  Adolph,  who  makes  his 
home  in  Sheridan  township,  wedded  Miss  Alvina  Misfeldt  and  has  four  chil- 
dren :  Viola,  Edna,  Albert  and  Bennie.  Therese,  who  now  lives  with  her  mother, 
is  the  widow  of  Henry  Horst,  whose  demise  occurred  on  the  2d  of  April,  1905. 
Edward,  living  in  Sheridan  township,  married  Miss  Katherine  Kahler,  by  whom 
he  has  five  children :  Herman,  Hugo,  Emil,  Sadie  and  Elsie.  Henry  H.,  who 
resides  in  Davenport  township,  married  Miss  Amelia  Sueverkrubbe  and  has  five 
children,  namely:  Martha;  Malinda,  who  is  deceased;  Herbert;  Alfred;  and  Alma. 
One  child  of  Claus  and  Ida  (Hahn)  Horst  died  in  infancy.  Henry  was  acci- 
dentally killed  when  but  thirteen  years  of  age. 

Mr.  Horst  was  independent  in  his  political  views  and  held  several  positions 
of  public  trust  in  Davenport  township,  including  that  of  road  supervisor.  His 
demise,  which  occurred  on  the  24th  of  May,  1881,  was  the  occasion  of  deep  and 
widespread  regret,  for  he  had  gained  many  warm  friends  during  the  long  period 
of  his  residence  in  this  county.  His  widow  continued  to  reside  on  the  farm  until 
1889,  since  which  time  she  has  made  her  home  in  Davenport.  She  is  widely 
known  in  Scott  county,  where  she  has  now  lived  for  more  than  six  decades  and 
throughout  this  entire  period  she  has  enjoyed  the  respect  and  esteem  of  those 
with  whom  she  has  come  in  contact. 


PHINEAS  CURTIS. 


Phineas  Curtis  is  now  living  retired  in  Davenport.  In  every  relation  of  life 
he  has  been  faithful  to  the  duties  that  have  devolved  upon  him  and  he  truly  de- 
serves the  rest  that  has  now  come  to  him  in  the  evening  of  his  days.  He  was 
born  in  Otsego  county.  New  York,  June  10,  1830,  and  is  a  son  of  Daniel  and 
Mehitable  (Masters)  Curtis.    His  early  American  ancestors  in  the  paternal  line 


'-/^^^/^^'-^ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  149 

came  from  England  in  1642  and  in  the  maternal  line  in  1716,  the  Masters  family- 
coming  from  the  isle  of  Guernsey. 

The  early  boyhood  home  of  Phineas  Curtis  was  near  Cherry  Valley,  New 
York,  and  there  he  lived  with  his  parents  until  seven  years  of  age,  when  a  re- 
moval was  made  to  the  vicinity  of  Johnsonville,  New  York.  There  he  attended 
select  and  public  schools,  making  his  home  there  until  twenty  years  of  age,  when 
he  came  to  the  middle  west,  his  destination  being  Quincy,  Illinois.  For  three 
terms  he  engaged  in  teaching  in  the  district  schools  near  that  city  and  in  1851 
arrived  in  Scott  county,  Iowa.  Here  he  began  teaching  in  Buffalo  township, 
but  after  devoting  his  time  to  that  work  for  one  term  he  took  up  the  occupation 
of  farming,  purchasing  a  quarter  section  of  land  in  Aliens  Grove  township  near 
Donahue.  This  he  purchased  for  one  dollar  per  acre.  It  was  entirely  wild  and 
uncultivated  and  he  built  thereon  a  house,  fenced  the  fields  and  with  character- 
istic energy  began  to  till  the  soil.  As  the  years  passed  his  labors  brought  him 
good  results,  transforming  the  once  wild  prairie  into  a  highly  cultivated  farm, 
upon  which  he  continued  to  reside  until  1890,  selling  it  the  following  year.  He 
had  not  been  actively  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  his  fields,  however,  since  1872, 
for  other  duties  had  occupied  his  attention.  While  in  Aliens  Grove  township  he 
served  as  assessor  for  several  years  and  was  also  made  collector  of  the  money  to 
build  schoolhouses.  He  filled  the  position  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  a  long 
period  and  when  he  put  aside  the  duties  of  general  farming  in  1872  he  purchased 
a  small  stock  of  goods  and  opened  a  general  store  in  Donahue.  He  soon  in- 
creased his  stock  by  extensive  purchases  in  the  city  wholesale  districts  and  con- 
ducted the  business  successfully  for  ten  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period 
he  sold  out  and  built  tile  works  at  Aliens  Grove.  For  six  years  he  operated  the 
plant  there  and  then  disposed  of  it.  In  all  of  his  business  undertakings  he  has 
been  successful,  carefully  managing  and  controlling  his  interests  until  he  won 
thereby  a  creditable  and  desirable  measure  of  success  that  enables  him  to  live 
retired.  For  twelve  years  he  served  as  postmaster  of  Donahue  and  was  also  station 
agent  and  express  agent  on  the  Davenport  &  St.  Paul  Railroad  for  two  years. 
While  serving  as  postmaster  and  express  agent  he  never  had  a  report  come  back 
to  him  for  correction.  In  1890  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport,  where  he  has 
since  made  his  home,  erecting  a  fine  residence  here  in  1894.  He  has  built  a  large 
number  of  houses  in  the  city  and  their  rental  is  principally  the  source  of  his 
gratifying  income,  enabling  him  to  put  aside  all  the  active  duties  of  business 
life. 

On  the  27th  of  February,  1853,  Air.  Curtis  was  married  to  Miss  Laura  L. 
Fuller,  a  daughter  of  Dennis  R.  and  Lovancia  (Bradley)  Fuller,  of  Aliens  Grove. 
She  was  born  in  that  township  November  15,  1837,  and  it  is  thought  that  she 
was  the  first  white  female  child  born  in  Scott  county.  It  was  indeed  at  that 
time  a  wild  pioneer  region,  into  which  few  settlers  had  penetrated,  although  the 
Indians  were  still  numerous  in  this  part  of  the  state.  She  lived  to  witness  re- 
markable changes  in  the  years  which  covered  her  life  record,  extending  to  the 
5th  of  January,  1902,  when  she  was  called  to  her  final  rest.  Unto  Mr,  and  Mrs-. 
Curtis  were  born  seven  children.  Enola  M.,  who  was  born  April  19,  1855,  was 
married  September  14,  1874,  to  George  P.  Maw,  of  Davenport,  and  they  have 
five  children:  Louisa  J.,  born  August  8,  1875;  Maria  C,  August  26,  1878;  Phin- 


150  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

eas  J.,  August  lo,  18881 ;  Orange  S.,  August  16,  1886;  and  Grace  L.,  June  10, 
1889.  Lovancia  M.,  the  second  member  of  the  family,  was  born  October  22, 
1857,  and  on  the  i8th  of  February,  1878,  became  the  wife  of  A.  A.  Fuller,  of 
Davenport,  by  whom  she  had  three  children:  Blanche  E.,  born  November  23, 
1880;  Laura,  born  September  5,  1883;  and  Curtis,  February  5,  1887.  Dennis 
D.,  born  January  19,  1862,  and  now  living  in  Davenport,  was  married  March 
20,  1891,  to  Emma  Keppe,  and  they  had  five  children:  Madge  A.,  born  Sep- 
tember 29,  1893;  Charles  D.,  June  23,  1895;  Ned  B.,  April  26,  1897;  Ralph  D., 
August  19,  1899;  and  Frank  R.,  July  12,  1902.  Frank  R.  Curtis,  the  fourth 
child  of  Phineas  Curtis,  was  born  February  28,  1864,  and  was  married  March 
15,  1885,  to  Tillie  Madden.  They  had  one  son  Loraine,  who  was  born 
November  27,  1887,  and  lives  at  Moline,  Illinois.  Abram  B.,  who  was  born  April 
4,  1867,  at  Donahue,  Iowa,  was  married  April  4,  1887,  to  Miss  Margaret  Mad- 
den. They  have  three  children:  Lovina  A.,  born  August  21,  1890;  Clarence  D., 
November  14,  1893;  and  Margery  M.,  July  14,  1897.  Lottie  M.,  born  January 
13,  1870,  was  married  October  6,  1889,  to  John  R.  Randall,  who  died  July  28, 
1894,  leaving  one  child.  Worth  B.,  who  was  born  December  26,  1890.  Ora  E., 
born  June  25,  1878,  was  married  June  29,  1898,  to  G.  L.  Hostetler,  and  they 
live  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  They  have  two  children :  Roger  H.,  born  October  12, 
1902;  and  Helen  L.,  born  April  3,  1906.  There  have  been  four  deaths  in  the 
family  circle.  Lottie,  the  sixth  child  of  the  family,  died  February  13,  1898, 
while  Mrs.  Tillie  Curtis,  the  wife  of  Frank  R.  Curtis,  passed  away  April  16, 
1897,  Mrs.  Dennis  Curtis,  April  27,  1907,  and  A.  A.  Fuller  on  the  8th  of  October, 
1897.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Curtis  chose  Mary  A.  (Weed)  Davis,  a  daughter 
of  Hiland  and  Amanda  Weed,  of  Fayetteville,  New  York.  She  was  born  in 
Jordan,  Onondaga  county,  New  York,  and  on  the  22d  of  June,  1905,  became  the 
wife  of  Mr.  Curtis. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Curtis  has  been  a  stalwart  republican  since  the  or- 
ganization of  the  party  and  has  filled  a  number  of  local  offices,  the  duties  of 
which  he  has  discharged  with  promptness  and  fidelity.  He  holds  membership 
in  the  Christian  church,  in  which  he  is  serving  as  elder  and  in  its  work  he  takes 
active  and  helpful  interest,  while  his  entire  life  has  been  guided  by  its  principles 
and  teachings. 


GEORGE  W.  LEAMER. 

George  W.  Leamer,  long  connected  with  agricultural  interests,  is  now  living 
retired  in  Davenport  but  is  still  the  owner  of  eighty  acres  of  fine  farm  land  in 
LeClaire  township.  His  life  of  well  directed  energy  and  thrift  has  brought  him 
a  creditable  measure  of  success,  while  his  fidelity  to  upright  principles  has  gained 
him  the  respect  of  his  fellowmen. 

Mr.  Leamer  was  born  in  Cambria  county,  Pennsylvania,  February  14,  1830, 
and  has,  therefore,  passed  the  eightieth  milestone  on  life's  journey.  His  parents, 
George  and  Mary  (Seibers)  Leamer,  were  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  of 
German  descent.    The  father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  both  he  and  his 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  151 

wife  spent  their  entire  lives  in  the  Keystone  state.  Their  son,  George  W.  Learner, 
pursued  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  county  and  through  the  periods 
of  vacation  worked  with  his  father  on  the  farm  and  continued  to  aid  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  fields  of  the  old  homestead  until  he  came  to  the  middle  west 
in  1856,  settling  in  LeClaire  township,  Scott  county.  More  than  half  a  century, 
has  since  come  and  gone  and  he  has  witnessed  many  changes  as  this  district  has 
become  thickly  settled  and  all  of  the  improvements  and  advantages  of  the  older 
east  have  been  introduced.  He  was  influenced  to  choose  this  county  as  a  place 
of  residence  from  the  fact  that  he  had  two  older  brothers  living  here,  one  of  whom 
bought  the  farm  for  Mr.  Learner.  After  cultivating  his  land  for  a  year  Mr. 
Leamer  returned  to  Pennsylvania  and  was  married  in  1857.  Immediately  after- 
ward he  started  back  with  his  bride,  whom  he  had  wedded  on  the  4th  of  June. 
She  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Elizabeth  Jane  Smiley  and  was  a  daughter  of 
William  and  Jane  Smiley,  of  Pennsylvania.  Arriving  in  Scott  county,  they 
began  their  domestic  life  upon  a  farm  which  was  a  tract  of  eighty  acres,  only 
partially  improved.  Mr.  Leamer  continued  to  cultivate  that  farm  until  1886 
and  in  the  interim  purchased  other  land,  for  he  prospered  as  the  years  went  by 
and  in  the  course  of  time  acquired  a  comfortable  competence  that  now  enables 
him  to  enjoy  a  well  earned  rest.  His  life  has  been  one  of  diligence  and  industry 
and  his  success  has  come  as  the  merited  reward  of  earnest,  honest  labor. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leamer  were  born  four  children.  William  A.,  who'  lives 
upon  the  old  homestead,  married  Anna  Shellenberger  and  they  have  five  chil- 
dren: Herbert,  Lillian,  Mildred,  Cecil  and  Duane.  Emma  is  the  widow  of 
George  Reid.  Jennie  died  at  the  age  of  one  year.  Bertha  J.  is  the  wife  of  L. 
W.  McCowen  of  Davenport,  by  whom  she  has  three  children :  Ethel,  Russell  and 
Eugene.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leamer  celebrated  their  golden  wedding  in  June,  1907. 

Mr.  Leamer  has  served  as  a  school  director  and  has  always  been  a  champion 
of  the  cause  of  public  education.  He  has  been  a  lifelong  member  of  the  Baptist 
church,  in  which  he  has  served  as  deacon  and  has  ever  been  loyal  to  its  teachings. 
His  life  has  been  a  busy,  useful  and  honorable  one  and  his  sterling  qualities  have 
gained  him  the  respect  and  good  will  of  all  who  know  him. 


STEPHEN  P.  BAWDEN. 

The  law  has  become  so  complex  that  it  would  be  difficult  for  any  individual 
to  be  equally  at  home  in  all  departments  of  practice  and,  while  a  lawyer  may 
continue  in  several  fields,  it  is  the  tendency  of  the  times  to  concentrate  one's 
energies  upon  a  special  branch.  This  Stephen  P.  Bawden  does  in  his  attention 
to  probate  and  title  deed  branches  of  law  and  yet  he  has  won  success  in  other 
fields  and  may  be  termed  a  general  practitioner. 

Mr.  Bawden  is  one  of  Davenport's  native  sons  and  his  parents  were  Stephen 
and  Mary  E.  (Woodward)  Bawden,  the  former  being  of  English  parentage  and 
the  latter  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  Their  removal  to  the  west  and  settlement 
at  Davenport  made  this  city  the  scene  of  the  youthful  efforts  and  activities  of 
S.  P.  Bawden  as  well  as  of  his  later  years.    Having  acquired  his  literary  education 


152  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

in  the  public  schools,  he  continued  his  studies  in  preparation  for  the  bar  and  after 
his  admission  to  practice  in  the  courts  of  the  state  opened  an  office  in  Davenport, 
where  he  has  since  remained.  His  natural  predilection  tends  him  toward  probate 
and  similar  departments  of  the  law  and  for  five  years  he  devoted  almost  his  en- 
tire time  to  those  branches  in  the  office  of  Davison  &  Lane.  Inclination  and 
opportunity  were  thus  satisfied  and  his  thoroughness  and  capability  in  this 
branch  of  the  profession  have  won  him  deserved  success.  His  two  most  domi- 
nant characteristics  are  determined  persistence  and  thorough  and  honest  exact- 
ness. In  law  and  especially  in  real-estate  law  these  traits  are  of  prime  importance 
and  guarantee  progress.  Mr.  Bawden  has  met  with  good  success  because  of 
these  qualities  and  is  one  of  the  best  known  of  the  younger  members  of  the  bar 
in  this  field  of  practice.  He  enjoys  the  good  fellowship  of  his  brethren  of  the 
legal  fraternity  here  and  all  recognize  that  his  advancement  has  come  as  the 
merited  and  legitimate  reward  of  his  efforts  and  ability. 


MRS.  CHRISTINE  WIESE. 

Mrs.  Christine  Wiese,  now  living  in  Davenport,  where  she  is  widely  known 
and  has  many  friends,  is  the  widow  of  Peter  Wiese,  long  a  resident  of  Scott 
county.  He  served  as  postmaster  of  Mount  Joy  for  over  thirty  years  and  had  a 
wide  acquaintance  in  the  rural  districts  as  well  as  in  the  city.  He  was  born  in 
Holstein,  Germany,  September  4,  1832,  and  was  a  son  of  James  and  Gretchen 
Wiese.  His  father  was  a  shoemaker  in  Germany  and,  in  accordance  with  the 
laws  of  that  country,  served  in  the  army.  He  continued  his  residence  in  his 
native  land  throughout  his  entire  life. 

In  the  schools  of  Germany,  Peter  Wiese  acquired  his  education,  after  which 
he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  in  his  native  country  until'  185 1,  when,  attracted  by 
the  opportunities  of  the  new  world,  he  came  alone  to  the  United  States.  He 
was  at  that  time  a  young  man  of  about  nineteen  years.  He  landed  at  New 
Orleans,  made  his  way  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis  and  remained  there 
for  a  time,  owing  to  the  fact  that  his  brother,  Claus  H.  Wiese,  was  residing 
there.  The  next  spring,  however,  Peter  Wiese  continued  on  his  way  to  Daven- 
port and  after  reaching  this  city  secured  employment  as  a  farm  hand  by  the 
month.  Later  he  purchased  a  threshing  machine  and  engaged  in  threshing  and 
farming  for  about  thirteen  years.  He  then  went  to  Mount  Joy  and  took  charge 
of  the  hotel  there,  conducting  it  until  it  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  the  nth  of 
February,  1896.  He  continued  to  live  at  Mount  Joy  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  the  6th  of  December,  1897.  He  was  one  of  the  best  known  men  in 
that  part  of  the  country.  He  served  for  over  thirty  years  as  postmaster  of 
Mount  Joy  and  was  also  township  clerk  of  Sheridan  township.  He  likewise 
held  other  offices  and  at  all  times  was  loyal  to  the  trust  reposed  in  him,  whether 
in  connection  with  public  affairs  or  otherwise.  He  took  a  contract  to  build  forty 
miles  of  Milwaukee  railroad  and  successfully  executed  it.  In  part  payment  for 
his  services  he  took  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Pottawattamie 
county,  but  later  sold  that  property. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  153 

On  the  24th  of  January,  1859,  Mr.  Wiese  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Christine  Pieper.  She  was  bom  in  Holstein,  Germany,  April  23,  1840,  near  the 
birthplace  of  her  husband,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Anna  Pieper.  Her 
mothed  died  in  Germany  but  the  father  afterward  came  to  the  United  States  in 
1856,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Wiese.  They  landed  at  New  York  and,  crossing  the 
country,  made  their  way  to  Davenport,  where  Mr.  Pieper  engaged  in  shoemak- 
ing.  Later  he  became  proprietor  of  a  hotel  at  Mount  Joy,  where  he  lived  until 
The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wiese  was  blessed  with  seven  children.  Meta, 
the  wife  of  John  Ploehn,  of  Davenport,  has  four  children :  John  H.,  who  married 
his  death  on  the  27th  of  October,  1886,  when  he  was  seventy-eight  years  of  age. 
Grace  Gilchrist ;  Elsie  C. ;  Carl ;  and  Camilla.  Anna  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Priester, 
of  Davenport,  and  has  three  children:  Walter  C,  who  married  Nora  Boecken 
and  has  two  children,  Roma  and  Allen ;  Wilma,  who  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Jung- 
gohan  and  has  four  children.  Vera,  Lula,  Carl  and  Fred ;  and  Cora.  Julius,  living 
at  Eldridge,  married  Anna  Goertz  and  has  two  children,  Elsinda  B.  and  Rollie  P. 
Emil,  of  Minnesota,  married  Emma  Wellendorf  and  they  have  nine  children: 
Rona ;  Herle ;  Alvin  P. ;  Thorwald ;  Herbert ;  Ruth  and  Rubie,  twins ;  Ethel ;  and 
Lillian.  Henry,  living  in  Eldridge,  married  Lena  Cabel  and  has  three  children; 
Lois,  Hazel  and  Donald.  Christian,  of  Davenport,  wedded  Tecla  Miller  and 
they  have  two  sons,  Arnold  and  Otis.  Helena  is  the  wife  of  Herman  Baustan, 
of  Sheridan  township,  and  has  one  son,  Wilbert. 

All  through  his  life,  save  for  the  brief  period  spent  in  St.  Louis,  Peter  Wiese 
remained  a  resident  of  Scott  county  after  coming  to  the  United  States,  and  the 
success  which  he  achieved  is  attributable  entirely  to  his  own  labors,  for  his 
resources  were  very  limited  when  he  crossed  the  Atlantic.  As  the  years  went  by 
his  carefully  directed  labors  brought  him  substantial  success,  enabling  him  to  leave 
his  family  in  comfortable  financial  circumstances.  He  possessed  a  genial,  social 
nature  and  courteous  manner,  and  these  qualities  were  an  element  in  bringing 
to  him  the  extended  circle  of  friends  who  through  his  life  enjoyed  his  com- 
panionship and  since  his  death  have  only  respect  and  commendable  words  for 
him. 


HENRY  F.  LEMBKE. 


Although  Henry  F.  Lembke  has  reached  the  age  of  seventy-two  years,  he  is 
still  an  active  factor  in  the  world's  work,  being  well  known  in  Davenport  as  a 
carpenter  and  contractor,  with  which  business  he  has  long  been  associated.  He 
was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  November  10,  1837,  and  is  a  son  of  Christian 
and  Margaret  Lembke.'  The  father  followed  farming  in  Germany,  where  he 
continued  to  reside  until  called  to  his  final  rest.  Amid  the  quiet  environment  of 
the  home  farm  Henry  F.  Lembke  was  reared,  while  in  his  youth  he  attended  the 
public  schools,  there  acquiring  his  education.  He  learned  the  carpenter's  trade 
at  Kiel,  serving  a  three  years'  apprenticeship,  after  which  he  worked  as  a  journey- 
man carpenter  in  different  cities  for  five  years.  In  1863  he  became  a  member  of 
the  Danish  army  and  was  engaged  in  military  duty  for  a  year,  participating  in 
the  war  in  which  Denmark,  Prussia  and  Austria  were  involved. 


154  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

After  the  war  Henry  F.  Lembke  resumed  work  at  his  trade,  which  he  followed 
in  Hamburg  and  other  cities  until  1865,  when  he  came  to  the  United  States,  land- 
ing- at  New  York.  He  did  not  tarry  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  however,  but  made 
his  way  at  once  to  Davenport,  where  he  arrived  on  the  12th  of  March.  He  again 
resorted  to  his  trade  for  a  livelihood  and  has  since  followed  it,  being  active  in 
the  erection  of  a  large  number  of  houses  and  other  buildings  in  Scott  county  and 
also  in  Ida  county.  He  has  ever  been  recognized  as  a  good  workman,  his  labors 
standing  the  test  of  time,  and  this  has  enabled  him  to  keep  busily  employed  as 
the  years  have  gone  by.    He  erected  his  own  residence  about  1891. 

In  1865,  soon  after  coming  to  Davenport,  Mr.  Lembke  was  married  to  Miss 
Marie  Jensen,  who  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  April  27,  1840,  a  daughter 
of  Jochim  and  Anna  Lena  Jensen.  They  have  become  parents  of  seven  children : 
Emil,  of  Boone,  Iowa,  who  is  married  and  has  two  children — ^Joseph  and  a  baby; 
Agnes,  the  wife  of  Peter  Hargett,  of  Coon  Rapids,  Iowa,  by  whom  she  has  three 
children — Walter,  Clara  and  Helen;  Julius,  at  home;  Rhoda,  the  wife  of  Charles 
Parker,  of  Waterloo,  Iowa ;  Anna,  who  married  Fred  Warrenton,  of  Davenport, 
and  has  one  child,  Leon;  Matilda,  at  home;  and  Anna,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
two  years. 

Mr.  Lembke  is  a  member  of  the  Carpenters  Union,  No.  554,  and  has  held 
office  in  that  order.  He  has  always  been  a  busy  man,  working  earnestly  and  per- 
sistently, and  undoubtedly  one  feature  of  his  progress  is  the  fact  that  he  has 
always  continued  in  the  line  of  business  in  which  he  embarked  as  a  young  trades- 
man, thus  gaining  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the  trade  and  manifesting  marked 
skill  in  his  work. 


REV.  ANTHONY  NIERMANN. 

Rev.  Anthony  Niermann,  for  over  fifty  years  the  revered  pastor  of  St. 
Joseph's  parish,  was  born  in  Germany,  August  9,  1831,  a  son  of  John  Henry 
and  Fransica  (Witting)  Niermann,  life-long  residents  of  Germany.  He  is  one 
of  a  family  of  six  children,  four  daughters  and  two  sons.  His  early  studies  were 
pursued  in  Germany.  He  was  perfected  in  philosophy  and  theology,  and,  ow- 
ing to  the  strictness  of  the  examinations,  his  education  was  thorough  in  every 
respect. 

While  he  long  desired  to  come  to  America,  Father  Niermann  remained  in 
Germany  until  his  father's  death.  In  the  meanwhile  the  demand  for  young 
German  priests  was  growing,  owing  to  the  tide  of  German  emigration  which 
swept  over  the  United  States,  and  when  he  was  ready  to  come  here,  he  was 
received  into  the  diocese  of  Dubuque.  Upon  his  arrivel  he  continued  his  studies 
at  a  Catholic  academy  in  St.  Louis,  under  Rev.  Hennessey,  afterward  archbishop, 
and  a  strong  friendship  sprung  up  between  the  two,  which  only  the  death  of 
the  latter  severed.  Father  Niermann  was  ordained  at  Dubuque  by  Bishop 
Clement  Smith,  and  on  April  2,  1859,  was  sent  to  Davenport.  For  many 
years  before  the  building  of  the  church,  services  were  held  in  the  small  structure 
now  used  as  a  schoolhouse.     The  cornerstone  of  St.  Joseph's  church  was  laid 


C-S-^-L.t/'^' 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  157 

in  1881.  Many  changes  have  taken  place  since  Father  Niermann  came  here  to 
take  charge  of  what  is  now  St.  Joseph's  parish,  but  was  then  a  part  of  the  parish 
of  St.  Cunegonda.  The  populous  district  where  the  church  stands,  in  the  center 
of  the -city,  was  then  on  the  outskirts.  Father  Niermann  states  that  he  often 
shot  quails  and  rabbits  in  his  own  dooryard. 

This  venerable  old  priest  is  beloved,  and  deservedly  so,  by  the  people  he  has 
labored  among  so  long.  Genial  and  entertaining,  he  also  shows  the  marks  of  tlie 
scholar  and  churchman.  IXiring  his  whole  career  in  the  priesthood,  this  good 
man  has  labored  solely  for  his  people  in  Davenport,  never  having  been  assigned 
to  another  charge,  nor  will  he  be.  St.  Joseph  parish  is  the  child  of  his  heart 
and  brain  and  nothing  but  death  will  separate  them. 


FRANZ  HAGEMANN. 


For  more  than  forty-two- years  Franz  Hagemann  was  continuously  in  the 
employ  of  the  Rock  Island  Railroad  Company.  He  then  retired  from  that  busi- 
ness but  as  indolence  and  idleness  are.  utterly  foreign  to  his  nature,  he  could  not 
be  content  without  some  business  duties  and  is  now  connected  with  a  bakery  and 
confectionery  establishment.  He  has  a  very  extensive  acquaintance  among  rail- 
road men  here  and  his  faithfulness,  reliability  and  freedom  from  ostentation  have 
ever  won  for  him  the  respect  and  good  will  of  those  with  whom  he  has  been 
associated.  He  was  bom  in  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  January  28,  1840, 
and  is  a  son  of  Cort  and  Margaret  Hagemann,  who  spent  their  entire  lives  in 
that  country,  where  the  father  conducted  farming  on  a  small  scale.  Franz  Hage- 
mann attended  school  in  Germany  and  there  learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  He 
came  to  the  United  States  in  1867,  landing  at  New  York.  The  favorable  reports 
which  he  heard  concerning  business  opportunities  in  America  proved  irresistibly 
attractive  to  him  and  with  the  desire  of  benefiting  his  financial  condition  on  this 
side  of  the  Atlantic  he  sailed  for  the  United  States.  He  did  not  tarry  on  the 
eastern  coast,  however,  but  at  once  made  his  way  into  the  interior  of  the  country, 
arriving  at  Davenport  on  the  14th  of  May,  1867,  accompanied  by  his  wife  and 
one  child.  He  had  two  brothers  here — Hans,  who  is  now  living  in  California, 
and  Hermann,  who  is  now  deceased. 

After  reaching  Davenport  Mr.  Hagemann  was  employed  for  two  weeks  at 
his  trade  and  on  the  28th  of  June,  1867,  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Rock 
Island  Railroad  Company  as  a  carpenter  in  connection  with  the  building  of  freight 
cars.  He  was  employed  in  that  way  for  about  three  years  after  which  he  was 
transferred  to  the  passenger  coach  department  and  on  the  ist  of  April,  1883,  he 
was  promoted  to  the  position  of  foreman  of  that  department  and  so  continued 
for  more  than  twenty-six  years,  or  until  the  31st  of  December,  1909,  when  he 
retired.  In  recognition  of  his  long  and  faithful  service  the  company  gave  him 
a  pension.  He  only  worked  two  places  in  fifty-four  years,  being  in  the  service 
of  one  employer  in  Germany  for  twelve  years  and  through  practically  his  entire 
residence  in  Davenport  being  in  the  employ  of  the  Rock  Island  Railroad  Com- 
pany.    On  his  retirement  he  was  presented  with  a  fine  gold  watch,  chain  and 


158  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

locket  by  his  fellow  workmen.  He  is  now  engaged  in  the  bakery  and  confection- 
ery business  and  has  already  made  a  good  start  in  that  line.  When  he  entered 
the  employ  of  the  railroad  the  line  was  then  being  built  west  to  Council  Bluffs  and 
was  finished  about  as  far  as  Des  Moines.  Its  president  at  the  time  was  Mr. 
Tracey,  with  Hugh  Riddle  as  vice  president,  while  A.  Kimball  was  superintendent 
and  Tom  Twombley  acted  as  master  mechanic  at  this  place. 

On  the  6th  of  October,  1865,  Mr.  Hagemann  was  married  to  Miss  Johanna 
Peters,  a  daughter  of  Peter  Peters,  who  died  in  Germany.  They  have  become 
parents  of  nine  children :  Amelia,  who  is  the  wife  of  Louis  Schwenke,  of  Daven- 
port, and  has  six  children — Ernest,  Luella,  Lillian,  Edna,  Walter  and  Lewis; 
Mrs.  Clara  Martin,  a  widow  who  has  two  children,  Florence  and  Loretta;  C. 
A.,  of  Davenport,  who  married  Ella  Stramp  and  has  two  daughters,  Norma  and 
Mildred;  Lewis,  of  Davenport,  who  married  Meta  Jeske  and  has  two  children, 
Ruby  and  Vera;  Harry,  of  Davenport,  who  wedded  Minnie  Munike;  and  four 
who  died  in  childhood. 

Mr.  Hagemann  is  a  member  of  the  Claus  Groth  Gilde  and  Germania  Kranken 
Verein.  He  is  a  very  active  man  and  appears  at  least  ten  years  younger  than  his 
age.  Being  of  a  cheerful  and  friendly  disposition,  he  is  well  liked  by  all  who 
come  in  contact  with  him.  Few  men  have  more  intimate  knowledge  of  the  early 
history  of  the  Rock  Island  railroad  and  he  can  relate  many  interesting  incidents 
concerning  the  happenings  of  that  period.  He  has  never  regretted  his  deter- 
mination to  seek  a  home  in  this  country,  for  he  here  found  good  business  oppor- 
tunities. He  was  not  misled  by  any  hope  of  winning  success  without  earnest 
and  continuous  effort  but  by  reason  of  his  diligence  and  fidelity  he  worked  his 
way  upward  and  whatever  success  he  has  enjoyed  has  been  richly  merited. 


WILSON  McClelland. 

Wilson  McClelland,  as  the  chief  executive  head  of  the  T.  W.  McClelland  Com- 
pany, is  one  of  the  best  known  representatives  of  commercial  interests  in  Daven- 
port, and  his  salient  qualities  as  a  business  man  and  citizen  entitle  him  to  definlx 
consideration  in  connection  with  the  city's  history.  He  was  born  in  Davenport, 
March  28,  1864,  a  son  of  T.  W.  McClelland,  for  many  years  one  of  the  most 
prominent  and  well  known  business  men  and  manufacturers  of  the  city,  of 
whom  extended  mention  is  made  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  When  he  had 
mastered  the  branches  of  learning  taught  in  the  public  schools  here  Wilson  Mc- 
Clelland went  east  and  continued  his  education  in  the  Rensselaer  Polytechnic 
Institute  of  Troy,  New  York,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  the  class  of 
1886,  winning  the  degree  of  Civil  Engineer.  Returning  to  Davenport,  he  be- 
came associated  with  his  father's  business,  making  it  his  purpose  to  thoroughly 
master  the  same  in  every  particular.  He  studied  the  methods  of  the  extensive 
plant  as  well  as  the;  financial  side  of  the  business,  and  gained  such  intimate  and 
accurate  knowledge  thereof  that  at  his  father's  death  he  was  enabled  to  assume 
control  and  successfully  conduct  the  extensive  and  increasing  business.  On 
the  death  of  his  father  he  was  chosen  to  the  presidency  of  the  T.  W.  McClelland 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  159 

Company  and  such  is  his  connection  with  the  business  interests  of  Davenport  at 
the  present  time.  In  1903  the  continued  growth  of  the  enterprise  necessitated 
the  removal  to  larger  quarters,  which  were  found  in  the  large  and  modern  build- 
ing which  the  company  now  occupies  on  East  Third  street  and  which  was  built 
especially  for  the  requirements  of  the  business.  For  several  years  the  company 
conducted  a  contracting  business  in  connection  with  the  manufacturing  inter- 
ests, but  in  recent  years  that  department  has  been  discontinued  and  attention  has 
been  concentrated  upon  the  sash,  door  and  mill  work  departments,  in  which  the 
output  is  now  very  large.  This  is  in  fact  one  of  the  leading  productive  industries 
of  the  city,  with  a  plant  thoroughly  equipped  with  modern  machinery  and  every 
accessory  to  facilitate  the  work  and  to  make  its  output  of  the  highest  character. 
A  force  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  skilled  workmen  are  employed  and  the  ship- 
ments cover  a  wide  territory.  Mr.  McClelland  is  an  extremely  busy  man,  con- 
nected with  a  number  of  financial  and  manufacturing  concerns  which  profit  by 
his  sound  judgment  and  clear,  keen  discernment.  He  is  a  director  of  the  First 
National  Bank  and  the  Davenport  Machinery  &  Foundry  Company,  is  vice  presi- 
dent of  the  White  Lily  Manufacturing  Company  and  a  financial  factor  in  other 
enterprises. 

In  i8go  Mr.  McClelland  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Richardson,  a  native  of 
Davenport  and  a  daughter  of  D.  N.  Richardson.  They  now  have  three  sons: 
Thomas  Wilson,  David  Nelson  and  Robert  Richardson.  Mr.  McClelland  is 
well  known  as  a  club  man,  his  narrie  being  on  the  membership  of  the  Ousting, 
Commercial  and  other  clubs,  and  of  the  Commercial  he  was  president  for  two 
years.  Hie  also  belongs  to  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  and  is 
a  member  of  the  school  board  but  takes  little  active  part  in  politics.  Honored 
and  respected  by  all,  there  is  no  man  who  occupies  a  more  enviable  position  in 
the  manufacturing  and  financial  circles  of  this  city,  not  alone  by  reason  of  the 
success  which  he  has  achieved  but  also  owing  to  the  straightforward  business 
policy  which  he  has  ever  followed.  It  is  true  that  he  entered  upon  a  business 
already  established,  but  in  enlarging  and  controlling  this  many  a  man  of  less 
resolute  spirit  would  have  failed.  Mr.  McClelland,  however,  has  met  the  con- 
ditions of  the  times  and  in  the  further  development  of  his  enterprise  has  given 
incontrovertible  proof  of  his  ability  for  successful  management. 


H.  J.  HIGH. 


Business  enterprise  finds  a  worthy  exponent  in  H.  J.  High,  the  president 
of  the  Dr.  Dicks  Malted  Stock  Food  Company,  and  a  member  of  the  Tri-City 
Mill  &  Feed  Company.  In  the  conduct  of  business  afifairs  he  manifests  much  of 
the  spirit  of  the  initiative,  seeking  out  new  plans  for  the  conduct  of  business  in- 
terests and  meeting  success  through  that  close  application  which  is  undeterred 
by  any  obstacles  or  difficulties  that  may  arise.  He  is  equally  well  known  as  a 
local  political  leader  and  in  various  offices  has  proven  his  loyaty  to  those  things 
which  are  a  matter  of  civic  virtue  and  civic  pride. 


160  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Mr.  High  was  born  in  Davenport,  July  lo,  1864,  and  is  a  son  of  James  L. 
and  Sarah  (BowHng)  High.  The  mother  was  a  daughter  of  the  late  Mayor 
James  M.  Bowling,  who  was  one  of  Davenport's  most  prominent  and  honored 
citizens.  James  L.  High  engaged  in  the  livery  business  in  Davenport,  establish- 
ing a  barn  at  No.  114  Harrison  street  in  1854.  For  a  long  period  he  continued 
in  that  department  of  business  but  his  life's  labors  were  ended  in  death  in 
October,  1876. 

After  benefiting  by  the  instruction  afforded  in  the  public  schools  H.  J.  High 
attended  Griswold  College  and  his  advanced  course  there  well  supplemented 
him  for  life's  practical  and  responsible  duties.  He  has  made  good  use  of  his  time, 
his  talents  and  his  opportunities  since  starting  in  business  life  and  in  1905  he 
was  one  of  the  organizers  of  Dr.  Dick's  Malted  Stock  Food  Company,  of  which 
he  is  now  the  president.  This  company  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  stock 
food  which  finds  a  ready  sale  on  the  market,  its  excellence  insuring  a  liberal  pat- 
ronage. As  its  chief  executive  officer,  Mr.  High  displays  good  business  ability 
and  keen  foresight,  which  enables  him  to  formulate  business  plans  and  policies 
in  such  a  manner  that  substantial  results  are  achieved.  Moreover,  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Tri-City  Mill  &  Feed  Company  and  is  taking  an  active  interest  in  the 
development  and  expansion  of  the  business. 

In  September,  1892,  Mr.  High  was  married  to  Miss  Marie  Amould,  a  daughter 
of  Lewis  and  Cotilde  (Huot)  Arnould,  both  of  whom  are  still  living.  Her  father 
was  one  of  the  early  contractors  of  the  city  and  many  substantial  structures  of 
Davenport  still  stand  as  monuments  to  his  skill  and  handiwork. 

Mr.  High  takes  a  very  active  interest  in  politics  and  is  well  versed  on  the 
leading  questions  and  issues  of  the  day.  He  has  always  given  his  support  to  the 
republican  party,  has  served  as  committeeman  from  his  ward  for  a  number  of 
years  and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  local  party  leaders.  On  various  occasions 
he  was  called  to  public  office,  the  duties  of  which  he  has  discharged  with  prompt- 
ness and  fidelity.  He  was  appointed  census  enumerator  in  his  ward,  was  city 
health  officer  for  four  and  a  half  years,  was  bailiff  of  the  district  court  for  two 
and  a  half  years  and  is  now  city  milk  inspector,  while  for  thirteen  years  he  has 
occupied  this  position  in  connection  with  the  state  service.  He  regards  a  public 
office  as  a  public  trust — and  no  trust  reposed  in  H.  J.  High  has  ever  been  be- 
trayed in  the  slightest  degree. 


GUSTAVE  BECKER. 


Attracted  by  the  business  opportunities  offered  by  the  new  world,  Gustave 
Becker,  when  a  young  man  of  twenty-one,  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  for  more 
than  three  decades  was  well  known  in  business  circles  in  Davenport,  where  his 
indefatigable  energy  and  wise  investment  brought  him  success  that  placed  him 
among  the  most  prosperous  residents  of  the  city.  Mr.  Becker  was  born  Decem- 
ber 8,  1848,  in  Silesia,  Germany,  a  son  of  Karl  and  Anna  Rosina  (Wahnelt) 
Becker.  In  the  family  were  two  sons  and  four  daughters,  the  brother  of  our 
subject  being  Charles  Becker,  while  the  sisters  were  Mrs.  Louise  Herald,  Mrs. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  161 

Bertha  Gerboth,  Mrs.  Emily  Dittschlag  and  Mrs.  Anna  Seller,  of  Germany. 
During  the  early  boyhood  of  their  son  Gustave  the  parents  removed  to  Tschi- 
mare,  Germany,  where  he  attended  school,  being  recognized  as  one  of  the  bright- 
est pupils  in  his  class,  manifesting  special  aptitude  in  his  studies.  When  fourteen 
years  of  age  he  and  his  brother  Charles  went  to  Berlin,  where  they  became  con- 
nected with  mercantile  interests,  and  in  1869,  when  Gustave  Becker  was  about 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  he  and  his  brother  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America, 
hoping  to  benefit  their  financial  condition  by  the  opportunities  which  they  heard 
could  be  enjoyed  in  the  new  world.  For  a  short  time  they  resided  in  New  York 
and  then  made  their  way  westward  to  Detroit,  Michigan.  Mr.  Becker  afterward 
traveled  for  a  number  of  years  for  a  wholesale  wine,  liquor  and  cigar  house 
and  was  successful  in  introducing  the  products  of  the  house  upon  the  market. 
On  the  1st  of  March,  1876,  he  arrived  in  Davenjort,  where  he  remained  until 
his  demise.  He  was  in  business  in  this  city  for  about  thirty-one  years  and  his 
interests  were  of  a  character  that  contributed  in  large  measure  to  general  prog- 
ress and  improvement  as  well  as  to  individual  success.  He  was  for  a  time  as- 
sociated with  others  in  the  ownership  and  management  of  the  Grand  Opera  House, 
holding  a  third  interest.  He  also  held  a  similar  interest  for  a  time  in  the  Burtis 
Opera  House  and  on  the  ist  of  April,  1891,  he  purchased  the  property  at  the 
corner  of  Second  and  Brady  streets,  which  eventually  became  one  of  the  most 
valuable  corners  in  the  city.  He  still  owned  this  building  at  the  time  of  his 
death  and  derived  therefrom  a  substantial  annual  income.  At  one  time  he  also 
conducted  a  high  class  cafe  and  delicatessen  store  but  was  most  widely  knovv-n 
because  of  his  invested  interests  in  real  estate.  In  this  he  displayed  keen  and  dis- 
criminating judgment  and  notable  sagacity,  making  no  error  of  opinion  con- 
cerning the  value  of  realty  and  its  possible  rise. 

On  the  20th  of  June,  1872,  Mr.  Becker  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Wil- 
helmina  Ruehle,  of  Detroit.  Her  father,  John  Valentine  Ruehle,  was  a  dis- 
tinguished citizen  of  Michigan  and  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  upon  the 
history  of  that  state  as  one  of  its  early  legislators.  Coming  to  the  west,  he 
was  closely  associated  with  its  pioneer  development  and  drove  to  Chicago  in 
a  two  wheeled  cart  when  there  were  only  log  houses  in  that  city.  His  brother, 
Frederick  R.  Ruehle,  was  alderman  of  Detroit  and  a  prominent  factor  in  its 
upbuilding.  John  V.  Ruehle  acted  as  water  commissioner  of  the  city  and  was 
closely  associated  with  many  movements,  political  measures  and  business  projects 
for  the  substantial  development  of  the  city  and  state  in  which  he  made  his  home. 
He  had  crossed  the  Atlantic  from  Baden-Baden,  Germany,  and  was  fifty-three 
days  on  a  sailing  vessel  ere  he  reached  American  shores.  He  found  Indians  in 
Michigan  on  his  arrival  there  but  lived  to  see  a  wonderful  transformation  in 
the  state  as  the  homes  of  the  white  settlers  replaced  the  Indian  tepees  and  the 
work  of  civilization  was  carried  on  by  a  progressive  and  enterprising  people. 
His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Phoebe  Snyder,  was  a  native  of  Bavaria, 
Germany.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Becker  were  born  five  children,  of  whom  three 
are  living:  Oswald,  Mrs.  Lina  Thies  and  Alice. 

Mr.  Becker  held  a  prominent  position  among  the  German-American  residents 
of  Davenport.  He  was  active  in  support  of  the  German  free  schools,  belonged 
to  the  Davenport  Turngemeinde  and  the  Schuetzen  Verein.    He  also  held  mem- 


162  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

bership  with  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles,  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order 
of  Elks  and  the  Masonic  lodge.  He  was  ever  strictly  reliable  in  his  business 
dealings,  his  commercial  integrity  standing  as  an  unquestioned  fact  in  his  life. 
His  success  came  to  him  through  the  judicious  improvement  of  opportunities 
which  others  pass  by  heedlessly  and  through  unremitting  energy  and  persever- 
ance, which  are  always  indispensable  factors  in  success. 


TIMM  ECKMANN. 


On  the  list  of  retired  citizens  of  Davenport  may  be  found  the  name  of  Timm 
Eckmann,  whose  extensive  landed  possessions  in  Scott  county  supply  him  with  all 
the  comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life.  Born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  Jan- 
uary 30,  1829,  his  parents  were  Claus  and  Abel  (Johnson)  Eckmann,  who  were 
farming  people  of  Germany  and  spent  their  entire  lives  in  the  fatherland.  The 
son  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  and  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools. 
He  also  served  in  the  German  army  from  1848  until  1850  and  two  years  later  de- 
cided to  try  his  fortune  in  the  new  world. 

Landing  in  New  York  city,  Mr.  Eckmann  made  his  way  direct  to  Davenport, 
reaching  his  destination  on  the  7th  of  July,  1852.  His  first  employment  was  at 
farm  labor  near  Davenport,  but  after  a  short  time  he  returned  to  this  city  and 
fuund  employment  in  a  brickyard,  which  occupied  his  attention  for  a  time.  He 
then  spent  a  short  time  on  a  steamboat  which  plied  the  Mississippi  river.  Anxious 
to  become  more  firmly  established  in  business,  he  opened  a  saloon  which  he  con- 
ducted for  two  years,  but  at  the  end  of  that  time,  having  purchased  sixty  acres 
of  land  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  he  removed  to  that  farm  and  spent  two  years  in 
its  improvement  and  cultivation.  Farm  life  did  not  prove  congenial  to  him, 
however,  and  disposing  of  his  property  to  good  advantage,  he  returned  once 
more  to  Davenport  and  spent  four  years  in  the  employ  of  P.  B.  Harvey  in  a 
warehouse.  During  all  the  years  that  he  had  been  employed  by  others,  he  care- 
fully saved  his  earnings,  having  ever  before  him  the  aim  of  some  day  engaging 
in  business  on  his  own  account  in  Davenport.  He  eventually  opened  a  grocery 
store  on  the  corner  of  Third  and  Warren  streets  and  for  thirty  years  was  iden- 
tified with  that  business.  He  built  up  an  excellent  trade,  always  studying  the 
demands  of  his  patrons  and  following  honorable  methods  in  his  dealings,  so  that- 
success  attended  his  labors.  In  the  meantime  he  invested  his  profits  in  Scott 
county  land  and  now  owns  three  farms  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  each  in 
Blue  Grass  township,  and  a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres  in  Davenport  township. 
Having  spent  thirty  busy  and  active  years  in  the  grocery  business,  and  having 
acquired  a  good  competence  for  declining  age,  Mr.  Eckmann  felt  justified  in 
leading  a  more  quiet  life  and  now  rests  in  ease  in  a  comfortable  residence  in 
Davenport,  while  the  store  which  he  established  is  now  conducted  by  his  son. 

It  was  about  five  years  after  his  arrival  in  the  new  world  that  Mr.  Eckmann 
was  married  on  the, 6th  of  July,  1857,  to  Miss  Weipka  Keil,  a  daughter  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Claus  Keil,  of  Germany.  Mrs.  Eckmann  was  likewise  born  in  the  father- 
land and  emigrated  to  the  new  world  in  the  year  of  her  marriage.     Two  sons 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  165 

have  been  born  of  this  union  but  the  eldest,  Charles,  died  when  a  little  lad  of 
seven  years.  The  surviving  son,  George  H.,  wedded  Miss  Louisa  Lemcool  and 
they  have  one  daughter,  Nettie. 

Mr.  Eckmann  belongs  to  the  German  Pioneer  Society  of  Scott  county.  A 
man  of  great  natural  ability,  his  success  from  the  beginning  of  his  residence  in 
Scott  county  has  been  uniform  and  rapid.  Possessing  a  quick,  alert  spirit,  he 
eagerly  availed  himself  of  every  opportunity  and  now  in  the  evening  of  life  he 
and  his  estimable  wife  are  living  contented  and  happy  lives  in  a  nice  modern 
home  and  are  surrounded  by  many  warm  and  admiring  friends. 


FRITZ  PRIESTER. 


Fritz  Priester,  who  since  1900  has  lived  retired  in  his  fine  home  at  No.  1102 
West  Fourteenth  street  in  Davenport,  was  actively  engaged  in  general  agricul- 
tural pursuits  throughout  his  entire  business  career  and  is  still  the  owner  of 
three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  valuable  land  in  Lincoln  township,  Scott 
county.  He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  22d  of  March,  1844,  his 
parents  being  Carl  and  Eliza  Priester.  The  father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation 
and  also  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Germany  army.  In  1857,  in  company  with 
his  wife  and  children,  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States,  landing  at 
New  York,  whence  he  came  direct  to  Davenport,  Iowa.  He  purchased  and  estab- 
lished his  home  on  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  improved  land  in 
Lincoln  township,  which  is  now  in  possession  of  our  subject,  and  there  success- 
fully carried  on  his  agricultural  interests  until  the  time  of  his  demise,  his  death 
being  occasioned  by  injuries  which  he  received  in  a  runaway  accident  in  1864. 
A  year  afterward  his  widow  went  to  live  with  her  son  Adoloh  in  Davenport, 
where  she  made  her  home  until  called  to  her  final  rest  in  1891,  when  eighty-three 
years  of  age. 

Fritz  Priester,  who  was  one  of  a  family  of  twelve  children,  received  his  early 
education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land  and  after  coming  to  this  country  con- 
tinued his  studies  throughout  one  winter  season.  He  early  became  familiar  with 
the  duties  and  labors  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist  through  the  assis- 
tance which  he  rendered  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm  and  after  his  father's 
death  took  charge  of  the  place,  devoting  his  time  and  energies  to  its  further 
cultivation  and  improvement  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  active  business 
career.  The  property  still  remains  in  his  possession  and  the  other  tract  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  which  he  owns  in  Lincoln  township  was  given  to  his 
wife  by  her  father.  His  place  is  lacking  in  none  of  the  conveniences  and  im- 
provements of  a  model  farm  of  the  twentieth  century  and  he  recently  erected 
thereon  a  fine  residence  and  substantial  barn.  It  was  in  1900  that  he  put  aside 
the  active  work  of  the  fields  and  took  up  his  abode  in  a  residence  which  he  pur- 
chased at  No.  1 102  West  Fourteenth  street  in  Davenport,  where  he  has  since 
lived  retired  in  the  enjoyment  of  well  earned  rest. 

On  the  8th  of  February,  1867,  Mr.  Priester  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Minnie  Hacker,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Mecklenburg,  Germany,  January  14, 


166  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

1849,  and  who  was  therefore  but  three  years  of  age  when  in  1852  she  was  brought 
to  the  United  States  by  her  parents,  Christopher  and  Fredericka  Hacker.    Af- 
ter landing  in  New  Orleans  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hacker  made  their  way  direct  to  this 
county,  locating  on  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  prairie  land  which 
the  former  purchased  in  Butler  township.     Subsequently  he  bought  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Lincoln  township,  where  he  made  his  home  for  a  great 
many  years,  meeting  with  a  gratifying  measure  of  success  in  his  farming  opera- 
tions.   His  demise  occurred  at  Eldridge  in  1908,  when  he  had  attained  the  age  of 
eighty-seven  years,  while  his  wife  passed  away  in  Davenport  in  1894  at  the  age 
of  seventy-four  years.     They  had  two  children  who  grew  to  maturity,  namely: 
Mrs.  Priester;  and  Fredericka,  the  wife  of  Emil  Rohlf,  of  Eldridge.    Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Priester  have  been  born  nine  children,  the  record  of  whom  is  as  fol- 
lows :  Laura  is  now  the  wife  of  Gustavus  Wellendorf  and  resides  in  Minnesota. 
Herman,  an  agriculturist  of. Sheridan  township,  wedded  Miss  Laura  Fellener,  by 
whom  he  has  two  children,  Herbert  and  Lillian.     Adolph,  living  in  Wisconsin, 
married  Miss  Sophia  Meier  and  has  one  son,  Arnold.    Louisa  gave  her  hand  in 
marriage  to  Henry  Fellener,  of  Sheridan  township,  and  is  now  the  mother  of 
four  children :   Fred,   Walter,   Harvey  and   Leila.     Matilda,   living  in   Lincoln 
township,  is  the  wife  of  Julius  Greenwald,  by  whom  she  has  three  children — El- 
mer, Linta  and  Eleanor.     Emil,  who  resides  on  the  old  home  farm  in  Lincoln 
township,  married  Miss  Louisa  Lepten,  by  whom  he  had  three  children,  namely: 
Wilma;  Altha,  deceased;  and  Elna.     Ferdinand,  whose  birth  occurred  on  the 
loth  of  July,  1880,  passed  away  December  19,  1902.    Alma  is  the  wife  of  August 
Rauch,  of  Davenport,  Iowa,  and  has  two  children.  Vera  and  Mervin.    Ella,  also 
living  in  Davenport,  is  the  wife  of  William  Claussen  and  has  one  child,  Evelyn. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Priester  is  a  stanch  democrat,  loyally  supporting 
the  men  and  measures  of  that  party.  He  has  held  the  office  of  township  trustee 
and  acted  as  school  treasurer  for  two  years,  while  for  nine  years  he  was  a  school 
director,  ever  proving  a  faithful  and  capable  public  official.  As  a  citizen  he  is 
public  spirited  to  an  eminent  degree,  deeply  interested  in  the  welfare  and  pros- 
perity of  the  county  in  which  he  has  now  resided  for  more  than  a  half  century. 
His  many  good  qualities  are  displayed  by  the  friendship  which  is  uniformly  ac- 
corded him  by  those  who  know  him. 


CLARENCE  C.  HETZEL,  M.  D. 

This  is  preeminently  an  age  of  specialization.  Comparatively  few  men  in  any 
profession  attempt  to  cover  the  entire  field  of  practice  but  give  their  attention 
to  a  particular  line,  thus  gaining  skill  and  ability  therein  that  could  not  be  acquired 
if  time  and  energy  had  to  be  divided  with  other  interests.  Dr.  Hetzel  has  in 
his  practice  made  a  specialty  of  diseases  of  the  eye,  ear,  nose  and  throat  and  his 
broad  study  and  comprehensive  understanding  have  gained  for  him  a  skill  that 
is  the  source  of  the  large  practice  that  is  accorded  him.  He  was  bom  in  Avoca, 
Iowa,  May  10,  1877.  His  father,  Fred  G.  Hetzel,  was  a  native  of  Wheeling,  West 
Virginia,  born  June  10,  1846.  When  a  boy  he  came  to  Davenport  with  his  father, 
Charles  Hetzel,  who  engaged  in  farming  on  Telegraph  road,  about  six  miles 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  167 

from  the  city,  and  there  reared  his  family.  He  brought  his  farm  into  a  good 
state  of  cultivation,  erected  thereon  a  substantial  residence  and  become  one  of 
the  prosperous  and  respected  citizens  of  the  community.  It  was  on  the  old 
homestead  there  that  Fred  G.  Hetzel  was  reared  and  after  attaining  his  majority 
he  turned  his  attention  to  the  grain  business.  In  1871  he  removed  to  Avoca, 
where  he  established  a  hardware  store  and  has  since  remained  a  successful  mer- 
chant in  that  place.  He  married  Miss  Belle  Boyd,  who  was  bom  at  Wilton,  Iowa, 
October  30,  1854,  and  their  family  numbers  five  children,  three  daughters  and 
two  sons. 

Clarence  C.  Hetzel,  the  second  in  order  of  birth,  pursued  his  education  through 
successive  grades  in  the  Avoca  schools  until  he  was  graduated  from  the  high 
school  in  1895,  while  later  he  entered  the  Iowa  State  University  and  completed 
the  medical  course  by  graduation  with  the  class  of  1903.  He  has  further  qualified 
for  his  chosen  profession  by  study  in  the  Polyclinic  and  in  Wills  Eye  Hospital  in 
Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  also  for  one  year  in  the  hospital  at  Iowa 
City,  where  he  added  to  his  theoretical  knowledge  the  broad  and  valuable  ex- 
perience of  hospital  practice.  He  established  his  office  in  Davenport  in  1904  and 
makes  a  specialty  of  diseases  of  the  eye,  ear,  nose  and  throat.  In  that  depart- 
ment he  is  thoroughly  qualified  and  his  reading  upon  the  subject  has  been  ex- 
tensive, bringing  him  broad  and  thorough  knowledge.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
American  Academy  of  Ophthalmology,  Otology  and  Laryngology.  He  also  be- 
longs to  the  County,  State  and  District  Medical  Societies. 

Dr.  Hetzel  was  married  July  27,  1907,  to  Miss  Alta  S.  Smith,  a  native  of  Har- 
lan, Iowa.  He  belongs  to  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  in 
all  social  relations  manifests  a  genial  spirit  and  unfeigned  cordiality.  In  his 
practice  he  holds  to  a  high  standard  of  professional  ethics  and  therefore  enjoys 
the  respect  of  his  brethren  of  the  medical  fraternity  as  well  as  of  the  general  public. 


MRS.  ELISE  OVERDIECK. 

Mrs.  Elise  Overdieck,  occupying  one  of  the  fine  residences  of  Davenport, 
has  been  a  resident  of  this  city  for  more  than  a  half  century,  living  on  the  site 
of  her  present  home  since  1854.  She  is  the  widow  of  Gustave  Overdieck,  who 
was  born  in  the  village  of  Preetz,  Holstein,  Germany,  January  18,  18 18.  His  par- 
ents, Ludarino  and  Dora  Overdieck,  spent  their  entire  lives  in  Germany,  the  father 
following  merchandising.  Gustave  Overdieck,  reared  in  his  native  land,  came 
to  the  United  States  in  1848,  when  about  thirty  years  of  age.  He  landed  at 
New  Orleans,  whence  he  made  his  way  northward  to  Davenport,  but,  purchas- 
ing a  small  tract  of  land  in  the  vicinity  of  the  city,  took  up  his  abode  there  and 
resided  thereon  until  1854.  In  that  year  he  purchased  an  acre  and  a  quarter  of 
land  in  the  city  and  built  thereon  a  house,  which  was  later  destroyed  by  fire.  He 
then  erected  the  present  fine  residence  occupied  by  his  widow.  His  death  oc- 
curred on  the  29th  of  March,  1877. 

Mr.  Overdieck  was  married  in  this  county  to  Miss  Elise  Anderson,  a  daughter 
of  D.  J.  and  Marie  Anderson,  who  came  to  Iowa  with  their  family  in  1848, 


168  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

having  previously  been  residents  of  Kiel,  Germany.  The  father  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Pleasant  Valley  township.  It  was  nicely 
improved  with  substantial  buildings  and  an  orchard  and  as  the  years  passed  Mr. 
Anderson  continued  to  devote  his  time  and  energies  to  the  further  development 
of  the  place.  He  only  Hved  for  a  short  time  after  his  arrival,  however,  nor  did 
his  wife  survive  for  very  long.  Their  daughter  Elise  was  born  on  the  i8th 
of  November,  1829,  and  it  was  in  the  spring  of  1851  that  she  gave  her  hand  in 
marriage  to  Mr.  Overdieck.  They  became  the  parents  of  five  children:  Harriet, 
at  home;  Frederick,  who  departed  this  life  in  1876;  Charlotte,  the  widow  of 
O.  S.  McNeil,  of  Davenport;  Ellen,  the  wife  of  L.  F.  Robinson,  of  Davenport, 
by  whom  she  has  a  daughter,  Amy;  and  Albert,  at  home.  Mrs.  Overdieck  is 
now  one  of  the  esteemed  old  ladies  of  Davenport,  having  passed  the  eightieth  mile- 
stone on  life's  journey  and  fifty-five  years  of  that  period  has  been  spent  as  a  resi- 
dent of  this  city,  while  for  sixty-one  years  she  has  lived  in  the  county.  She  is 
therefore  familiar  with  much  of  its  history  and  relates  many  interesting  inci- 
dents of  the  early  days  before  the  evidences  of  pioneer  life  had  been  entirely  re- 
placed by  the  improvements  of  a  modern  civilization. 


THIES  SINDT. 


After  a  career  characterized  by  industry  and  thrift  it  is  the  happy  lot  of 
Thies  Sindt,  one  of  Davenport's  retired  citizens  to  spend  the  evening  of  Hfe 
free  from  pecuniary  cares  and  removed  from  commercial  strivings,  amid  the 
comforts  and  refinements  of  an  attractive  home  which  his  former  efforts  have 
given  to  him.  Like  so  many  of  Scott  county's  adopted  citizens  he  is  a  native  of 
Hqlstein,  his  birth  having  occurred  there  November  19,  1824,  his  parents  being 
Hans  and  Anna  Sindt.  The  former,  a  timber  overseer,  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1854,  his  son  having  preceded  him  by  a  number  of  years,  but  he  was 
permitted  to  enjoy  his  new  home  only  for  the  short  period  of  four  years,  his 
death  occurring  in  1858. 

Thies  Sindt  obtained  his  education  in  the  public  schools  whose  excellence  so 
materially  adds  to  Germany's  high  standing  among  the  nations.  Then,  in  the 
custom  of  the  country,  he  set  about  him  to  learn  a  trade,  his  choice  falling  upon 
the  tinner's  trade.  When  a  little  past  his  majority  he  decided  to  cast  his  for- 
tunes on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  and  June  21,  1847,  he  arrived  in  New  Orleans, 
coming  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  Davenport.  Here  he  speedily  secured  work  in 
a  tinner's  shop  and  continued  to  follow  that  occupation  until  1854,  when  he  be- 
came a  landholder,  buying  an  eighty  acre  tract  in  Davenport  township.  No  easy 
lot  confronted  him  for  the  land  was  unbroken  prairie  and  it  was  necessary  to 
expend  great  labor  upon  it  before  it  could  be  brought  to  a  cultivable  condition. 
Nothing  daunted,  Mr.  Sindt  proceeded  to  do  this  and  in  the  following  year  built 
a  house  and  went  there  to  live.  As  opportunity  and  means  presented  he  bought 
more  land  and  now  owns  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Davenport  town- 
ship, two  hundred  acres  in  Benton  county,  Iowa,  and  six  hundred  and  forty  in 
Ida  county,  this  state,  these  making  him  one  of  Davenport's  extensive  property 


^ 


^  /?  c^<f 


/,-^^^^- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  171 

owners.  His  residence  on  his  Scott  county  farm  extended  over  nearly  half  a 
century,  in  which  time  he  witnessed  most  remarkable  changes  and  did  his  share 
toward  the  growth  and  progress. 

In  recognition  of  his  public  spirit  and  trustworthiness  Mr.  Sindt  was  made 
school  director  and  sei-ved  so  efficiently  that  he  held  the  office  for  twenty-five 
years.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors.  In  1900  he  con- 
cluded that  advanced  years  justified  his  giving  up  active  life  and  he  retired  and 
came  to  Davenport,  where  he  owns  a  fine  home  at  1506  South  street. 

In  February,  1850,  in  the  early  days  of  his  life  in  Davenport,  Mr.  Sindt  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Able  Stoltenberg,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hans 
Stoltenberg,  German  people,  who  were  among  Scott  county's  pioneer  settlers. 
Nine  children  were  born  to  this  union.  Henry,  deceased,  married  Trena  Horst 
and  was  the  father  of  three  children,  August,  Clara  and  Alma.  Minnie  is  at  home. 
William,  residing  in  Algona,  Iowa,  married  Ella  Bey  and  has  two  children, 
Nora  and  Elsie.  Theodore  married  Anna  Brauch  and  lives  in  Davenport.  He 
has  two  children,  Howard  and  Erwin.  Meta  is  at  home.  Herman  B.,  a  resident 
of  Walcott,  married  Anna  Wiese  and  has  a  family  of  five  children,  Hilda,  Velma, 
Norma,  Arnold  and  Alfred.  Lewis  E.  married  Mary  Soering  and  lives  on  the 
old  homestead.  Clara  C.  married  Henry  Arp,  of  Davenport.  The  youngest 
child  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Sindt  passed  to  her  reward  in  1872  at  the  age  of 
forty-eight  years. 

Mr.  Sindt's  interests  are  not  limited  to  the  supervision  of  his  property.  He  is 
a  stockholder  in  the  German  Savings  Bank  of  Davenport  and  the  Savings  Bank 
of  Walcott.  Socially  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Society  of  Old  German  Settlers. 
His  long  life  has  been  its  own  reward,  for  now  wearing  his  years  with  ease  and 
dignity,  he  has  time  and  means  to  spend  his  remaining  days  in  the  cultivation 
of  the  finer  things  of  life  and  in  the  society  of  children,  grandchildren  and  the 
friends,  of  whom  he  possesses  fully  his  share. 


PRESLEY  B.  NEBERGALL. 

That  the  life  history  of  Presley  B.  Nebergall  is  the  record  of  success  is  due 
to  the  persistent  effort  and  intelligently  directed  industry  which  he  displayed 
through  the  many  years  of  his  connection  with  agricultural  interests  in  Scott 
county.  He  was  born  in  West  Virginia,  in  1834,  and  pursued  his  education  in  his 
native  state.  In  1854,  when  a  young  man  of  twenty  years,  he  came  to  Scott  county 
with  his  father,  Jacob  Nebergall,  who  settled  in  Blue  Grass  township,  where  he 
purchased  a  partially  improved  farm.  Later  he  bought  more  land  at  dififerent  times 
and  improved  his  acreage,  devoting  his  remaining  days  to  general  agricultural 
pursuits. 

After  coming  to  Iowa,  Presley  B.  Nebergall  lived  with  his  parents  on  the  home 
farm  and  assisted  his  father  in  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of  the  fields  until 
his  marriage,  which  was  celebrated  on  the  27th  of  January,  1859.  On  that  date  he 
wedded  Miss  Felicity  B.  Van  Bibber,  who  was  also  a  native  of  West  Virginia. 
They  began  their  domestic  life  on  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  near 


172  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

the  home  of  his  father  and  there  Mr.  Nebergall  continued  to  cultivate  his  fields  until 
his  Hf  e's  labors  were  ended  in  death  on  the  22d  of  September,  1878.  He  was  dili- 
gent and  persevering  and,  working  on  persistently  year  by  year,  he  won  that 
measure  of  prosperity  which  always  crowns  earnest  and  indefatigable  effort. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nebergall  were  born  six  children,  but  one  son,  George,  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years.  The  others  are:  J.  F.  and  Jacob  A.,  both  of 
whom  are  now  residents  of  Davenport ;  Mrs.  Eugenia  Whittaker,  who  is  living  in 
Grinnell,  Iowa ;  Edward  Lee ;  and  Mrs.  Grace  Porter,  whose  home  is  in  Canada. 
There  are  also  twelve  grandchildren  in  the  family. 

When  Mr.  Nebergall  purchased  the  home  farm  he  paid  thirty-five  dollars 
per  acre  for  it,  but  with  the  settlement  of  the  county  and  owing  to  the  improve- 
ments placed  upon  the  farm  its  value  increased  until  Mrs.  Nebergall  sold  it  some 
years  after  her  husband's  death  for  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  per  acre. 
Following  her  husband's  demise  she  resided  thereon  for  fifteen  years,  or  until 
1893,  when  she  removed  to  this  city  and  purchased  a  tract  of  land  within  the  city 
limits  upon  which  she  has  since  made  her  home.  It  was  at  that  time  that  she  dis- 
posed of  her  farm,  obtaining  therefor  a  substantial  price  which  places  her  in  com- 
fortable financial  circumstances. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Nebergall  was  a  stalwart  democrat,  believing  that  the 
adoption  of  the  principles  of  that  party  would  best  conserve  the  interests  of  good 
governmeot.  He  served  as  president  of  the  school  board  in  his  township  and  was  a 
stanch  champion  of  the  cause  of  public  education.  He  held  membership  in  the  Bap- 
tist church,  in  which  he  was  a  deacon,  and  at  all  times  was  a  public-spirited  man, 
active  in  support  of  measures  that  contributed  to  the  social,  educational  and  moral 
progress  of  the  community.  All  who  knew  him  respected  him  for  his  sterling 
worth  and  he  left  to  his  family  the  priceless  heritage  of  an  untarnished  name. 


JOHN  H.  J.  HAMANN. 

John  H.  J.  Hamann,  who  has  lived  retired  in  Davenport  since  1896,  was 
formerly  actively  and  successfully  identified  with  agricultural  interests  and  is  still 
the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Sheridan  township. 
His  birth  occurred  in  Schleswig,  Germany,  on  the  5th  of  October,  1824,  his  parents 
being  Hans  D.  and  Ida  E.  Hamann,  who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  the  fatherland. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land  and  after  putting  aside 
his  text-books  began  farming  in  association  with  his  father.  During  the  Schles- 
wig-Holstein  wars,  from  1848  until  1850,  he  served  as  a  teamster.  In  1857,  when 
a  young  man  of  thirty-three  years,  he  determined  to  establish  his  home  in  the  new 
world  and  set  sail  for  the  United  States,  landing  at  New  York.  His  brother, 
Hans  Hamann,  who  had  emigrated  to  this  country  about  1848,  was  living  in  Dav- 
enport and  this  fact  induced  our  subject  to  come  direct  to  Iowa.  He  immediately 
went  to  work  for  his  brother  on  a  farm  in  Davenport  township  and  for  a  time 
was  busily  employed  as  a  farm  hand,  being  engaged  in  threshing,  etc.  Subse- 
quently he  rented  a  tract  of  land  in  Davenport  township  from  his  brother,  making 
his  home  thereon  for  six  years,  while  during  the  following  eleven  years  he  devoted 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  173 

his  time  and  energies  to  the  cultivation  of  a  rented  farm  in  Sheridan  township. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  had  accumulated  sufficient  capital  to  enable  him 
to  buy  land  of  his  own  and  in  1875  he  came  into  possession  of  an  adjoining 
farm  of  160  acres,  taking  up  his  abode  thereon.  As  there  were  only  a  few 
improvements  on  the  property,  he  erected  a  house,  barns,  etc.,  and  soon  the 
place  was  lacking  in  none  of  the  equipments  and  conveniences  of  a  model  farm  of 
the  twentieth  century.  He  won  a  gratifying  measure  of  success  in  the  conduct  of 
his  agricultural  interests  and  was  actively  engaged  in  the  work  of  the  fields  until 
1896,  when  he  removed  to  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  lived  retired.  For 
about  fifteen  years  he  served  as  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Farmers'  Insurance 
Company. 

On  the  17th  of  April,  1857,  just  prior  to  his  emigration  to  America,  Mr. 
Hamann  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Louisa  H.  Grimm,  who  was  born  on 
the  22d  of  January,  1828,  her  parents  being  Hans  and  Carolina  A.  Grimm.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hamann  were  born  seven  children.  John  A.,  residing  in  Daven- 
port, wedded  Miss  Carolina  Wors,  by  whom  he  has  a  daughter,  Hilda.  Lewis 
C,  who  makes  his  home  in  Lyon  county,  married  Miss  Lena  Roheff  and  has  four 
children:  Clara,  Grover,  Herbert  and  Ella.  Alvina  C,  who  gave  her  hand  in 
marriage  to  Hugo  Kuehl,  of  Eldridge,  is  now  the  mother  of  four  children :  Emil, 
Hugo,  Adelia  and  Alma.  Adelia  wedded  Otto  Dehn,  of  Lyon  county,  and  also 
has  four  children,  namely:  Lewis,  Mello,  Herbert  and  Alma.  Henry,  who  re- 
sides on  the  old  homestead  farm  in  Sheridan  township,  married  Miss  Anna  Hintz, 
by  whom  he  has  six  children — Alma,  Cynthia,  Elva,  Maletto,  Cora  and  Blanche. 
Louisa  and  Meta  Hamann  have  both  passed  away. 

Since  becoming  a  naturalized  American  citizen  Mr.  Hamann  has  given  his 
political  allegiance  to  the  republican  party  and  his  fellow  townsmen,  recognizing 
his  worth  and  ability,  have, called  him  to  several  positions  of  public  trust,  includ- 
ing those  of  school  director  and  road  supervisor.  He  has  long  been  a  prominent 
member  of  the  German  Pioneers'  association  of  Scott  county  and  has  recently 
been  honored  with  its  presidency.  The  period  of  his  residence  in  this  county 
covers  more  than  a  half  century  and  he  is  widely  recognized  as  one  of  its  most, 
respected  and  venerable  citizens,  having  now  passed  the  eighty-fifth  milestone; 
on  life's  journey.  He  is  numbered  among  those  who  left  the  fatherland  to 
identify  themselves  with  American  life  and  institutions,  who  have  pushed  their 
way  to  the  front  and  who  are  a  credit  alike  to  the  land  of  their  birth  and  that 
of  their  adoption. 


WILLIAM  STEWARD. 


William  Steward,  a  retired  farmer  living  at  No.  1405  LeClaire  street  in 
Davenport,  has  been  enjoying  well  earned  rest  since  the  spring  of  1889,  but  for 
many  years  previously  was  actively  engaged  in  general  agricultural  pursuits  and 
at  one  time  owned  480  acres  of  rich  and  productive  land  in  Aliens  Grove  town- 
ship. His  birth  occurred  in  County  Norfolk,  England,  on  December  i,  1827, 
his  parents  being  James  and  Frances  (Green)  Steward.    The  father,  a  farmer 


174  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

and  horse  trader,  died  when  his  son  William  was  but  four  years  of  age.  The 
mother's  demise  occurred  in  Scott  county,  Iowa,  and  her  remains  were  interred 
at  Aliens  Grove. 

William  Steward  attended  a  private  school  in  England  until  thirteen  years 
of  age  and  after  putting  aside  his  text-books  learned  the  trade  of  wagon  making. 
In  the  fall  of  1850,  when  a  young  man  of  about  twenty-three  years,  he  crossed 
the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States  in  company  with  his  mother  and  wife,  having 
been  married  three  weeks  previously.  They  reached  New  York  about  November 
20th  with  one  shilling  in  cash,  two  good  watches,  and  some  silver  spoons,  which 
they  sold  in  order  to  obtain  sufficient  money  to  take  them  to  Rochester.  There 
Mr.  Steward  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade  for  six  years,  on  the  expiration  of 
which  period  he  came  to  this  county,  reaching  Davenport  in  the  fall  of  1857. 
Here  he  was  employed  as  a  carpenter  by  Thomas  McClellan,  his  first  work 
being  in  connection  with  the  construction  of  what  is  now  the  First  National 
Bank.  He  followed  that  trade  until  i860,  and  his  last  work  as  a  carpenter  was 
on  the  county  poorhouse  in  the  employ  of  John  Hornby.  In  i860  he  rented  a 
tract  of  prairie  land  in  Aliens  Grove  township  where  the  town  of  Donahue 
now  stands,  and  all  that  he  possessed  on  starting  out  as  a  farmer  was  a  good 
team.  The  man  who  owned  the  property  built  a  house  thereon  and  for  four 
years  Mr.  Steward  leased  the  place,  which  embraced  a  quarter  section  of  land. 
About  1868  he  bought  the  farm  and  as  his  financial  resources  increased  he 
extended  its  boundaries  by  additional  purchases  from  time  to  time  until  he 
owned  480  acres  of  land.  He  successfully  carried  on  his  agricultural  interests 
there  for  a  period  of  twenty-nine  years,  or  until  the  spring  of  1889,  when,  having 
accumulated  a  handsome  competence  by  reason  of  his  well  directed  labor  and 
good  management,  he  put  aside  the  work  of  the  fields  and  has  since  lived  retired 
in  Davenport. 

On  the  26th  of  September,  1850,  Mr.  Steward  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Sarah  Taylor,  a  daughter  of  George  Taylor,  who  spent  his  entire  life  in 
England.  They  became  the  parents  of  seven  children,  namely:  Sarah,  who 
wedded  George  Dayton,  of  Clinton,  Iowa,  and  has  three  sons — William,  John  and 
George;  Elizabeth,  who  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Jeremiah  Binford,  of  Min- 
nesota, and  now  has  four  children — ^Edna,  George,  Harry  and  Frank;  Fannie, 
who  wedded  John  Madden  and  who  is  now  deceased,  as  is  also  her  husband; 
George,  who  has  likewise  passed  away  and  who  had  four  children  by  his  marriage 
to  Martha  Mickelwright ;  Christopher,  residing  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  who 
married  Miss  Ethel  Foster ;  Charles,  who  lives  on  the  old  home  place  and  wed- 
ded Miss  Naomi  Snyder,  by  whom  he  has  five  children ;  and  John  T.,  who  died 
when  about  a  year  old.  The  wife  and  mother  passed  away  on  December  29, 
1901,  when  sixty-nine  years  of  age,  her  birth  having  occurred  May  3,  1832. 
On  September  9,  1903,  Mr.  Steward  was  again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with  Mrs.  Delilah  Burch,  the  widow  of  Henry  Burch. 

Mr.  Steward  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  republican  party  and  during 
almost  the  entire  period  of  his  residence  in  Aliens  Grove  township  he  served  as 
either  road  supervisor  or  school  director,  discharging  his  official  duties  in  a  prompt 
and  capable  manner.  His  religious  faith  is  indicated  by  his  membership  in 
the  Congregational  church,  in  which  he  is  serving  as  a  deacon.     He  joined  the 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  175 

Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  at  Dixon  in  1873,  now  belongs  to  lodge  No. 
321  at  Davenport  and  has  held  all  the  offices.  He  has  now  passed  the  eighty- 
second  milestone  on  life's  journey,  and  for  more  than  a  half  century  has  made 
his  home  within  the  borders  of  Scott  county.  Coming  to  America  in  early  man- 
hood empty  handed  and  unknown,  he  faced  conditions  which  would  dishearten 
many  a  man  of  less  resolute  and  determined  spirit.  However,  he  possessed 
heroic  qualities  in  his  determination  to  win  success  and  as  the  years  have  gone 
by  he  has  not  only  carved  out  a  comfortable  fortune  for  himself,  but  has  also 
made  an  honored  name,  his  record  winning  for  him  the  confidence,  good  will 
and  admiration  of  those  who  know  him. 


WILLIAM  THEOPHILUS. 

William  Theophilus,  counselor  at  law  of  Davenport,  was  born  at  Troedyrhiw, 
in  the  parish  of  Llansadwrn,  Carmarthenshire,  Wales,  August  6,  1858,  and  is  a 
son  of  Daniel  and  Margaret  Theophilus.  His  maternal  grandmother  was  a  Wil- 
liams, born  in  the  same  village  as  Roger  Williams,  the  American  champion  of 
religious  liberty,  and  came  of  the  same  ancestry. 

William  Theophilus  began  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land,  but 
in  his  youthful  days  left  the  little  rock-ribbed  country  of  Wales  and  came  to  the 
new  world  with  his  parents  in  1868.  The  family  home  was  established  on  a  farm 
near  Lime  Spring,  in  Howard  county,  Iowa,  and  there  he  resumed  his  inter- 
rupted education.  For  twenty  years  he  resided  there,  his  time  being  given  to 
study  and  teaching,  following  the  latter  profession  for  a  number  of  terms.  He 
received  little  assistance  but  laudable  ambition  prompted  him  to  put  forth  his 
efforts  along  lines  demanding  intellectual  strength  and  activity,  and  the  wise 
use  of  his  opportunities  has  brought  him  to  the  creditable  position  which  he  now 
occupied  as  one  of  the  leading  counselors  at  law  at  the  Davenport  bar.  After 
teaching  for  some  time  in  his  early  manhood,  he  was  elected  clerk  of  the  courts 
of  Howard  county  in  1882  and  was  reelected  in  1884,  serving  until  January,  1887. 
During  that  period  he  devoted  the  hours  which  are  usually  termed  leisure  to  the 
study  of  law,  becoming  versed  in  its  principles  and  practice.  Through  these 
years  his  work  and  worth  were  leaving  their  impress  upon  the  public  notice  and 
his  fellow  townsmen  manifested  appreciation  of  his  value  as  a  citizen  in  electing 
him  to  the  state  legislature  in  1887,  so  that  he  served  in  the  twenty-second  gen- 
eral assembly.  The  previous  year  he  had  been  the  democratic  candidate  for 
clerk  of  the  supreme  court  and,  although  defeated,  ran  considerably  ahead  of  his 
ticket.  After  serving  for  about  a  term  in  the  legislature,  he  resigned  in  1889 
and  removed  to  Arkansas  City,  Kansas,  where  he  entered  upon  the  practice  of 
law,  being  there  admitted  to  the  bar.  He  remained  an  active  member  of  the 
profession  in  that  place  for  nearly  five  years  and  there  became  acquainted  with 
George  W.  Scott — the  beginning  of  a  friendship  which  has  outlasted  all  changes 
since.  He  was  elected  city  attorney  of  Arkansas  City  at  the  time  when  im- 
portant litigation  was  pending  concerning  the  issuance  of  city  bonds  for  water- 
works and  railways.     These  cases  were  tried  in  the  federal  courts  and  in  their 


176  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

conduct  he  established  a  reputation  for  energy,  skill  and  knowledge  of  the  law, 
which  the  intervening  years  have  but  solidified. 

Mr.  Theophilus  became  a  resident  of  Davenport  in  May,  1894,  and  was  here 
joined  the  following  year  by  Mr.  Scott,  at  which  time  the  firm  of  Scott  &  The- 
ophilus was  formed,  the  association  being  maintained  until  Mr.  Scott's  election  to 
the  office  of  city  attorney  in  1898.  Mr.  Theophilus,  also  taking  prominent  part 
in  political  work,  was  elected  to  the  Iowa  legislature  in  1899  and  during  his  term 
of  office  gave  careful  consideration  to  the  questions  which  came  up  for  settle- 
ment in  the  twenty-eighth  general  assembly  and  stanchly  advocated  those  which 
he  believed  to  be  for  the  benefit  of  the  commonwealth.  Retiring  from  his  posi- 
tion of  legislator,  he  resumed  the  active  practice  of  law,  remaining  alone  until 
1905,  when  he  entered  into  partnership  with  George  W.  Scott  and  Benjamin  I. 
Salinger,  under  the  firm  style  of  Salinger,  Scott  &  Theophilus.  Since  May,  1909, 
he  has  been  practicing  alone.  One  of  the  local  newspapers  has  said  of  him: 
"Mr.  Theophilus  is  by  nature  thoughtful,  methodical,  exact  and  technical,  a  con- 
struer  of  the  law  and  a  constructive  attorney,  loving  rather  the  advisory  and 
counseling  work  of  the  office,  land  title,  estates  and  corporation  law  than  tljp 
court  procedure.  He  is  the  counselor  of  many  prominent  business  men  and  cor- 
porations and  has  made  for  himself  an  enviable  position  at  the  Davenport  bar." 

In  1888  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Theophilus  and  Miss  Minnie 
Agnes  Thompson,  of  Le  Roy,  Minnesota.  Their  social  acquaintance  is  large  and 
embraces  many  of  the  most  prominent  people  of  the  state.  Mr.  Theophilus  finds 
his  chief  recreation  in  the  meetings  of  the  Davenport  Whist  Club  and  also  be- 
longs to  the  Outing  and  Commercial  Clubs.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with 
the  Masons,  the  Elks  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  His  standing  in  the  profes- 
sion is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  has  been  honored  with  the  presidency  of  the 
Scott  County  Bar  Association,  being  its  chief  official  at  the  present  time.  As  a 
lawyer  he  perhaps  possesses  none  of  those  dazzling  meteoric  qualities  which  have 
often  riveted  the  attention  of  the  public  for  a  moment,  but  there  is  in  his  work 
a  substantiality  which  produces  continuity  of  success  and  awakens  attention  by 
its  quiet  forcefulness. 


M.  F.  ROHLFF. 


M.  Frederick  Rohlff,  who  has  lived  retired  in  Davenport  since  1904,  was  for 
many  years  numbered  among  the  active  and  successful  agriculturists  of  Scott 
county  and  is  still  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  ninety  acres  of  valuable  land 
in  Sheridan  township  as  well  as  a  tract  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in 
Lyon  county,  this  state.  He  is  one  of  the  worthy  pioneer  settlers  of  this  county, 
having  continuously  made  his  home  here  since  1855,  and  is  now  the  president  of 
the  German  Pioneers  Society.  His  birth  occurred  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the 
1st  of  September,  1829,  his  parents  being  Asmus  and  Anna  (Litchie)  Rohlil, 
who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  the  fatherland.  Their  children  were  six  in  num- 
ber, namely :  Christ  and  Henry,  both  of  whom  passed  away  in  Germany ;  M.  F., 
of  this  review ;  John,  whose  demise  also  occurred  in  Germany ;  Asmus,  who  died 


„^s%.wi^^^% 


/* 


.//  '^  .^'cA/// 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  179 

in  this  country ;  and  James,  who  was  called  to  his  final  rest  while  still  a  resident 
of  the  fatherland. 

M.  F.  Rohlff  attended  the  schools  of  his  native  land  in  pursuit  of  an  educa- 
tion. From  1848  until  1850  he  participated  in  the  Schleswig-Holstein  wars,  hold- 
ing the  rank  of  sergeant.  In  1855,  when  a  young  man  of  twenty-six  years,  he 
determined  to  establish  his  home  in  the  United  States  and  set  sail  for  the  new 
world,  eventually  landing  at  New  York.  Thence  he  made  his  way  direct  to 
Davenport,  Iowa,  and  here  secured  employment  as  a  farm  laborer,  being  thus 
engaged  for  about  a  year.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  in  1857,  he  was 
married  and  began  the  operation  of  a  rented  tract  of  land,  giving  his  attention  to 
its  cultivation  for  two  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  purchased  eighty  acres 
of  partly  improved  land  in  Sheridan  township  and  took  up  his  abode  in  a  small 
house  which  stood  upon  the  place.  As  time  passed  by  he  brought  the  property 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  improvement  and  also  replaced  the  original 
dwelling  by  a  commodious  and  substantial  residence.  He  likewise  added  to  his 
landed  holdings  as  his  financial  resources  increased  and  successfully  carried 
on  his  agricultural  interests  until  1904,  when  he  put  aside  the  active  work  of  the 
fields  and  bought  property  in  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  lived  retired.  He 
now  leases  his  fine  farm  of  two  hundred  and  ninety  acres  in  Sheridan  township, 
and  is  also  the  owner  of  a  half  section  of  land  in  Lyon  county.  While  living  in 
Sheridan  township  he  acted  as  agent  for  the  German  Fire  Insurance  Company 
for  about  twenty-five  years. 

On  the  1 2th  of  April,  1857,  Mr.  Rohlfif  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ber- 
tha Schneckloth,  who  was  about  ten  years  old  when  she  came  from  Germany 
to  this  country  with  her  parents,  Hans  and  Celia  Schneckloth,  who  located  upon 
the  farm  in  Sheridan  township  which  later  became  the  homestead  place  of  our 
subject.  Hans  Schneckloth  lived  thereon  until  called  to  his  final  rest  at  the 
age  of  ninety-three  years,  and  his  wife  was  eighty-two  years  old  when  she  passed 
away.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rohlff  have  become  the  parents  of  eight  children,  the  record 
of  whom  is  as  follows :  Anna,  the  eldest,  is  now  the  wife  of  William  Halle,  of 
Davenport,  and  has  four  children:  Julius,  Ida,  Hattie  and  Norma.  Lena,  the 
wife  of  Louis  Harmon,  of  Lyon  county,  Iowa,  is  now  the  mother  of  four  chil- 
dren :  Clara,  Grover,  Ella  and  Harvey.  John,  who  is  a  resident  of  Lyon  county, 
wedded  Miss  Dora  Heintz,  by  whom  he  has  five  children:  Minnie,  Richard, 
Edna,  Dora  and  Alma.  Clara  Rohlff,  the  next  in  order  of  birth,  is  at  home.  Hu- 
ger  married  Miss  Clara  Palmer  and  has  two  children,  Arnold  and  Linda.  Richer 
lives  in  Lyon  county.  Alfred  is  still  under  the  parental  roof.  Herman  who  is 
engaged  in  the  hardware  business  with  his  brother  Huger,  wedded  Miss 
Clara  Willie  and  has  two  children,  Wilbur  and  Bernice.  In  1907,  at  the 
Turner  Hall  in  Davenport,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  M.  F.  Rohlfif  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Claus 
Schneckloth  celebrated  their  golden  wedding  and  on  this  happy  occasion  were 
gathered  together  all  of  their  children  and  grandchildren  as  well  as  many  promi- 
nent German-American  residents  of  Scott  county.  After  the  supper  had  been 
served  a  dance  was  held  and  the  occasion  proved  a  very  merry  one. 

Mr.  Rohlff  exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  measures 
of  the  republican  party  and  has  ably  served  his  fellow  townsmen  in  the  capacity 
of  road  supervisor.    He  is  a  member  of  the  Schleswig-Holstein  Society  of  Scott 


180  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

county.  Except  for  the  aid  of  his  estimable  wife,  he  owes  his  present  splendid 
prosperity  entirely  to  his  untiring  perseverance  and  excellent  business  manage- 
ment, for  when  he  came  to  the  United  States  he  was  empty-handed  and  has  since 
achieved  the  success  which  entitles  him  to  a  prominent  place  in  the  history  of  the 
representative  and  enterprising  residents  of  this  county. 


MAJOR  MORTON  L.  MARIAS. 

Major  Morton  L.  Marks,  whose  title  is  indicative  of  faithful  and  long  con- 
tinued service  in  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil  war,  has  for  more  than  four 
decades  been  a  representative  of  commercial  life  in  Davenport.  A  progressive 
spirit  has  always  been  tempered  by  a  safe  conservatism,  and  evenly  balanced 
judgment  has  constituted  the  forceful  element  in  the  success  which  has  made 
him  one  of  the  leading  wholesale  merchants  of  the  city.  He  was  born  on  a  farm 
in  New  York,  his  parents  being  Enoch  and  Margaret  (Welton)  Marks.  His 
ancestral  history  is  one  of  early  connection  with  the  settlement  of  Connec- 
ticut. It  was  in  that  state  that  his  grandfather  followed  farming  in  the  vicinity 
of  Burlington.  Enoch  Marks  was  born  in  Connecticut  in  1803,  was  reared  to 
agricultural  pursuits  arid  subsequently  removed  to  New  York,  where  he  carried 
on  farming,  while  later  he  engaged  in  the  real-estate  business  in  Chicago,  making 
his  home  in  the  suburb  of  Oak  Park.  While  there  he  made  some  very  profitable 
investments  in  real  estate.  He  afterward  came  to  Davenport,  where  he  lived 
retired,  passing  away  in  this  city  at  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-three  years. 

Major  Marks  was  a  Httle  lad  of  four  years  when  the  family  removed  to  Cam- 
illus.  New  York,  and  his  early  education,  which  was  there  acquired,  was  com- 
pleted in  the  high  school  at  Syracuse,  New  York.  He  afterward  came  to  the 
middle  west  and  lived  with  a  brother  on  a  farm  near  La  Salle,  Illinois.  He  after- 
ward engaged  in  teaching  school  for  about  three  years  in  Mount  Carmel,  after 
which  he  took  up  the  study  of  law,  devoting  about  a  year  to  his  reading.  The 
outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  however,  caused  him  to  put  aside  all  business  and 
personal  interests  that  he  might  defend  the  Union  cause  and,  enlisting  in  the 
One  Hundred  and  Twenty-second  New  York  Volunteer  Infantry  as  a  private, 
he  went  to  the  front.  He  was  chosen  by  his  company  for  the  position  of  first 
lieutenant  and  was  afterward  promoted  to  the  captaincy  of  Company  B.  Later 
he  was  transferred  to  Company  H  as  its  captain  and  he  now  has  his  three  com- 
missions. At  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  brevetted  major  in  honor  of  his  gal- 
lant and  meritorious  service.  During  most  of  the  time  he  was  on  active  duty  with 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  served  with  distinction,  participating  in  various 
important  battles,  including  the  engagements  at  Antietam,  Fredericksburg  and 
Gettysburg.  In  the  winter  of  1863-4  he  was  in  Sandusky,  Ohio,  where  his 
regiment  guarded  rebel  prisoners.  While  there  he  became  ill  but  as  soon  as 
possible  again  went  south,  rejoining  his  regiment  just  after  the  Battle  of  the 
Wilderness.  He  then  participated  in  the  engagements  at  Culpeper  Court  House, 
Cold  Harbor  and  Petersburg.  When  General  Early  was  making  his  dash  through 
the  Shenandoah  valley.  Major  Marks'  regiment  was  sent  back  and  met  the  enemy 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  181 

at  Fort  Steven,  repulsing  the  Confederate  forces.  They  then  proceeded  south- 
ward as  far  as  Harper's  Ferry  and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Winchester.  Major 
Marks  was  in  command  of  his  company  at  that  battle  and  during  a  charge  was 
wounded  and  was  in  the  hospital  for  about  thirty  days.  On  the  expiration  of 
that  period  he  rejoined  his  regiment,  which  took  part  in  the  fight  at  Cedar  Creek 
and  later  returned  to  Washington,  where  the  winter  was  spent.  Later  Major 
Marks  joined  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  with  which  he  remained  until  the  close 
of  the  war.  His  regiment  then  went  to  Danville,  Kentucky,  where  he  served  as 
provost  marshal.  Subsequently  he  returned  to  Washington,  where  he  was  hon- 
orably discharged.  He  has  always  maintained  pleasant  relations  with  his  com- 
rades who  wore  the  blue  through  his  membership  in  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic  and  in  the  Loyal  Legion  and  he  has  served  as  quartermaster  commander 
of  the  post  in  this  city. 

Removing  to  Davenport,  Major  Marks  bought  out  the  senior  partner  in  Al- 
bert &  Van  Patten's  Grocery  Company  in  the  year  1867.  He  organized  the  pres- 
ent wholesale  grocery  company  in  1903,  became  its  president  and  in  its  manage- 
ment has  met  with  excellent  success,  extending  its  trade  interests  to  embrace  a 
wide  territory.  Its  sales  annually  reach  a  large  figure  and  the  policy  of  the 
house  is  such  as  to  commend  it  to  the  confidence  and  support  of  all. 

On  the  20th  of  January,  1869,  Major  Marks  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Helen  Sanders,  of  Yonkers,  New  York,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  P.  Sanders,  who 
was  one  of  the  distinguished  members  of  the  Odd  Fellows  society  in  the  east, 
attending  all  the  annual  meetings  for  fifty  consecutive  years.  His  wife,  who 
bore  the  maiden  name  of  Elvira  Ferguson,  is  still  Hving  in  New  York,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-eight  years.  Unto  Major  and  Mrs.  Marks  were  born  four  children: 
Margaret  and  James,  now  deceased;  Lewis  M.,  who  married  Georgia  White  and 
has  three  children,  Margaret,  Morton  and  George;  and  Charles  R.,  of  the  Se- 
curity Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Davenport,  who  married  Lola  Fisher. 

Since  coming  to  Davenport  in  1867,  Mr.  Marks  has  been  closely  identified 
with  the  business  interests  of  the  city  and  in  public  affairs  has  wielded  a  wide 
influence,  his  support  always  being  cast  on  the  side  of  progress,  reform  and 
improvement.  He  is  not  only  most  practical  in  private  business  interests  'but  in 
all  of  his  relations  to  the  public  and  has  therefore  done  good  service  for  the 
upbuilding  and  progress  of  the  city.  Honored  and  respected  by  all,  there  is  no 
man  who  occupies  a  more  enviable  position  in  commercial  and  financial  circles 
in  Davenport  than  Major  Morton  L.  Marks. 


ADOLPH  W.  HOLLAND. 

Adolph  W.  Holland,  a  retired  agriculturist  of  Davenport,  where  he  has  made 
his  home  for  the  past  seven  years,  is  still  the  owner  of  a  well-improved  and  valuable 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  acres  in  Winfield  township  and  also  has  ten 
acres  of  land  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  as  well  as  some  town  property.  His  birth 
occurred  in  Mecklenburg-Schwerin,  Germany,  on  the  28th  of  August,  1842,  his 
parents  being  Adolph  and  Carolina  Holland.    The  father  was  a  furniture  maker 


182  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

in  that  country  .  Having  determined  to  bring  his  family  to  the  new  world,  he  took 
passage  on  a  vessel  at  Hamburg,  which  reached  New  York  on  the  3d  of  August, 
1 85 1,  after  an  ocean  voyage  of  seven  weeks.  It  was  on  the  20th  of  that  month 
that  he  arrived  in  Scott  county,  Iowa,  and  here  he  purchased  and  located  upon 
a  partly  improved  farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  acres  in  Winfield  town- 
ship, being  actively  engaged  in  its  further  cultivation  and  development  until  the 
time  of  his  retirement  in  1882.  His  remaining  days  were  spent  in  Davenport, 
where  he  passed  away  on  the  29th  of  October,  1888,  when  seventy-eight  years 
of  age.  His  wife,  whose  birth  occurred  in  1818,  was  called  to  her  final  rest  in 
1874.  Unto  this  worthy  couple  were  born  two  children,  namely:  Henry,  who 
passed  away  in  1903 ;  and  Adolph  W.,  of  this  review. 

The  last  named  attended  the  schools  of  his  native  land  until  nine  years  of  age 
and  after  coming  to  this  country  continued  his  studies  in  Scott  county  for  a  year 
and  a  half.  After  putting  aside  his  text-books  he  turned  his  attention  to  general 
agricultural  pursuits  and  the  work  of  the  fields  claimed  his  attention  throughout, 
his  entire  business  career.  Subsequent  to  his  marriage  he  rented  his  father's  place 
in  Winfield  township,  and,  inheriting  the  property  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death, 
there  carried  on  his  farming  interests  continuously  and  successfully  until  1903, 
when  he  retired  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport.  As  the  years  passed  he  placed 
many  substantial  improvements  on  the  farm  and  it  is  now  a  highly  developed  and 
valuable  property,  comprising  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  acres  of  land  in  Winfield 
township.  His  is  likewise  the  owner  of  a  tract  of  ten  acres  in  Aliens  Grove 
township  and  also  has  some  town  property.  Through  the  careful  conduct  of  his 
agricultural  interests  he  won  the  competence  that  now  enables  him  to  live  retired 
and  he  has  long  been  numbered  among  the  substantial,  respected  and  representa- 
tive citizens  of  this  county. 

On  the  25th  of  February,  1868,  Mr.  Holland  was  imited  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Margaret  Helkenn,  who  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  6th  of  September, 
1849,  her  parents  being  Henry  and  Magdalene  (Rush)  Helkenn.  The  father,  who 
served  in  the  Schleswig-Holstein  wars  from  1848  until  1850,  brought  his  family  to 
the  United  States  in  1858  and  at  once  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa.  Two  years  later 
he  purchased  a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres  in  Sheridan  township  and  forty  acres 
of  timber  land  in  Winfield  township  and  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life  de- 
voted his  energies  to  agricultural  pursuits.  His  demise  occurred  on  the  9th  of 
September,  1909,  when  he  had  attained  the  venerable  age  of  eighty-eight, years 
and  ten  days.  His  wife,  who  was  a  sister  of  Lieutenant  Governor  Rush  of  Iowa, 
passed  away  in  1892  when  sixty-eight  years  of  age.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Holland  are 
the  parents  of  twelve  children. 

Carolina,  who  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Henry  Rheimers,  of  Long  Grove, 
is/now  the  mother  of  eight  children,  namely:  Effie,  Louisa,  Rudolph,  Rosie,  Henry, 
Laura,  Adolph  and  Harry.  Ella,  residing  in  Davenport,  is  the  wife  of  Henry 
Reichter,  by  whom  she  has  four  children,  as  follows :  Rosie,  .who  is  the  wife  of 
Oliver  Sampson  and  has  one  child,  William;  Margaret;  Henry;  and  Adolph. 
Adolph,  who  wedded  Miss  Clara  Nutting,  makes  his  home  in  Davenport,  Iowa. 
Amelia  is  the  wife  of  Claus  Hanson,  of  Long  Grove,  and  has  four  chil- 
dren :  Adolph,  Edna,  Nonie  and  Lester.  Laura,  who  is  the  wife  of  Henry 
F.  Dorman,  of  Big  Rock,  Scott  county,  likewise  has  four  children,  as  follows: 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  183 

Emma,  Martha,  Albert  and  Charley.  Augusta,  the  wife  of  Fritz  Hanson,  re- 
sides in  Winfield  township.  Emma  is  the  wife  of  John  Erps,  with  whom  she  lives 
on  her  father's  farm  in  Winfield  township.  Frank  W.,  Louis  F.,  Nettie  M., 
LiUie  J.  and  Martha  M.  Holland  are  all  still  under  the  parental  roof.  All  of 
these  children  have  been  provided  with  good  educational  advantages.  Mrs. 
Holland  has  an  interesting  photograph  showing  five  generations  of  her  father's 
family. 

Mr.  Holland  is  independent  in  his  political  views  and  has  served  as  the  effi- 
cient incumbent  in  various  positions  of  public  trust  and  responsibility.  He  held 
most  of  the  township  offices  and  did  much  to  advance  the  cause  of  education 
during  his  thirty-three  years'  service  as  a  school  director.  He  hkewise  acted  as 
treasurer  of  the  school  board  and  also  capably  discharged  the  duties  devolving 
upon  him  as  justice  of  the  peace  and  township  clerk.  His  religious  faith  is  indi- 
cated by  his  membership  in  the  Lutheran  church,  with  which  his  wife  is  also 
affiliated.  Fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men, being  receiver  of  the  local  lodge.  He  is  likewise  a  prominent  member  of 
the  German  Pioneers  association.  He  has  now  made  his  home  in  Scott  county 
for  more  than  fifty-eight  years  and  has  gained  an  extensive  circle  of  friends 
within  its  borders,  his  genuine  personal  worth  commending  him  to  the  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact. 


ISAAC  PETERSBERGER. 

Isaac  Petersberger,  forceful  and  resourceful,  his  broad  general  education  as 
well  as  his  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the  law  enabling  him  to  stand  in  the  fore- 
most ranks  of  the  legal  profession  in  Davenport,  was  born  in  Dixon,  Illinois, 
June  28,  1874.  His  father,  Emanuel  Petersberger,  was  a  native  of  Germany 
and  on  coming  to  the  United  States  in  1852  took  up  his  abode  in  Dixon,  where  he 
continued  his  residence  to  the  time  of  his  death  in  1890.  He  there  engaged  in 
merchandising  and  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  representatives  of  com- 
mercial interests  in  that  city,  winning  substantial  success  in  his  undertaking.  He 
married  Bertha  Ochs,  a  native  of  Germany,  who  came  to  Davenport  in  her  girl- 
hood days  with  her  father,  John  Ochs,  who  was  one  of  this  city's  oldest  and  most 
respected  citizens. 

Isaac  Petersberger  attended  the  public  schools  of  Dixon  until  fifteen  years  of 
age,  when  he  came  tO'  Davenport  with  his  widowed  mother,  continuing  his  studies 
in  this  city.  Later  he  entered  the  University  of  Iowa,  from  which  institution 
he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1897,  completing  both  the  collegiate  and  law 
courses  in  four  years. 

Having  determined  upon  the  practice  of  law  as  his  life  work,  in  1897  he 
opened  an  office  in  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  remained,  achieving  an  en- 
viable success  as  a  representative  of  the  bar.  His  practice  is  of  an  extensive 
and  important  character.  He  is  notable  among  lawyers  for  the  wide  research 
and  provident  care  with  which  he  prepares  his  cases.  At  no  time  has  his  reading 
ever  been  confined  to  the  limitation  of  the  questions  at  issue.    It  has  gone  beyond 


184  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

and  compassed  every  contingency  and  provided  not  alone  for  the  expected  but 
for  the  unexpected,  which  happens  in  the  courts  quite  as  frequently  as  out  of 
them.  His  legal  learning,  his  analytical  mind  and  the  readiness  with  which  he 
grasps  the  points  in  an  argument  all  combine  to  make  him  one  of  the  strong  ad- 
vocates before  the  bar  and  he  is  also  regarded  as  a  most  safe  counselor. 

In  1899  Mr.  Petersberger  was  married  to  Miss  Hattie  Goldstein,  of  Milford, 
Illinois,  and  they  have  two  children,  Richard  and  Louise.  Mr.  Petersberger  be- 
longs to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks 
and  to  other  fraternal  and  social  organizations.  He  has  the  warm  regard  of  fel- 
low practitioners  and  the  friendship  of  many  whom  he  meets  in  social  relations, 
for  his  salient  qualities  as  a  man  and  citizen  are  those  which  in  every  land  and 
clime  win  respect  and  honor. 


SEVERIN  MILLER. 


The  life  record  of  Severin  Miller  seems  in  harmony  with  nature's  laws,  for 
nature  evidently  intended  that  the  evening  of  life  should  be  quietly  and  restfuUy 
spent  following  years  of  well  directed  activity.  Earnest,  indefatigable  labor,  intel- 
ligently directed  through  many  years,  will  always  in  the  end  win  success  and  it  has 
been  by  this  means  that  Severin  Miller  acquired  the  competence  that  now  enables 
him  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  years  to  live  retired.  He  was  born  in  Prussia,  Ger- 
many, October  17,  1824,  and  is  a  son  of  Bartholomew  and  Anna  Marie  Miller,  both 
of  whom  died  in  that  country.  Severin  Miller  attended  school  there  and  learned 
the  machinist's  trade  under  the  direction  of  his  father.  He  was  a  young  man  of 
twenty-two  years  when  in  1846  he  came  to  the  United  States,  landing  at  New  York 
after  a  long  and  tedious  voyage  of  three  months  on  a  sailing  vessel.  He  went  to 
Philadelphia,  where  he  secured  employment  at  his  trade  and  subsequently  removed 
westward  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  entered  the  service  of  Beard  &  Brother,  safe  man- 
ufacturers, as  a  machinist.  He  was  thus  employed  until  about  1850,  when  he 
came  to  Davenport  but  after  a  brief  period  he  returned  to  St.  Louis,  where  he 
resided  until  1857.  In  that  year  he  again  came  to  Davenport  and  built  a  shop  and 
dwelling  house  on  a  lot  at  the  corner  of  Gaines  and  Second  streets,  which  he  had 
purchased  in  1852.  There  he  started  in  business  for  himself,  giving  his  attention 
mostly  to  repair  work,  doing  much  work  on  threshing  machines  and  other  farm 
machinery.  He  afterward  admitted  Charles  Schaeffer  to  a  partnership  but  after 
a  short  time  they  dissolved  partnership  and  Mr.  Miller  continued  the  business  alone 
until  1875,  when  he  sold  out  and  retired.  In  the  meantime,  however,  he  had  ex- 
tended the  scope  of  his  activities  to  include  the  manufacture  of  pumps  and  had  also 
carried  on  a  foundry  business.  He  wisely  used  the  opportunities  that  were  pre- 
sented and  by  his  close  attention  to  his  business  and  his  honorable  methods  secured 
a  large  trade. 

On  the  24th  of  June,  1862,  Mr.  Miller  was  married  in  Davenport  to  Miss  Chris- 
tina Baussmann,  who  was  born  in  Hessen,  Germany,  in  1835,  and  died  in  1872,  leav- 
ing four  children :  Cornelia,  now  the  wife  of  Dr.  E.  M.  Singleton,  of  Marshalltown, 
Iowa,  by  whom  she  has  one  daughter,  Miriam ;  Severin,  a  resident  of  San  Frafl- 


r/'ryv ;/ 


'UK  /' 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  187 

Cisco;  and  Julia  and  Helen,  at  home.  Mr.  Miller  erected  his  present  residence 
during  war  times  and  has  occupied  it  for  more  than  forty  years.  It  is  one  of  the 
old  landmarks  of  his  section  of  the  city  and  has  ever  been  a  hospitable  home,  open 
for  the  reception  of  the  many  friends  of  the  family. 


ARTHUR  GLADSTONE  BUSH. 

Arthur  Gladstone  Bush,  a  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Ely  &  Bush,  has  through 
his  varied  activities  become  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  and  influential  citi- 
zens of  Davenport.     He  was  born  in  Concord,  now  Garner,  Hancock  county, 
Iowa,  December  21,  1870.    His  father,  Henry  H.  Bush,  was  a  native  of  Randolph, 
Cattaraugus  county.  New  York,  born  July  2,  1837.    He  removed  to  Galva,  Illi- 
nois, just  prior  to  the  Civil  war  and  after  the  outbreak  of  hostilities  was  mustered 
in  as  captain  of  Company  D  of  the  Seventeenth  Illinois  Infantry,  with  which 
he  served  for  three  years,  taking  an  active  part  in  the  conflict.     At  the  siege  of 
Vicksburg  he  was  detailed  in  charge  of  the  Pioneer  Corps  and  at  Fort  Donelson, 
in  the  absence  of  the  colonel,  he  commanded  the  regiment  with  credit  and  ability. 
He  participated  in  a  number  of  the  hotly  contested  engagements  and  never  fal- 
tered in  the  performance  of  any  duty,  his  own  valor  and  loyalty  inspiring  those 
who  served  under  him.    He  was  mustered  out  with  the  rank  of  captain  and  with 
a  most  creditable  military  record  returned  home.    Later  he  studied  law  in  Galva 
under  the  direction  of  A.  H.  Veeder,  an  attorney  of  that  city,  after  which  he 
removed  to  Concord,  Iowa,  where  he  commenced  practice  in  1869.    Until  a  short 
time  prior  to  his  death  he  followed  his  profession  and  his  knowledge  of  the  law 
and  careful  preparation  of  his  cases  gained  him  a  skill  that  led  to  his  connection 
with  much  of  the  important  litigation  tried  in  the  district.    During  his  later  years 
he  owned  and  published  the  Hancock  Signal,  which  paper  he  purchased  from 
Senator  Hayward.    Prominent  in  the  political  circles  of  the  state,  he  represented 
Hancock  county  in  the  general  assembly,  also  filled  the  offices    of    referee ,  in 
bankruptcy,  postmaster  and  mayor  of  Concord.     He  was  likewise  a  member  of 
the  county  board  of  supervisors  and  his  efforts  did  much  to  hold  the  county  seat 
at  Concord,  now  Garner.     Over  the  record  of  his  official  career  there  fell  no 
shadow  of  wrong  or  suspicion  of  evil,  for  in  all  of  his  public  service  he  was 
actuated  by  a  spirit  of  devotion  to  the  general  good  that  was  manifest  in  many 
tangible  ways.     Preeminently  a  man  of  affairs,  he  wielded  a  wide  influence  in 
thought  and  action.    He  was  a  man  of  strong  character  and  ability  and  a  natural 
leader,  and  he  devoted  his  efforts  untiringly  for  the  benefit  of  his  town  and  com- 
munity.    He  died  September  15,  1895,  respected  and  honored  by  all  who  knew 
him.    His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Minerva  Wright,  was  a  native  of 
Illinois. 

Arthur  Gladstone  Bush  pursued  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Garner 
until  he  completed  the  high-school  course.  He  then  engaged  in  teaching  for  a 
year  in  Hancock  county  and  at  the  same  time  studied  shorthand  and  qualified 
for  the  position  of  a  court  reporter.  For  five  years  he  acted  as  district  court 
reporter  and  during  that  time  became  interested  in  and  took  up  the  study  of  law. 


188  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

He  afterward  attended  the  State  University  of  Iowa  and  pursued  special  work 
in  the  Garner  Academy.  He  was  graduated  from  the  law  department  of  the 
former  institution  in  1895  and,  coming  to  Davenport,  formed  a  partnership  with 
N.  D.  Ely,  who  had  been  his  classmate  in  the  university.  The  court  records  show 
that  he  has  had  a  liberal  share  of  the  legal  business  of  the  city  and  that  he  has 
been  successful  in  its  conduct,  winning  many  verdicts  favorable  to  his  clients,  to 
whom  his  devotion  is  proverbial.  He  is  a  loyal  republican  but  no  office  seeker, 
preferring  to  give  his  time  and  energies  to  his  law  practice  and  as  a  consequence 
the  firm  of  Ely  &  Bush  is  prosperous,  with  a  business  that  is  extensive  and  of  a 
distinctively  representative  character.  In  addition  he  is  a  director  and  secre- 
tary of  the  Iowa  &  Eastern  Colorado  Land  Company  and  is  likewise  interested 
in  a  number  of  financial  enterprises. 

In  August,  1894,  Mr.  Bush  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eunice  Curtis, 
a  native  of  Clayton  county.  Her  grandfather,  T.  P.  Olmstead,  was  one  of  the 
oldest  settlers  of  the  county,  arriving  there  in  the  early  '30s.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bush  have  been  born  two  sons,  Arthur  Curtis  and  HoUis  H.  Mr.  Bush  is  a 
Mason,  holding  membership  in  the  lodge,  chapter  and  commandery  and  the  Shrine, 
and  in  the  commandery  he  is  filling  the  office  of  generalissimo.  He  likewise  be- 
longs to  Prosperity  Lodge,  No.  704,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  is  a  United  States  commis- 
sioner. He  is  a  director  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  of  the  Ed- 
wards Congregational  church  and  a  teacher  of  the  Bible  class.  His  interests, 
therefore,  are  not  confined  to  the  material  things  but  have  to  do  with  the  moral 
progress  of  the  community,  and  his  own  life  is  an  exemplification  of  his  belief 
that  the  thing  most  worth  while  is  character  development.  Although  compara- 
tively young,  he  is  recognized  as  a  man  of  mark  in  Davenport,  his  ability  and 
well  developed  powers  carrying  him  into  important  relations. 


JOHN  DANIELS. 


John  Daniels  was  for  many  years  identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of 
Scott  county  but  for  the  past  year  he  has  lived  retired  in  a  beautiful  home  in 
Davenport.  Throughout  his  career  of  continued  and  far-reaching  usefulness 
his  duties  have  been  performed  with  the  greatest  care,  and  business  interests  have 
been  so  managed  as  to  win  him  the  confidence  of  the  public  and  the  prosperity 
which  should  always  attend  honorable  effort.  Mr.  Daniels  is  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, his  birth  having  occurred  in  Gloucestershire,  on  the  18th  of  April,  1845. 
His  parents,  Walter  and  Elizabeth  (Baker)  Daniels,  were  farming  people  of 
that  country  and  lived  and  died  there,  the  father  passing  away  in  1891,  when 
seventy-five  years  of  age,  and  the  mother  in  1895,  at  the  same  age. 

John  Daniels  remained  in  his  native  country  during  the  period  of  his  boy- 
hood and  youth,  assisting  his  father  in  the  operation  of  the  home  farm  and  in 
carrying  on  a  butcher  shop,  which  the  latter  conducted.  When  twenty-one  years 
old,  foreseeing  no  future  in  the  land  of  his  nativity  and  having  heard  and  read 
a  great  deal  about  the  freedom  and  the  opportunity  for  advancement  in  this 
country,  he  decided  to  leave  home.    Setting  sail  for  the  United  States,  it  was  in 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  189 

March,  1866,  that  he  landed  in  New  York  city,  whence  he  made  his  way  to  Dav- 
enport, where  Hved  an  uncle,  James  Baker,  who  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of 
this  section  of  the  state.  Mr.  Daniels  worked  for  him  during  the  succeeding  sum- 
mer and  later  was  employed  by  others  at  truck  gardening  until  1870,  when  he 
was  married  and  he  then  rented  a  tract  of  land  which  he  cultivated  for  six  years. 
He  was  largely  engaged  in  raising  sugar  cane  and  also  engaged  in  the  dairy 
business..  In  the  fall  of  1875,  having  saved  a  sum  of  money  that  justified  the 
purchase  of  land,  he  became  owner  of  twenty  acres,  which  at  that  time  was  in 
Davenport  township  but  is  now  included  in  the  city  limits  and  is  known  as  the 
West  Home  addition  to  the  city.  This  tract  was  only  slightly  improved,  but  Mr. 
Daniels  built  a  small  house  containing  two  rooms,  and  in  this  little  dwelling  he 
and  his  family  took  up  their  abode.  After  four  years  he  added  to  the  house  and 
in  later  years  replaced  his  first  dwelling  with  a  more  pretentious  and  modern 
structure.  He  was  engaged  in  farming  that  land  until  1883,  when  he  purchased 
the  place  known  as  the  Hunter  farm,  located  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  city 
limits,  in  Davenport  township,  this  tract  comprising  eighty  acres.  Mr.  Daniels 
then  took  up  his  abode  on  that  farm  but  after  two  years  returned  to  his  first 
tract.  In  August,  1909,  he  put  aside  all  business  cares  and  removed  to  the  city, 
where  he  occupies  a  nice  home.  In  former  years  he  led  a  busy,  active  and  use- 
ful life  and  his  labors,  carefully  managed,  have  brought  to  him  a  gratifying 
reward. 

It  was  in  1870  that  Mr.  Daniels  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Baker,  who 
was  likewise  born  in  Gloucestershire,  England,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Anna 
(Fawkes)  Baker.  The  Baker  family  came  to  Davenport  about  1856  and  it  was 
here  that  the  marriage  of  the  daughter  occurred.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Daniels 
have  been  born  two  sons  and  one  daughter,  namely :  Walter,  who  resides  in  Dav- 
enport and  wedded  Miss  Anna  Kelling,  by  whom  he  has  a  son  and  daughter, 
Robert  and  Alice;  John,  who  wedded  Miss  Sarah  Kober  and  who  lives  on  his 
father's  farm  on  Harrison  street,  just  outside  of  the  city;  and  Elizabeth,  at 
home.  The  parents  are  communicants  of  the  Episcopal  church,  in  which  Mr. 
Daniels  has  long  served  as  a  vestrjrman.  Coming  to  America  in  early  manhood, 
Mr.  Daniels  made  good  use  of  every  opportunity  that  presented  for  advancement 
and  today  he  is  surrounded  by  all  the  comforts  that  go  to  make  life  worth  living. 
The  family  home  at  No.  1415  Farnam  street  is  one  of  hospitality  and  good  cheer 
and  all  who  enter  its  doors  are  given  a  cordial  welcome. 


IRA  R.  TABOR. 


Ira  R.  Tabor,  who  for  eighteen  years  has  been  a  representative  of  the  Dav- 
enport bar  and  now  with  a  large  practice  is  giving  proof  of  his  ability  in  handling 
the  intricate  problems  of  the  law,  was  born*  in  Jones  county,  Iowa,  September  4, 
1864.  His  father,  James  Tabor,  a  native  of  Indiana,  came  to  Davenport  in  1849, 
arriving  in  this  state  only  a  few  years  after  its  admission  to  the  Union.  He 
crossed  the  river  on  the  ice  in  company  with  two  brothers  and  went  to  Jones 
county,  where  he  took  up  government  land  and'  there  engaged  in  farming  until 


190  HISTORY  OF.  SCOTT  COUNTY 

his  death  on  the  7th  of  April,  1887.  In  his  farming  operations  he  met  with  suc- 
cess and  became  a  large  landowner,  having  a  section  and  a  half  of  land.  He 
wisely  placed  his  surplus  earnings  in  the  safest  of  all  investments — real  estate — 
and  his  business  enterprise  and  diligence  brought  him  to  a  prominent  position 
among  the  men  of  affluence  of  the  county.  A  leading  and  influential  citizen  in 
his  community,  he  held  a  number  of  township  offices  and  at  all  times  was  loyal 
to  the  public  trust.  He  married  Miss  Margaret  Keller,  a  native  of  Indiana,  in 
which  state  the  wedding  was  celebrated.  Her  birth  occurred  October  11,  1828, 
and  on  the  17th  of  April,  1899,^  she  passed  away. 

Ira  R.  Tabor  was  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  six  children.  He 
attended  the  country  schools  while  spending  his  youthful  days  upon  the  home 
farm  and  afterward  had  the  opportunity  of  continuing  his  education  in  the  schools 
of  Monmouth,  Illinois,  and  Maquoketa,  Iowa.  Later  he  pursued  a  classical 
course  in  the  University  of  Indiana  and  prepared  for  a  professional  career  as  a 
law  student  in  the  State  University  of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor,  from  which  in- 
stitution he  was  graduated  on  the  26th  of  June,  1891.  He  then  came  to  Daven- 
port and  entered  the  law  office  of  J.  W.  Stewart,  to  whose  practice  he  succeeded 
upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Stewart  in  1894.  He  is  well  versed  in  the  principles  of 
jurisprudence  and  is  always  accurate  in  their  application  to  the  points  in  litiga- 
tion. The  zeal  and  earnestness  with  which  he  controls  his  law  business,  the  care- 
ful regard  evinced  for  his  clients'  interests  and  his  close  and  discriminating  logic 
in  the  discussion  of  a  case  before  court  or  jury  are  elements  in  the  success  which 
has  attended  him  from  the  beginning. 

Mr.  Tabor  is  active  in  public  affairs  but  is  not  an  office  seeker,  preferring  to 
give  his  attention  to  the  law  and  to  investments.  He  is,  however,  well  known  in 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  beloning  to  Trinity  Lodge,  No.  208,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Dav- 
enport Chapter,  No.  17,  R.  A.  M. ;  St.  Simon  of  Cyrene  Commandery,  No.  9, 
K.  T. ;  Davenport  Consistory,  No.  4,  S.  P.  R.  S. ;  and  Kaaba  Temple,  A.  A.  O.  N. 
M.  S.  He  is  likewise  affiliated  with  other  societies,  whose  basic  principles  are 
such  as  win  the  respect  and  approval  of  all  who  have  regard  for  honorable,  up- 
right manhood. 


BENONI  S.  BALDWIN. 

Benoni  S.  Baldwin,  a  retired  contractor  and  manufacturer  of  Davenport, 
whose  persistent  labor  has  constituted  for  him  the  key  that  has  unlocked  the  por- 
tals of  success,  was  born  in  Harrison  county,  Ohio,  November  8,  1834,  and  is  a 
son  of  Joseph  D.  and  Sarah  S.  (Shields)  Baldwin.  The  father  was  born  in  Bucks 
county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1801  and  removed  westward  to  Ohio  about  1828,  accom- 
panied by  his  wife.  He  settled  in  Harrison  county  and  there  followed  the  stone- 
mason's trade,  which  he  had  previously  learned  in  the  Keystone  state.  He  died 
in  1876  and  his  wife,  who  was  born  in  Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1808, 
passed  away  in  1844.  She  was  the  mother  of  four  children:  Thomas  H.,  now 
deceased ;  Benoni  S. ;  George  W.,  who  is  living  in  Hopedale,  Harrison  county, 
Ohio;  and  William,  a  resident  of  Sheridan,  Iowa. 


^ 


.1 


-'^> 


^^ 


(Dx 


w 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  193 

Benoni  S.  Baldwin  was  a  pupil  in  the  district  schools  of  his  native  county  and 
therein  became  familiar  with  those  branches  of  learning  which  are  necessary  to 
advancement  in  any  line  of  life  as  well  as  to  business  success.  He  left  school 
early,  however,  and  in  1851,  when  a  youth  of  sixteen  years,  left  home  in  order  to 
learn  the  carpenter's  trade.'  He  applied  himself  diligently  to  the  tasks  assigned 
him  and  became  an  expert  workman.  Thinking  to  find  better  business  opportuni- 
ties in  the  new  but  rapidly  growing  and  developing  west,  he  came  to  Iowa  in 
1856,  arriving  at  Davenport  on  the  24th  of  April  of  that  year.  He  first  began 
to  work  at  his  trade  in  the  employ  of  others  but  later  felt  that  his  experience  and 
skill  justified  him  in  engaging  in  business  on  his  own  account  and  turned  his 
attention  to  contracting,  in  which  connection  he  has  erected  a  large  number  of 
buildings.  He  also  assisted  in  building  the  old  Christian  chapel  in  1889.  Further 
extending  the  field  of  his  activities,  he  bought  a  half  interest  in  the  Davenport 
Ladder  Company  and  acted  as  superintendent  of  the  plant  for  about  fourteen 
years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  sold  out  to  W.  C.  Hayward  and  since  that  time 
has  lived  retired.  The  years  brought  him  substantial  success  as  the  reward  of  per- 
sistent and  indefatigable  labor  and  he  is  now  in  possession  of  a  comfortable 
competence. 

^t  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Baldwin  put  aside  business  and  personal 
considerations  in  1864  and  enlisted  as  a  member  of  Company  C,  Fourteenth  Iowa 
Infantry.  His  company  was  detailed  for  service  at  Camp  McClellan  on  guard 
duty  and  there  Mr.  Baldwin  remained  until  mustered  out  in  1865.  He  maintains 
pleasant  relations  with  his  old  army  comrades  through  his  membership  in  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic- 

On  the  6th  of  December,  1866,  Mr.  Baldwin  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  A. 
Jenkins,  who  was  born  in  Rockingham  township,  this  county,  a  daughter  of  Rich- 
ard R.  and  Mary  (Blackman)   Jenkins.     Her  parents  were  early  settlers  here, 
coming  to  this  county  from  Canada  in  1842.    They  were  farming  people  and  the 
father  took  up  raw  land  which  he  converted  into  rich  and  productive  fields. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  died  in  Davenport.     In  their  family  were  eight  children: 
Hiram  H.,  now  living  in  Nebraska ;  Mrs.  Maria  J.  Carpenter,  who   is   a   widow 
and  lives  in  South  Omaha;  Mary  A.,  now  Mrs.  Baldwin;  James,  whose  home 
is  in  South  Dakota ;  George  W.,  of  Minneapolis ;  Frank,  who  is  living  in  Mil- 
waukee, Wisconsin;  Etta,  who  is  the  wife  of  John  A.  Wheeler  and  resides  in 
Davenport;  and  Annie  L.,  deceased.     Sarah  Eleanor,  the  only  child  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Baldwin,  died  when  but  seven  months  old.    They  are  members  of  the  Old 
Settlers  Society  of  Scott  county,  composed  of  people  who  came  here  in  1846 
or  before  and  have  lived  here  since  the  admission  of  the  state  into  the  Union. 
Mr.  Baldwin  also  belongs  to  the  Fremont  Club,  composed  of  those  who  voted 
for  John  C.  Fremont  in  1856.    He  is  now  treasurer  of  that  society.    He  built  his 
present  residence  about  thirty  years  ago,  set  out  trees  and  has  in  other  ways 
adorned  the  place.    He  has  also  built  a  number  of  other  houses  for  himself  and 
from  his  property  interests  has  derived  a  good  income.    His  has  been  an  active 
and  useful  life  and  his  fellow  townsmen  have  naught  to  say  of  him  except  in 
terms  of  good  will  and  high  regard.    Great  have  been  the  changes  which  have 
occurred  during  the  period  of  his  residence  in  Iowa.    In  the  decades  which  have 
since  been  added  to  the  centuries  he  has  seen  Iowa  transformed  from  a  frontier 


194  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

state  into  one  of  the  thickly  populated  regions  of  the  middle  west,  leading  the 
entire  country  in  the  matter  of  corn  production,  in  the  number  and  efficiency  of 
its  public  schools  and  in  other  fields  of  activity  of  a  most  creditable  nature.  Mr. 
Baldwin  has  always  done  his  full  share  of  public  work  as  a  citizen,  giving  loyal 
support  to  every  movement  calculated  to  benefit  and  upbuild  the  city  and  county. 


REV.  FRANCIS  I.  MOFFATT. 

Rev.  Francis  I.  Moffatt  is  now  living  retired  in  Davenport,  but  for  many, 
years  gave  his  time  to  the  work  of  the  Presbyterian  ministry.  He  now  derives 
his  income  from  a  good  farm  which  he  owns  in  Cedar  county.  He  was  born 
in  New  Castle,  Pennsylvania,  September  8,  1835,  his  parents  being  James  and 
Hannah  (Mofifat)  Moffatt.  So  far  as  the  ancestry  records  show,  the  family 
originated  in  Scotland.  Both  parents  died  at  New  Castle,  where  the  father  fol- 
lowed farming  as  a  life  work.  They  were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  but  the 
only  one  still  living  is  Francis  I.,  of  this  review.  W.  J.,  a  twin  brother  of  our 
subject,  was  a  minister  of  the  gospel  and  passed  away  on  the  25th  of  January, 
1910.  His  health  became  impaired  while  he  was  a  missionary  in  Indian  Terri- 
tory and  prior  to  his  demise  he  lived  retired  at  New  Castle,  Pennsylvania.  Hannah 
K.,  Sarah  J.,  Mary  and  Eliza  J.  are  all  deceased.  Robert  T.,  the  youngest,  died 
from  the  effects  of  military  experience.  He  was  a  prisoner  at  Libby  and  Ander- 
sonville  for  a  considerable  time  during  the  Civil  war  and  when  paroled  returned 
home  and  died  soon  afterward. 

Rev.  Francis  I.  Moffatt  remained  a  resident  of  his  native  town  until  about 
eighteen  years  of  age  and  then  entered  the  Westminster  Collegiate  Institute  at 
New  Wilmington,  Pennsylvania,  to  supplement  the  education  which  he  had 
already  acquired  in  the  public  schools.  The  year  of  his  matriculation  was  1854 
and  of  his  graduation,  1857.  He  there  pursued  a  general  course  and  afterward 
entered  the  Western  Theological  Seminary  at  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  where 
he  studied  for  the  ministry,  completing  a  three  years'  course  by  graduation  in 
i860.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  on  the  20th  of  June  of  that  year  as  a  minister 
of  what  was  then  known  as  the  Free  Presbyterian  church.  His  first  charge  was 
in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania,  near  Philadelphia,  where  he  remained  for 
about  two  years.  He  afterward  had  charge  of  different  churches  in  Pennsyl- 
vania and  in  1866  made  his  way  westward  to  Illinois,  where  he  took  charge  of 
the  Irish  Grove  church  in  Sangamon  county  near  Springfield.  In  the  meantime 
he  had  withdrawn  from  the  Free  Presbyterian  church  and  entered  the  regular 
Presbyterian  church  on  account  of  its  attitude  concerning  the  question  of 
slavery.  He  remained  as  pastor  of  the  Irish  Grove  church  for  six  years, 
after  which  he  took  up  his  abode  at  Cornwall,  Henry  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  continued  in  pastoral  labors  for  eleven  years.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  became  minister  of  the  Red  Oak  church  in  Cedar 
county,  Iowa,  where  he  continued,  for  five  years,  after  which  he  came  to 
Scott  county  and  took  charge  of  the  Summit  church  in  Lincoln  township.  He 
lived  in  the  parsonage  there  for  five  years,  during  which  time  he  earnestly  and 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  195 

zealously  pursued  his  ministerial  labors,  after  which  he  retired  and  removed  to 
the  town.  He  continued  to  supply  the  church,  however,  for  about  a  year,  or 
until  they  could  obtain  a  regular  minister.  He  also  acted  as  supply  in  the  church 
at  Eldridge.  Conscientious,  earnest  and  consecrated  in  all  of  his  labors,  his 
work  in  behalf  of  the  church  was  of  a  beneficial  character  with  far-reaching 
effects.  Logical  and  entertaining  in  address,  strong  and  imfaltering  in  purpose 
and  actuated  at  all  times  by  a  deep  love  of  humanity,  he  put  forth  his  efforts  in 
pastorate  work  and  as  a  preacher  labored  for  the  benefit  of  all  mankind,  nor  was 
he  denied  the  rich  harvest  nor  the  aftermath. 

Rev.  Moffatt  was  married  October  12,  1878,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Orr,  a  daughter 
of  Mathew  and  Susanna  Orr,  of  Henry  county,  Illinois.  They  have  become 
parents  of  seven  children.  William,  noW  living  in  Oklahoma,  married  Julia 
Brown  Shillito,  and  they  have  one  son,  Philip  J.  Florence  M.  is  the  wife  of 
William  B.  Bennett,  of  Madison,  Wisconsin,  and  they  have  one  child,  Florence 
Louise.  John  J.,  now  living  in  Muskogee,  Oklahoma,  married  Hazel  Woods  and 
is  engaged  with  his  brother  William  in  the  real-estate  business.  Robert  T.,  who 
married  Delia  Booth,  is  living  on  his  father'^  farm.  Mary  E.  and  Edwin  are 
at  home,  and  Foster  O.  died  July  31,  1897,  at  the  age  of  four  years.  Four. chil- 
dren of  the  family  were  graduated  from  the  Wisconsin  University,  where  they 
pursued  literary  and  scientific  courses.  All  have  been  liberally  educated  and  the 
Moffatt  home  has  ever  been  one  of  advanced,  intelligent  culture,  emanating  an 
influence  for  good  that  is  felt  throughout  the  community.  Actuated  by  the  higher 
purposes  of  life.  Rev.  Moffatt  has  given  his  attention  to  a  work  that  has  made 
him  a  man  of  far-reaching  influence  and  his  precept  and  example  have  been 
factors  in  promoting  righteousness,  justice,  truth  and  rnorality  among  his  fel- 
lowmen. 


WILLIAM  G.  CABEL. 


William  G.  Cabel,  a  retired  farmer  of  German  birth,  now  living  in  Daven- 
port, still  derives  a  substantial  income  from  valuable  farming  property  com- 
prising one  hundred  acres  of  rich  land  in  Hickory  Grove  township.  The  years  were 
fraught  with  earnest,  persistent  labor  until  a  recent  date,  when  he  put  aside  the 
more  active  duties  of  the  farm  and  has  since  given  his  time  to  those  pursuits  and 
interests  which  afford  him  rest,  recreation  and  entertainment.  He  was  born  in 
Holstein,  Germany,  June  7,  1838,  and  is,  therefore,  in  the  seventy-second  year 
of  his  age.  His  parents  were  Lewis  and  Lottie  Cabel.  The  former,  a  farmer  of 
Germany,  came  to  the  United  States  with  his  family  in  1856,  landing,  however, 
at  -Quebec,  Canada,  whence  he  made  his  way  to  Davenport.  In  the  vicinity  of 
the  city  he  rented  land  and  continued  farming  until  his  death,  both  he  and  his 
wife  passing  away  in  1863.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children :  Henry  and 
Dora,  both  deceased ;  William  G. ;  Lottie,  who  has  also  passed  away ;  Lewis,  of 
Chicago;  August,  deceased;  Emma,  the  widow  of  Fred  Sharlow;  and  Herman, 

of  Davenport. 

William  G.  Cabel  attended  school  in  Germany  through  the  period  of  his 
boyhood  and  youth  and  when  eighteen  years  of  age  accompanied  his  parents  on 


196  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

their  emigration  to  the  new  world.  He  has  made  farming  his  life  work,  his 
time  being  devoted  to  the  improvement  and  development  of  farming  land  in 
Scott  county  until  his  enlistment  for  service  in  the  Civil  war  on  the  13th  o£, 
September,  1861.  He  became  a  member  of  Company  I,  Twelfth  Missouri  Infan- 
try, at  Davenport.  He  enlisted  for  three  years,  joining  the  regiment  at  St.  Louis, 
where  the  troops  were  encamped  for  two  weeks.  They  then  went  to  Evansville 
and  later  to  Sedalia,  Missouri,  after  which  they  proceeded  to  Springfield,  where 
two  weeks  were  passed.  They  next  spent  two  months  at  Raleigh,  Missouri,  and 
in  January,  1862,  started  from  Raleigh  to  Springfield,  whence  they  went  to 
Arkansas,  soon  afterward  participating  in  the.  battle  of  Pea  Ridge.  Later  Mr. 
Cabel  took  part  in  the  engagements  at  Chickasaw  Bayou,  Arkansas  Post  and  Vicks- 
burg.  At  the  last  named  place  he  was  taken  ill,  was  sent  home  on  a  furlough 
and  honorably  discharged  in  January,  1864.  Subsequently  he  engaged  in  team- 
ing in  Davenport  for  a  short  time,  after  which  he  began  farming  on  his  own 
account.  For  about  twenty  years  he  cultivated  rented  land  and  then  purchased 
a  farm  of  one  hundred  acres  in  Hickory  Grove  township,  but  never  made  his  home 
thereon.  He  has  been  practical,  energetic  and  determined  in  all  that  he  has 
undertaken  and  his  success  has  resulted  from  capable  and  careful  management. 

On  the  2d  of  December,  1868,  William  G.  Cabel  was  married  to  Miss  Dorothy 
Bergerdt,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Christina  Bergerdt.  Unto  them  have  been 
born  seven  children.  Augusta  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Detrich,  of  Liberty  town- 
ship, by  whom  she  has  four  children ;  Hugo,  John,  Raymond  and  William.  Meta 
is  the  wife  of  Theodore  Schroder,  of  Hickory  Grove  township,  and  they  have 
five  children :  Armil,  Minnie,  Clarence,  Adelia  and  Helmerdt.  Laura  and  Emma 
are  at  home.  Henry,  living  in  Hickory  Grove  township,  married  Freda  Whit- 
mer  and  they  have  two  children,  Elsie  and  Robert.  William  resides  in  Hickory 
Grove  township.     Herman  is  at  home. 

Mr.  Cabel  is  a  member  of  the  Old  German  Settlers  Society  and  is  well  known 
among  people  of  his  own  nationality.  His  friends,  however,  are  not  limited 
to  those  of  his  own  race,  but  include  the  majority  of  those  with  whom  business 
or  social  relations  have  brought  him  in  contact.  His  life  has  been  a  busy  and 
useful  one  and  his  success  is  well  merited. 


REV.  ROBERT  NIXON  EARHART. 

Rev.  Robert  Nixon  Earhart,  a  Methodist  Episcopal  minister  of  the  upper 
Iowa  conference,  whose  life  in  its  noble  purposes  and  influences  was  of  far- 
reaching  effect  for  good,  was  born  in  Indiana,  Pennsylvania,  a  son  of  David  and 
Catharine  (Altman)  Earhart.  The  father  was  a  merchant  who  continued  a 
resident  of  Pennsylvania,  his  native  state,  until  he  had  reached  middle  age,  when 
he  came  to  Iowa  and  settled  in  Pleasant  Valley,  where  he  reared  the  younger 
members  of  his  family. 

Robert  N.  Earhart  after  pursuing  his  early  education  prepared  for  college 
in  Dubuque,  Iowa,  and  then  returned  east  for  further  instruction,  entering  Dick- 
inson College,  of  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  the 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  197 

class  of  1859.  His  classical  course  there  gave  him  broad  knowledge  that  served 
him  well  in  his  life  work  in  later  years,  enabling  him  to  draw  from  a  rich  foun- 
tain of  information  to  illustrate  or  explain  or  elucidate  the  points  which  he  was 
attempting  to  make  in  his  sermons.  He  pursued  his  theological  course  in  the 
Garrett  Biblical  Institute  at  Evanston,  Illinois,  and  when  he  had  qualified  for 
holy  orders  was  ordained  to  the  Methodist  ministry  and  joined  the  upper  Iowa 
conference.  Forty-one  years  were  devoted  to  the  work  of  proclaiming  the  gospel 
and  in  various  pastorates  he  labored  earnestly  and  effectually,  speaking  with 
clearness  and  force  to  his  congregations  upon  the  vital  questions  of  life  and  its 
problems  in  the  relations  of  man  to  his  fellowman  and  his  Maker.  Earnest  and 
zealous,  his  work  was  of  marked  influence  in  the  Christian  progress  of  northern 
Iowa.  Becorning  ill  in  his  last  year,  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport,  where 
he  spent  his  remaining  days  with  his  family  and  passed  away  on  the  29th  of  July, 
1907,  his  remains  being  interred  in  Oakdale  cemetery. 

It  was  on  the  20th  of  October,  1868,  that  the  Rev.  R.  N.  Earhart  was  married 
to  Miss  Frances  Fidlar,  who  was  born  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  but  has  spent  the 
greater  part  of  her  life  in  Davenport.  Their  only  child,  Robert  F.,  after  at- 
taining manhood  married  Darline  Scofield  and  unto  them  have  been  born  two 
children,  Daniel  and  Robert  Nixon.  The  father  is  a  graduate  of  the  Northwest- 
ern University  of  Evanston,  Illinois,  and  also  spent  a  year  in  Johns  Hopkins 
University.  At  the  age  of  thirty-six  years  he  is  a  professor  in  the  Ohio  State 
University  and  is  a  young  man  of  marked  intellectual  force  and  high  ideals. 

In  the  passing  of  Robert  Nixon  Earhart,  Iowa  lost  one  of  her  most  honored 
citizens  and  one  of  the  leading  representatives  of  the  Methodist  ministry.  Thor- 
oughly versed  in  the  history,  discipline  and  doctrine  of  the  church,  he  took  of 
religion  that  wider  view  which  places  the  fundamental  truths  of  Christianity 
above  all  else  and  in  his  ministry  taught  Christian  charity,  patience,  kindliness 
and  love — qualities  which  are  the  living  influences  in  the  world,  counteracting 
the  effect  of  sin,  degradation  and  all  wrongdoing.  The  words  of  wisdom  which 
he  spoke  sank  deep  into  many  hearts  and  his  memory  remains  as  a  blessed  bene- 
diction to  all  who  knew  him. 


HERMAN  HENRY  MEYER. 

Death  often  removes  from  our  midst  those  whom  we  can  ill  afford  to  lose, 
and  the  sudden  demise  of  Herman  Henry  Meyer  removed  from  Davenport  one 
who  occupied  a  prominent  place  in  the  business  circles  of  the  city,  sharing  in  the 
honor  and  respect  of  his  associates  and  colleagues.  He  was  the  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  Davenport  Foundry  &  Machine  Company  and  instituted  this 
enterprise,  which  takes  rank  with  the  leading  productive  industries  of  the  city. 
He  was  one  of  those  men  of  substantial  character  and  sterling  worth  that  Ger- 
many has  furnished  to  Iowa  and  in  his  boyhood  days  he  accompanied  his  parents 
on  their  emigration  from  the  fatherland  to  the  new  world,  arriving  in  this  coun- 
try in  the  '50s.  For  a  brief  period  they  made  their  home  in  a  Wisconsin  town 
and  afterward  removed  to  St.  Louis,  but  Herman  H.  Meyer  soon  came  from  that 


198  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

city  to  Davenport.  Here  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lida  Lerchen  in 
1865,  and  they  established  a  home  in  which  domestic  fehcity  and  happiness  ever 
reigned.  During  eight  or  ten  years  Mr.  Meyer  acted  as  bookkeeper  at  the  Klam- 
bach  grain  depot  and  on  removing  from  Davenport  in  1867  he  became  a  resident 
of  Denver,  Colorado,  where  he  secured  a  position  as  bookkeeper  in  the  German 
Savings  bank.  Subsequently  he  was  a  partner  in  the  Handy  &  Meyer  machinery 
building  concern,  but  eventually  returned  to  this  city  to  organize  the  Davenport 
Foundry  &  Machine  Company.  From  its  inception  he  managed  its  growing 
business  and  its  development  was  attributable  in  large  measure  to  his  enterprise 
and  powers  of  organization.  He  continued  in  business  until  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  when  he  was  fifty-three  years  of  age.  He  was  thus  cut 
off  in  the  prime  of  his  usefulness  and  his  loss  was  deeply  felt  in  business  circles 
as  well  as  by  friends  and  relatives. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meyer  were  born  two  children :  Harry  H.,  who  was  edu- 
cated in  the  State  University  at  Champaign,  Illinois ;  and  a  daughter.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1892,  Mr.  Meyer  went  to  Quincy,  Illinois,  to  visit  a  brother  and  while  there 
became  ill  and  passed  away  on  the  22d  of  the  month — a  life  of  usefulness  and 
honorable  activity  being  thus  ended. 

Mrs.  Meyer  is  a  daughter  of  Charles  Lerchen,  who  came  to  this  city  from 
Wheeling,  West  Virginia,  August  29,  1850,  and  was  engaged  in  the  saddlery 
business  here  for  many  years.  He  afterward  went  to  Colorado,  where  he  spent 
his  remaining  days.  Since  her  husband's  death  Mrs.  Meyer  has  made  her  home 
in  Davenport,  where  she  has  a  wide  acquaintance  including  many  warm  friends. 


DANIEL  GOULD. 


In  a  review  of  Davenport's  history  it  becomes  evident  that  Daniel  Gould  de- 
serves prominent  mention  among  its  builders  and  promoters.  Coming  to  this 
city  at  an  early  period  in  its  development,  he  took  an  active  part  not  only  in  its 
material  but  also  in  its  intellectual  and  moral  progress,  and  the  influence  of  his 
character  and  work  is  yet  felt  in  the  lives  of  those  with  whom  he  was  associated, 
and  in  the  business  and  intellectual  activities  which  were  stimulated  through  bis 
labors.  He  was  born  at  Middletown,  near  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  in  the  year 
1814.  His  father,  George  Gould,  and  his  mother,  Lydia  Shove  Gould,  were  both 
of  English  ancestry.  The  Goulds  of  Rhode  Island  came  from  Dorchester,  Eng- 
land, in  1637,  A.  D.  The  old  manor  house,  called  "Upway  Manor,"  has  been  re- 
placed by  a  much  more  modern  edifice.  The  coat  of  arms  of  the  Gould  family  is 
a  lion  rampant  with  the  insignia  "Probitate  et  Lahore,"  honesty  and  labor.  Jere- 
miah Gould  and  Priscilla  Gould  were  the  first  ancestors  to  settle  in  this  country. 
Daniel,  their  eldest  son,  settled  at  Middletown,  Rhode  Island,  on  a  farm  a  portion 
of  which  has  until  recently  remained  in  the  possession  of  the  Gould  family.  He 
married  Wate,  daughter  of  John  Coggeshall  (first  president  of  the  colony),  on 
the  i8th  of  Jvme,  1651.  Daniel  Gould  was  a  sturdy  adherent  of  the  principles  of 
the  Friends  Society.  He  had  great  strength  of  character,  as  evidenced  by  having 
been  one  of  a  company  of  Quakers  (as  they  were  then  called  in  derision)  to  be 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  201 

scoffed  and  mocked  by  a  rude  mob  at  Charlestown  Ferry.  He,  with  others,  re- 
ceived thirty  stripes  upon  the  naked  back,  was  cast  into  prison  and  made  to  He  with 
his  bleeding  back  upon  the  bare  boards.  The  only  crimes  of  the  sufferers  were 
that  they  "were  Friends  in  their  religious  belief."  This  ancestor  was  gifted  in 
writing  both  prose  and  poetry.  He  traveled  as  a  preacher  on  "truth's  account"  in 
Maryland  and  Virginia.     The  extracts  from  his  memoirs  are  very  interesting. 

There  were  seven  generations  between  this  first  Daniel  Gould  and  the  one  of 
the  present  sketch,  the  name  being  handed  down  direct  except  in  one  generation. 
The  Goulds  and  their  descendants  were  always  landowners  in  and  around  the 
island  of  Rhode  Island.  There  is  an  island  called  Gould  in  Narragansett  bay, 
which  belonged  to  the  family  of  Goulds  one  hundred  years  after  the  first  settle- 
ment. The  parents  of  Daniel  Gould  of  this  sketch  removed  from  Rhode  Island 
to  Cranston,  Rhode  Island,  where  the  son  spent  his  boyhood,  assisting  his  father 
to  carry  on  a  farm.  His  education  consisted  in  what  he  could  gain  at  school  in  the 
winter  months.  He  attended  the  Friends  school  of  Providence,  Rhode  Island, 
which  is  still  in  existence,  being  carried  on  in  an  up-to-date  manner.  The  desire 
and  ambition  of  Mr.  Gould  was  to  become  a  lawyer.  He,  however,  gave  up  his 
own  cherished  plan  in  order  to  assist  his  parents.  He  was  next  to  the  eldest  of 
eleven  children  and  from  early  boyhood  the  one  always  to  be  depended  upon. 
Nature  had  endowed  him  with  a  wonderfully  robust  constitution,  else  he  must 
otherwise  have  succumbed  to  the  many  accidents  which  befell  him.  Born  with  a 
happy,  buoyant  disposition,  he  was  ever  the  favorite  among  his  comrades,  as  he 
was  also  the  trusty  friend  in  after  years. 

In  1836  Mr.  Gould  married  Miss  Susan  L.  Baker,  who  died  soon  after,  in  1837. 
In  1840  he  married  Miss  Sarah  Earle,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Rhoda  Earle,  of 
Providence,  Rhode  Island.  Her  ancestors  were  also  of  English  descent  and  of  the 
Society  of  Friends  and  were  among  the  early  settlers  on  the  Island  of  Nantucket. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gould  lived  in  several  of  the  manufacturing  villages  near  Cranston. 
Mr.  Gould  had  charge  of  some  of  the  large  stores  connected  with  the  mills.  Here 
three  of  their  children  were  born.  Lydia  Shove,  born  in  1843,  died  four  years 
later.  In  1852  Mr.  Gould  removed  with  his  family  to  Providence,  Rhode  Island, 
where  they  remained  until  1857,  when  they  went  west  and  settled  at  Davenport 
Iowa.  Their  youngest  daughter,  Lillie,  was  born  here.  An  old  friend,  Robert 
Steare,  of  Providence,  came  west  at  the  same  time  and  went  into  partnership  with 
Mr.  Gould  in  a  large  carpet  and  furnishing  business  at  the  corner  of  Perry  and 
Second  streets,  the  building  owned  by  Mr.  Dessaint.  During  the  Civil  war  Mr. 
Gould  put  up  two  stores  of  his  own,  adjoining  the  block  on  the  northeast  corner  of 
Brady  and  Second  streets,  where  he  carried  on  business  until  he  retired  in  1881. 
The  partnership  between  Mr.  Gould  and  Mr.  Steare  was  dissolved  after  a  year's 
time,  Mr.  Gould  continuing  the  business  alone.  Mr.  Gould  was  also  a  manufac- 
turer of  furniture  and  owned  his  own  factory  on  East  River  street,  located  next  to 
the  woolen  mill. 

One  of  Davenport's  most  respected  and  honored  citizens,  Mr.  Gould  was  re- 
peatedly urged  to  take  the  office  of  mayor  of  the  city,  but  what  time  he  could 
spare  from  his  business  was  devoted  to  the  school  interests.  For  fifteen  years  he 
was  a  member  of  the  school  board — the  longest  time  of  service  with  one  exception 
any  member  had  ever  been  upon  the  board.     He  served  both  as  president  and 


202  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

director,  and  as  chairman  of  the  building  committee  he  had  the  satisfaction  of 
planning  and  overseeing  several  of  the  largest  school  buildings  of  the  city.  When 
he  resigned  from  the  board  he  was  presented  with  a  gold  headed  cane,  beautifully 
engraved — a  present  from  the  teachers  of  the  city,  by  whom  he  was  much  re- 
spected and  beloved.  He  was  the  only  member  of  the  board  ever  to  be  thus  hon- 
ored. He  was  called  the  Father  of  the  Teachers.  His  portrait,  presented  by  his 
daughters  to  the  school  board,  may  be  seen  in  the  library  of  the  new  high  school, 
where  it  is  hoped  it  may  be  an  inspiration  and  example  to  others. 

Mr.  Gould  was  among  the  first  organizers  of  the  German  Savings  and  Citizens 
Banks  of  Davenport.  His  support  and  influence  were  eagerly  sought  by  all  new 
enterprises.  After  his  death,  by  request,  his  portrait  was  presented  to  these  banks 
and  was  placed  in  the  reception  room  of  the  German  Savings  Bank.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gould  gave  their  interest  and  financial  support  to  the  organization  of  the  First 
Unitarian  church  of  Davenport,  but  their  loyalty  to  the  Friends  Society  prevented 
their  ever  becoming  members.  Mr.  Gould  was  a  good  story  teller.  He  entered 
heartily  into  the  spirit  of  his  anecdotes,  which  never  failed  to  interest  his  audience. 
He  and  his  wife  were  in  sympathy  with  the  early  movements  of  the  temperance 
cause.  They  both  took  an  active  part  in  the  movement  for  the  abolition  of  slavery, 
for  their  hearts  were  ever  open  to  the  cries  of  the  distressed  and  oppressed.  Their 
thoughts  and  desires  were  toward  progression  in  all  directions. 

Naturally  their  children,  brought  up  under  such  influences,  could  but  follow  in 
the  same  footsteps.  The  eldest  daughter,  Mary  Elizabeth,  was  married  to  George 
Wing,  of  New  Bedford.  She  was  finely  educated  and  prepared  to  become  a  leader 
and  as  such  was  always  acknowledged.  At  one  time  she  was  the  president  of 
many  of  the  leading  clubs  and  societies  of  Davenport,  where  she  made  her  home 
for  some  years.  Afterward  the  family  removed  to  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  where  Mrs. 
Wing  died  in  1895.  The  foundation  of  the  Davenport  public  library  was  due  in 
no  small  measure  to  her  efforts  and  counsel  in  its  early  days.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wing 
had  five  children  and  all  except  one  are  now  living.  Daniel  Gould  Wing  is  the 
president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Boston  and  resides  at  West  Newton,  Mas- 
sachusetts. Alice  Earle  is  not  married.  She  has  devoted  her  life  unselfishly  to 
others.  Elizabeth  Russell  married  Professor  De  Witte  Bristol  Brace,  of  Lincoln, 
Nebraska,  who  filled  an  eminent  position  as  chemist  in  the  state  university.  He 
had  attained  more  than  a  national  reputation  in  his  profession.  Thomas  Ellwood 
is  a  prominent  lawyer  of  New  York  city.  Ellen  Maria  Gould,  the  third  daughter 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Daniel  Gould,  has  devoted  her  life  to  philanthropy.  Sarah  Lydia, 
the  youngest  daughter,  married  Henry  E.  Lewis,  of  Claremont,  New  Hampshire. 
They  settled  at  Lincoln,  Nebraska.  They  have  had  six  children,  four  of  whom 
are  now  living.  The  eldest  son,  Harold  Gould  Lewis,  is  a  graduate  of  the  elec- 
trica,l  engineering  department  of  Columbia  University  of  New  York  city.  The 
eldest  daughter,  Edith  Larabee,  is  a  graduate  of  Smith  College — a  highly  gifted 
young  woman  with  literary  talent  that  has  led  her  to  do  magazine  work  and  places 
her  on  the  corps  of  editors  of  one  of  our  prominent  magazines.  Ruth  Stewart 
and  Helen  Chace  are  promising  young  ladies,  still  occupied  with  their  school  work. 

Mr.  Gould  retired  from  business  in  1881.  He  was  presented  with  a  very  hand- 
some gold  watch  chain  by  his  employes,  many  of  whom  had  been  with  him  from 
youth  to  manhood.     Mr.  Gould  was  greatly  surprised  and  pleased  wiith  this  testi- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  203 

monial  of  their  respect  and  good  wishes.  The  anniversary  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gould's  golden  wedding  occurred  December  4,  1890,  but,  owing  to  Mrs.  Gould's 
feeble  condition,  it  was  celebrated  very  quietly.  The  last  ten  years  of  Mr.  Gould's 
life  were  devoted  to  his  invalid  wife.  His  attentions  were  of  such  a  nature  that 
they  attracted  the  observation  of  the  community  and  remain  a  lasting  monument  to 
the  love  and  devotion  of  a  very  noble  man  to  a  faithful,  devoted  wife.  Mrs.  Gould 
died  April  13,  1897,  and  was  soon  followed  by  her  husband,  who  died  August  28, 
1897. 


WILLIAM  JOHNSON. 


William  Johnson,  who  is  now  living  retired  in  Davenport,  was  for  many 
years  identified  with  the  industrial  interests  of  the  city  as  a  carpenter.  His  birth 
occurred  in  Ireland  on  the  23d  of  November,  1829,  his  parents  being  Thomas 
and  Eleanor  Johnson.  The  father,  who  was  a  farmer  and  weaver  by  occupation, 
brought  his  family  to  the  United  States  in  1849,  locating  at  Philadelphia,  Penn- 
sylvania, where  he  worked  as  a  weaver.  Four  years  later,  in  1853,  he  came  to 
Davenport,  Iowa,  settling  on  a  tract  of  thirty  acres  which  he  purchased  near 
Walcott.  The  land  was  all  wild  prairie  but  he  set  resolutely  to  work,  erected 
a  house,  fenced  the  fields  and  improved  the  property.  He  was  not  long  permit- 
ted to  enjoy  his  new  home,  however,  passing  away  about  a  year  after  his  arrival 
in  Scott  county.     The  demise  of  his  wife  also  occurred  about  the  same  time. 

William  Johnson  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land  and 
was  a  young  man  of  twenty  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  emigration 
to  the  new  world.  While  in  Philadelphia  he  worked  at  the  weaver's  trade  but 
after  coming  to  this  county  turned  his  attention  to  general  agricultural  pursuits 
and  was  thus  engaged  for  about  five  years.  Subsequently  he  acted  as  a  colpor- 
teur for  the  Presbyterian  church  for  about  five  years,  on  the  expiration  of  which 
period,  in  1866,  he  was  married  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport.  He  then 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade  and  worked  at  that  occupation  for  many  years, 
erecting  a  number  of  houses.  When  at  length,  owing  to  his  untiring  industry  and 
good  business  ability,  he  had  accumulated  a  handsome  competence  he  retired 
from  active  life  and  has  since  enjoyed  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil  in  well  earned 
ease. 

On  the  28th  of  March,  1866,  Mr.  Johnson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Steel,  who  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1848,  and  came  to  this  country  about 
1865.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  became  the  parents  of  five  children,  the  record  of 
whom  is  as  follows :  Brice,  who  is  a  grocer  of  Davenport,  has  been  twice  mar- 
ried, his  first  union  being  with  Miss  Ruth  Hage,  by  whom  he  had  a  daughter, 
Elizabeth  Ruth.  For  his  second  wife  he  chose  Miss  Rose  Lingerfeldt  and  they 
had  a  son  who  is  now  deceased.  George,  living  in  Davenport,  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  Blair,  by  whom  he  has  two  children.  William  R.  Johnson  is  still  under 
the  parental  roof.  Cora  follows  the  profession  of  school  teaching  in  Davenport. 
William  passed  away  when  about  two  years  of  age. 

Mr.  Johnson  of  this  review  has  now  attained  the  venerable  age  of  eighty  years 
and  lias  lived  within  the  borders  of  Scott  county  for  more  than  a  half  century. 


204  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Coming  to  the  United  States  in  early  manhood,  he  found  the  opportunities  which 
he  sought  and  through  their  wise  utilization  won  a  measure  of  success  that  now 
enables  him  to  spend  his  declining  years  in  retirement — surrounded  by  all  of 
the  comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  that  go  to  make  life  worth  living. 


HENRY  CHRISTIAN  STRUCK,  JR. 

Henry  Christian  Struck,  Jr.,  whose  connection  with  financial  interests  in 
Davenport  has  been  of  signal  benefit  to  the  city,  is  now  one  of  the  managing 
board  of  the  Clearing  House,  and  such  has  been  his  experience  and  study  in  the 
field  of  finance  that  his  opinions  have  in  large  measure  become  regarded  as  author- 
ity upon  financial  problems.  He  is  a  representative  of  the  progressive  type  of 
German  citizens  who,  seeking  the  opportunities  of  the  new  world,  have  not  only 
won  individual  advancement  but  have  contributed  as  well  to  general  progress 
and  improvement.  He  was  born  at  Seelent,  in  the  province  of  Schleswig-HolT 
stein,  August  20,  1853,  the  eldest  son  in  a  family  of  eight  children,  whose  parents 
were  Henry  Christian  and  Johanna  Dorathea  Sophia  (Strellner)  Struck.  In  the 
year  1855  the  father  started  with  his  family  for  the  United  States,  arriving  at 
New  Orleans  in  October.  The  ensuing  winter  months  were  there  passed  and  in 
May,  1856,  they  ascended  the  Mississippi  river  to  Davenport,  where  they  remained 
for  a  brief  period,  after  which  they  took  up  their  abode  upon  a  farm  in  Cleona 
township,  Scott  county. 

On  the  old  homestead  there  Henry  Christian  Struck  of  this  review  spent  his 
boyhood,  acquiring  his  preliminary  education  in  the  district  schools,  while  at  the 
age  of  twelve  years  he  became  a  pupil  in  a  private  school  at  Davenport,  where 
he  had  better  opportunities  to  study  German  and  other  languages  and  also  pursue 
special  courses  which  were  not  then  taught  in  country  schools.  He  likewise  pur- 
sued special  courses  in  mathematics  and  civil  engineering  at  Professor  Thomp- 
son's Institute  and  in  order  to  gain  further  knowledge  bearing  directly  upon 
business  life  he  entered  Bryant  &  Stratton  Commercial  College  on  November  i, 
1869.  He  was  graduated  therefrom  May  14,  1870,  and  on  the  i8th  of  May  he 
joined  the  United  States  Hydrographical  Engineer  Corps,  with  which  he  was 
connected  until  the  close  of  the  season,  December  i,  1870.  On  the  ist  of  the  fol- 
lowing January  he  became  bookkeeper  in  the  employ  of  August  Steifen,  a  grain 
and  produce  dealer,  with  whom  he  remained  until  Mr.  Steffen  retired  from  busi- 
ness on  the  1st  of  August,  1872.  At  that  time  Mr.  Struck  entered  the  employ  of 
George  Ott  &  Company,  wholesale  dealers  in  sash,  doors  and  blinds,  in  the  ca- 
pacity of  bookkeeper  and  traveling  salesman,  filling  the  position  until  October  i, 
1875,  when  at  the  offer  of  August  Steffen,  his  former  employer,  who  was  then 
one  of  the  largest  stockholders  of  the  Davenport  Plow  Company,  he  became 
bookkeeper  for  that  concern,  remaining  with  the  company  until  January  i,  1878, 
when  at  the  advice  of  his  physician  he  resigned  to  seek  employment  more  con- 
ducive to  his  health,  which  had  suffered  in  the  close  confinement  of  office  work. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1878,  Mr.  Struck  entered  upon  an  independent  venture  by 
purchasing  the  interest  of  the  junior  partner  in  the  hardware  business  of  Werner 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  205 

&  Brammer,  at  No.  309  West  Second  street.  The  firm  of  Werner  &  Struck  main- 
tamed  an  existence  until  January  i,  1880,  when  Henry  C.  Struck,  Sr.,  purchased 
Mr.  Werner's  interest  and  carried  on  the  business  under  the  firm  style  of  Henry 
C.  Struck  &  Son  until  October  25,  1885,  at  which  date  the  entire  business  was 
sold  to  W.  P.  Bissell,  Mr.  Struck,  Jr.,  however,  remaining  with  the  new  firm  until 
March,  1886. 

Henry  C.  Struck  became  connected  with  city  service  at  the  solicitation  of  his 
many  friends,  including  a  number  of  the  most  prominent  people  of  Davenport. 
They  requested  him  to  become  a  candidate  for  city  collector  and  on  the  7th  of 
April,  1886,  he  was  appointed  by  the  city  council  to  that  position,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  fill  until  January  i,  1890.  No  more  capable  incumbent  has  ever  occu- 
pied the  office,  his  efficient  service  winning  the  commendation  of  his  colleagues, 
associates  and  of  the  general  public.  So  capably  did  he  discharge  his  duties  that 
he  was  nominated  and  elected  to  the  office  of  county  treasurer  in  the  fall  of  1889, 
assuming  the  duties  of  the  position  on  the  ist  of  January  following.  His  effi- 
ciency during  his  first  term  led  to  reelection  and  when  the  votes  were  counted  it 
was  found  that  he  received  every  vote  cast  in  Cleona  township,  the  place  of  his 
boyhood,  not  a  single  ballot  being  cast  against  him  even  by  the  opposition  party. 
He  continued  in  charge  of  the  public  exchequer  until  January  i,  1894,  when  he 
retired  from  the  office  as  he  had  entered  it — with  the  confidence  and  regard  of 
all  concerned. 

In  September,  1892,  Mr.  Struck  was  prevailed  upon  to  accept  the  position  of 
cashier  and  secretary  of  the  Davenport  Savings  Bank,  a  position  offered  him  by 
the  bank  directors,  all  of  whom  were  his  personal  friends  and  had  informed 
themselves  as  to  his  ability  as  an  officer  and  accountant.  His  previous  training 
in  the  city  service,  as  well  as  in  business  lines,  enabled  him  to  creditably  discharge 
the  duties  that  now  devolved  upon  him  and  on  the  7th  of  January,  1895,  he  was 
elected  by  the  stockholders  of  the  Davenport  Savings  Bank  to  the  directorate  of 
that  institution,  and  on  the  organization  of  the  Davenport  Clearing  House,  Sep- 
tember I,  1895,  he  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  managing  board  and  has  so  con- 
tinued to  the  present  time,  covering  a  period  of  fifteen  years. 

On  the  I2th  of  October,  1878,  Mr.  Struck  was  married  in  this  city  to  Miss 
Johanna  Wessel,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  H.  Wessel,  Sr.,  and  they  became  parents  of 
four  children,  Alice  B.,  Kuno  H.,  Wally  and  Henry  W.,  but  Alice  and  Wally  died 
in  infancy.  Kuno  H.  Struck,  born  in  Davenport,  October  4,  1883,  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools  and  was  graduated  from  the  high  school  with  valedictorian 
honors  in  1902.  He  afterward  entered  the  Iowa  State  University  and  was  grad- 
uated from  the  medical  department  in  1906.  He  afterward  spent  a  season  with 
his  cousin.  Dr.  Arp  of  Moline,  putting  his  theoretical  knowledge  to  the  practical 
test.  In  December,  1906,  he  began  practice  in  Davenport.  While  in  the  uni- 
versity he  had  made  a  specialty  of  the  study  of  bacteriology  and  pathology  and 
had  also  taught  in  those  branches.  He  is  a  member  of  all  the  various  medical 
societies  and  of  the  Turners  Society  and  other  social  organizations. 

Politically  H.  C.  Struck  is  a  democrat,  supporting  the  party  since  casting  his 
first  presidential  ballot  for  Samuel  J.  Tilden.  He  belongs  to  the  Davenport 
Turner  Society,  which  he  joined  April  ir,  1872,  and  on  the  ist  of  January,  1897, 
he  received  a  diploma  as  honorary  member  in  recognition  of  his  twenty-five 


206  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

years'  connection  therewith.  On  the  ist  of  May,  1892,  he  became  a  Master 
Mason  of  Fraternal  Lodge,  No.  221,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  for  ten  years  filled  the 
office  of  treasurer.  As  a  financier  he  has  always  counseled  a  safe  and  conserva- 
tive policy  rather  than  that  progressiveness  which  tends  toward  risk,  and  his 
clear  insight  and  sound  judgment  have  constituted  valuable  factors  in  the  solution 
of  various  problems  which  are  continually  arising  in  financial  circles.  A  man  of 
well  balanced  capacities  and  powers,  correctly  judging  life's  contacts  and  experi- 
ences, his  ability  has  carried  him  into  important  public  relations  and  the  simple 
weight  of  his  character  has  won  him  the  honor  and  respect  of  all  with  whom  he 
has  been  associated. 


WILLIAM  C.  SCHAEFER. 

Prominent  among  those  who  gain  a  livelihood  from  the  rich  soil  of  Scott  county 
may  be  mentioned  William  C.  Schaef  er,  who  owns  ninety  acres  of  land  in  Daven- 
port township,  where  he  resides,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty- four  acres  in  Pleasant 
Valley  township,  besides  other  farm  and  city  property.  As  the  name  indicates,  he 
is  of  German  birth,  his  parents  being  Edward  and  Mary  (Bishop)  Schaefer,  who 
were  pioneer  settlers  of  Scott  county.  The  former  was  born  in  Germany  in  1810 
and  came  to  the  United  States  when  a  young  man,  alone.  He  spent  one  year 
thereafter  in  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  and  then  sought  a  location  in  Scott  county. 
He  bought  forty  acres  of  raw  land  on  the  Jersey  Ridge  road  on  Duck  creek  but 
prior  to  making  the  purchase  he  had  built  a  crude  dwelling  in  the  midst  of  the  wil- 
derness. This  house  stood  on  the  land  which  he  later  bought.  It  was  about  this 
time  that  he  wedded  Miss  Mary  Bishop  and  they  began  their  domestic  life  in  the 
pioneer  home  which  Mr.  Schaefer  had  prepared.  Mrs.  Schaefer  had  come  to  the 
new  world  with  her  parents  when  she  was  a  young  girl.  To  them  were  born  four 
sons :  William  C,  Fred,  Charles  and  Edward.  The  two  last  named  are  deceased, 
the  former  passing  away  when  but  fourteen  years  of  age,  while  the  latter  was 
thirty-six  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  demise. 

When  the  parents  settled  in  their  new  home  they  began  work  in  earnest,  toiling 
from  early  morning  until  late  at  night.  It  was  a  long  and  strenuous  task  that  was 
presented  to  them  but  they  met  it  with  a  steady,  unwavering  resolution  that  was 
chara:cteristic  of  the  early  pioneer  settlers.  From  a  wilderness  the  father  con- 
verted his  land  into  richly  cultivated  fields  and  as  the  time  passed  and  his  sons  grew 
in  years  and  strength  they  rendered  valuable  assistance  to  him  in  caring  for  his 
crops,  through  the  sale  of  which  he  added  to  his  financial  resources  and  was  able 
from  time  to  time  to  increase  his  land  holdings.  He  accumulated  two  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  of  fine  land  and  in  course  of  years  replaced  his  pioneer  home  with  a 
more  pretentious  and  modern  dwelling.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
March  3,  1900,  he  left  to  each  of  his  two  living  sons  a  good  farm  and  left  his  widow 
in  comfortable  circumstances  as  well.  She  still  survives  at  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty  years.  As  she  looks  about  her  she  sees  few  of  the  settlers  that  came  here 
in  pioneer  times  but  she  has  many  warm  friends  among  the  younger  generations 


--':-'\'  'AR  LZ      s 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  209 

who  through  their  kindly  interest  and  affection  help  to  brighten  her  path  in  her 
declining  years. 

William  C.  Schaefer,  the  elder  son,  was  born  on  the  home  farm  on  Duck  creek, 
February  3,  1854,  and  in  his  boyhood  and  youth  shared  with  the  other  members  of 
the  family  in  the  privations  and  struggles  that  surround  the  early  settlers  in  a  new 
country.  He  attended  the  district  schools  of  the  neighborhood  and  later  the  Ger- 
man school  in  Davenport.  He  has  made  farming  his  life  work  and  his  home  place, 
which  he  inherited  from  his  father's  estate,  comprises  ninety  acres,  this  being  lo- 
cated in  Davenport  township.  He  also  owns  five  acres  across  the  road  from  his 
home  and  one  hundred  and  fifty-four  acres  in  Pleasant  Valley  township,  while  he 
likewise  has  city  property  in  Davenport.  He  carries  on  general  farming  and 
stock  raising,  his  specialty  being  Poland  China  hogs  and  shorthorn  cattle. 

Mr.  Schaefer  was  married  April  17, 1879,  to  Miss  Emma  Kurtzfeldt,  a  daughter' 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Kurtzfeldt.  She  was  born  in  Davenport  township,  her  people 
being  among  the  early  settlers  of  this  section.  Six  children  grace  the  home  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Schaefer :  May,  Edward,  Adolph,  Charles,  Delia,  and  Lillian.  All  are  at 
home  with  the  exception  of  the  eldest  daughter.  May,  the  wife  of  William  Bertram, 
who  operates  her  father's  farm  in  Pleasant  Valley  township.  She  is  the  mother  of 
four  children,  Harold,  Esther,  Earl  and  Lucile. 

Mr.  Schaefer  can  well  remember  when  he  was  a  boy  how  this  district  appeared. 
Much  of  the  land  was  still  unclaimed,  the  homes  of  the  settlers  were  widely  scat- 
tered and  many  of  the  present  thriving  towns  and  villages  Were  then  unheard 
of.  As  the  years  have  passed  he  has  seen  this  section  of  the  county  develop 
into  a  rich  farming  center,  dotted  here  and  there  with  modern  and  attractive 
homes,  and  he  can  take  a  just  pride  in  what  has  been  accomplished,  for  he  has 
been  an  important  factor  in  bringing  this  about.  Today  he  stands  crowned  with 
honors  and  success,  and  his  honesty  of  purpose,  his  clean  record  and  his  devo- 
tion to  all  that  is  manly  and  upright  has  gained  for  him  many  warm  friends. 


JOHN  HEINZ. 


Allegiance  to  a  high  standard  of  commercial  ethics  and  intelligent  appre- 
ciation for  and  improvement  of  opportunity  have  gained  for  John  Heinz  a  credit- 
able position  in  the  ranks  of  Davenport's  leading  business  men.  Bom  in  this 
city  on  the  19th  of  March,  i860,  he  is  a  son  of  Bonaventura  and  Margeretha 
(Trenkenshuh)  Heinz,  the  former  a  native  of  Baden,  Germany,  and  the  latter 
of  Bavaria.  The  father  came  to  the  United  States  in  1845  and  took  up  his  abode 
in  St.  Louis.  Soon  afterward  he  enlisted  for  service  in  the  Mexican  war  and 
following  the  close  of  hostilities  returned  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  remained  until 
1855,  when  he  made  his  way  up  the  river  to  Davenport  on  the  Golden  Era.  From 
that  time  until  he  retired,  at  an  advanced  age,  he  was  connected  with  river  trans- 
portation and  was  also  wharf  master  for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  likewise 
active  in  public  afifairs  and  was  influential  among  all  classes.  He  came  to  be 
known  as  a  rhan  whose  word  could  be  implicitly  relied  upon  and  his  keen  insight 
made  his  judgment  such  as  awakened  public  confidence.    His  death  occurred  in 


210  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

1901,  when  he  had  reached  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  In  St.  Louis  he  mar- 
ried Margeretha  Trenkenshuh  and  their  children  were:  Fred;  Carrie,  who  died 
in  1901  as  the  result  of  an  operation;  Henry,  who  is  now  the  publisher  of  the 
Muscatine  (Iowa)  Journal;  and  John,  of  this  review. 

The  last  named  was  a  public  school  student  and  then  became  associated  in 
various  lines  of  business  with  his  brother  Fred.  In  1885  he  was  appointed  United 
States  gauger,  which  office  he  still  fills,  twenty-five  years'  service  in  this  capacity 
standing  as  incontrovertible  proof  of  his  trustworthiness  and  ability.  He  has 
embraced  his  opportunities  for  the  attainment  of  success  through  active  connec- 
tion with  various  business  concerns  and  is  now  a  director  of  the  Farmers  &  Me- 
chanics Bank,  a  member  of  the  firm  of  L.  M.  Fisher,  and  also  is  successfully  en- 
gaged in  the  loan  business.  Whatever  he  undertakes  he  carries  forward  to  suc- 
cessful completion,  brooking  no  obstacles  that  can  be  overcome  by  determined 
purpose. 

In  June,  1886,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Heinz  and  Miss  Emma 
Kruse,  a  native  of  Davenport  and  a  daughter  of  John  Kruse,  who  was  well 
known  in  the  transfer  business  here.  Their  two  children,  Cora  I.  and  Grace  C, 
are  yet  at  home.  Mr.  Heinz  belongs  to  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of 
Elks  and  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity  and  is  a  trustee  of  the  Davenport 
Turnverein.  He  was  also  one  of  the  firemen  of  this  city  in  the  old  days  of  the 
volunteer  department  and  is  a  popular  and  well  known  member  of  the  Veteran 
Volunteer  Firemen's  Association,  the  Schuetzen  Verein,  the  Davenport  Boat  Club 
and  the  Pastime  Club.  At  all  times  he  has  stood  for  progressive  methods  in 
municipal  affairs,  manifesting  a  deep  interest  in  those  projects  which  are  a 
matter  of  civic  virtue  and  civic  pride. 


JACOB  JOHANNSEN. 


Jacob  Johannsen,  who  in  the  years  of  an  active  business  life  followed  farm- 
ing but  is  now  living  retired  in  Davenport,  has  demonstrated  in  his  life  record 
that  success  is  not  a  matter  of  genius,  as  held  by  some,  but  is  rather  the  outcome 
of  clear  judgment,  experience  and  intelligently  directed  industry.  He  was  born 
in  Holstein,  Germany,  February  6,  1836,  and  is  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Margarethe 
Johannsen,  who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  their  native  country.  The  subject  of 
this  review  attended  school  in  Germany  and  through  the  periods  of  vacation 
worked  on  the  home  farm.  The  favorable  reports  which  he  heard  concerning 
America  and  its  opportunities  led  him  to  the  belief  that  no  country  held  out  as 
great  inducement,  and  accordingly  he  made  arrangements  to  cross  the  Atlantic. 
Bidding  adieu  to  home  and  friends,  he  landed  at  New  York  on  the  25th  of  May, 
1857,  but  did  not  tarry  on  the  eastern  coast.  He  at  once  made  his  way  into  the 
interior  of  the  country,  arriving  in  Davenport  on  the.ist  of  June.  His  lack  of 
financial  resources  made  it  imperative  that  he  at  once  seek  employment  and  he 
began  work  as  a  farm  hand,  spending  five  years  in  that  way.  He  was  then  mar- 
ried and  rented  land  until  his  industry  and  economy  enabled  him  to  secure  capital 
sufficient  to  purchase  a  farm.    In  1868  he  bought  eighty  acres  in  Davenport  town- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  211 

ship,  to  which  he  removed.  The  farm  was  improved  and  he  at  once  began  its 
further  development  and  cultivation,  making  his  home  thereon  until  1880.  In 
the  meantime  he  had  added  to  the  place  and  retained  the  ownership  thereof  until 
1885,  when  he  sold.  He  had  retired  in  1880,  however,  and  in  that  year  took 
up  his  abode  in  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  lived,  enjoying  a  well  earned  rest. 
On  the  17th  of  March,  1862,  Mr.  Johannsen  was  married  to  Miss  Dora  Hein, 
a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Catherine  Hein,  who  were  natives  of  Germany.  Mr. 
Johannsen  is  a  member  of  the  German  Pioneers  association.  For  more  than  a 
half  century  he  has  lived  in  this  county  and  has  therefore  witnessed  much  of 
its  growth  and  progress  as  the  work  of  development  has  been  carried  forward 
by  the  enterprising  and  progressive  class  of  people  who  came  here  to  enjoy  the 
natural  advantages  offered.  Working  resolutely  and  persistently  day  after  day, 
Jacob  Johannsen  at  length  became  the  possessor  of  a  comfortable  competence 
that  now  supplies  him  with  all  of  the  comforts  and  some  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 
He  has  never  had  occasion  to  regret  his  determination  to  come  to  the  new  world, 
for  he  found  good  opportunities  here  and  in  their  improvement  reached  a  place 
among  the  substantial  citizens  of  Scott  county. 


MRS.  ANNE  H.  HAGEN. 

Germany  has  furnished  to  Davenport  a  large  percentage  of  her  citizens  and 
among  the  number  is  Mrs.  Anne  H.  Hagen,  who,  however,  has  lived  in  Scott 
county  since  her  girlhood  days.  She  is  the  widow  of  Herman  Hagen,  who  was 
bom  in  Holstein,  Germany,  December  5,  1861.  He  was  a  son  of  Jacob  and 
Magdalene  (Neimier)  Hagen,  who  came  from  Germany  to  Scott  county  in 
1868,  with  their  family  of  seven  children,  and  settled  in  Sheridan  township.  For 
many  years  the  father  devoted  his  time  and  energies  to  general  farming  and  be- 
came recognized  as  one  of  the  representative  agriculturists  of  the  community. 
He  died  in  March,  1894,  while  his  wife,  surviving  him  for  two  years,  passed  away 
in  1896.     They  celebrated  their  golden  wedding,  having  been  married  in  1844. 

Herman  Hagen  was  the  youngest  of  their  seven  children  and  was  but  six 
years  of  age  at  the  time  the  family  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world.  He 
pursued  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Sheridan  township  and  in  Dun- 
can's Business  College  in  Davenport.  The  periods  of  vacation  had  been  de- 
voted to  the  work  of  the  fields  and  when  he  put  aside  his  text-books  he  resumed 
farming,  which  he  followed  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  contin- 
ued to  assist  in  the  cultivation  of  the  old  homestead  until  about  thirty  years  of 
age,  when  his  father  retired  and  he  took  charge  of  the  farm.  In  1896  he  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Sheridan  township  and  removed 
to  that  farm,  upon  which  he  made  his  home  until  March,  1906,  when  he  be- 
came a  resident  of  Davenport.  He  was  not  long  permitted  to  enjoy  his  city 
home,  however,  for  his  death  occurred  on  the  nth  of  the  following  month. 

It  was  on  the  30th  of  January,  1892,  that  Mr.  Hagen  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Anne  H.  Wiese,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Catherine  Wiese,  of  Scott 
county.    Mrs.  Hagen  was  born  in  Germany  and  was  brought  to  this  county  by 


212  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

her  father  during  her  early  girlhood,  her  mother  having  previously  died  in  Ger- 
many, when  Mrs.  Hagen  was  but  seven  years  of  age.  Her  father  then  made 
arrangements  to  seek  a  home  in  the  new  world  and  started  for  America  accom- 
panied by  his  three  children :  Dorothy,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Lewis  Specht  and 
Hves  in  O'Brien  county,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Hagen;  and  Emily,  the  widow  of  Christ 
Misfeldt,  of  Durant,  Iowa.  The  father  engaged  in  farming  to  some  extent  in 
this  country.  He  had  been  a  cigar  maker  in  Germany  and  had  served  in  the 
army.     He  died  in  1907. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hagen  were  born  four  children,  Hilda,  Lillian,  Magda- 
lene and  Norma,  but  the  last  named  is  now  deceased.  Herman  Hagen  was  a 
member  of  the  German  Lutheran  church  and  a  man  of  upright  life  and  sterling 
qualities,  honored  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  served  as  school  di- 
rector while  living  on  the  farm  and  in  other  local  offices,  the  duties  of  which 
he  ever  discharged  with  promptness  and  fidelity.  Coming  to  Scott  county  when 
but  six  years  of  age,  he  practically  spent  his  entire  life  here  and  his  stanchest 
friends  were  numbered  among  those  who  knew  him  from  his  boyhood,  a  fact  in- 
dicative of  a  well  ordered  and  well  spent  life. 


MATHIAS  PROUDFOOT. 

Mathias  Proudfoot  was  for  many  years  identified  with  the  agricultural  inter- 
ests of  Scott  county  but  is  now  living  retired,  having  in  former  years  accumulated 
a  good  farming  property  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  lying  in  Lincoln,  Le 
Claire  and  Davenport  townships.  He  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  in  Cam- 
bria county.  May  24,  1834,  and  is  second  in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  seven 
children,  whose  parents  were  Richard  J.  and  Rebecca  Proudfoot.  In  1861  the 
father  removed  with  his  family,  numbering  wife  and  several  children,  to  Scott 
county  and  located  a  farm  in  Lincoln  township,  this  tract  now  being  owned  by  our 
subject.  The  father  erected  a  good  house  and  outbuildings  on  the  place  and  in 
due  time  had  his  fields  in  a  cultivable  condition,  each  year  harvesting  good  crops. 
The  farm  continued  to  be  his  home  throughout  his  remaining  years.  Both  parents 
lived  to  be  eighty  years  old  and  were  highly  respected  in  the  community.  Three 
of  their  children  died  in  infancy,  while  the  others  are :  Richard,  who  has  also  de- 
parted this  life;  Mathias,  of  this  review;  Eliza,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Douglass 
and  a  resident  of  Wyoming,  Iowa;  and  Emeline,  the  wife  of  J.  W.  Baker. 

Mathias  Proudfoot  was  reared  in  the  Keystone  state  and  acquired  his  education 
in  the  public  schools.  In  his  early  manhood  he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade, 
which  he  followed  for  a  time  in  the  east.  In  1861,  when  a  young  man  of  twenty- 
six  years,  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Scott  county  and  became  identified  with 
farming.  His  father  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land,  which  con- 
stitutes a  portion  of  his  present  acreage,  and  after  this  came  into  his  possession  he 
added  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  more,  so  that  he  now  owns  altogether  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres,  located  in  Lincoln,  LeClaire  and  Davenport  townships. 
For  many  years  he  gave  his  entire  time  to  the  operation  of  this  land  and  has 
become  a  very  successful  man.     He  recently  put  aside  business  cares  and  makes 


/'V-.     //r/ ////.'/,_ 


V  '  fr/J ;  r  f 


CI  I  /u  no 


y     /'-Cifr 


-//rc4 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  215 

his  home  with  his  sister  Mrs.  Baker.    However,  he  still  owns  his  land,  which  he 
rents. 

Mr.  Proudfoot  was  married  in  May,  1884,  to  Miss  Eliza  Walker,  a  daughter  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  WiUiam  Walker,  of  Scott  county.  Her  death  occurred  ten  years 
later.  Mr.  Proudfoot  votes  with  the  republican  party  but  is  not  active  in  public 
affairs.  He  has  led  a  busy,  energetic  and  useful  life  and  his  labors  have  been 
rewarded  by  a  competency  that  enables  him  to  withdraw  from  active  business. 


CAPTAIN  ALVAH  O.  DAY. 

One  of  the  best  known  representatives  of  the  shipping  interests  on  the  Missis- 
sippi river  is  Captain  Alvah  O.  Day,  of  Davenport,  who  has  gained  a  wide 
acquaintance  as  commander  of  river  vessels  plying  between  St.  Paul  and  St. 
Louis.  He  is  the  owner  of  two  steamboats,  the  B.  Hershie  and  the  Everett.  He 
was  born  near  Rochester,  Dodge  county,  Minnesota,  August  i,  1866,  and  is  a 
son  of  Lewis  and  Pauline  (Henry)  Day.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Deerfield, 
Ohio,  born  September  9,  1837.  His  people  had  gone  to  that  state  from  Deerfield, 
^Massachusetts,  and  the  town  of  Deerfield,  Ohio,  was  nam'ed  by  them  in  honor  of 
their  old  home.  Captain  Day's  father  retained  his  residence  there  until  about 
i860,  when  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Winnebago  county,  Wisconsin,  where 
he  purchased  land  and  began  farming.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  how- 
ever, he  put  aside  all  business  and  personal  considerations,  enlisting  as  a  private 
in  the  Fifth  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry,  with  which  he  served  throughout  the 
war,  his  meritorious  conduct  on  the  field  of  battle  and  his  unfaltering  valor  win- 
ning him  promotion  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant.  It  was  about  1864  that  the  Day 
family  removed  to  Minnesota  and  from  the  government  entered  land  near  Roches- 
ter. At  the  close  of  the  war  the  father  joined  his  family  there  and  continued  to 
make  his  home  in  that  locality  until  1871,  when  he  came  to  Scott  county,  set- 
tling at  Le  Claire.  He  was  also  a  steamboat  man  and  purchased  one  of  the  first 
boats  that  floated  down  the  Wisconsin  river.  He  used  it  in  the  navigation  of 
Mississippi  waters  and  was  one  of  the  early  steamboat  captains  of  this  section, 
making  his  first  trip  down  the  river  in  1859.  The  family  continued  ta  reside  at 
Le  Qaire  until  1892.  On  the  24th  of  March  of  that  year  the  mother  passed 
away,  being  then  forty-eight  years  of  age,  her  birth  having  occurred  in  Medina 
county,  Ohio,  in  1844.  After  her  death  Lewis  Day  retired  and  made  his  home 
with  his  son  Alvah.  They  were  the  parents  of  six  children :  Alvah  O. ;  Lewis, 
who  is  living  in  Rock  Island,  Illinois;  George,  whose  home  is  in  San  Francisco, 
California;  Alice,  the  wife  of  William  Kingsbury,  of  Wyoming;  and  Zoe  and 
Emma,  both  deceased. 

Captain  Day  of  this  review  was  only  about  five  years  old  when  the  family 
removed  from  Minnesota  to  Iowa,  so  that  his  early  education  was  acquired  in  the 
public  schools  of  Le  Qaire.  He  afterward  attended  Port  Byron  College,  while 
his  training  in  navigation  was  received  from,  his  father.  He  obtained  his  license 
as  master  pilot  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  and  has  since  followed  the  river, 
being  today  one  of  the  oldest  and  best  known  river  men  in  Scott  county.     He 


216  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

has  not  only  worked  his  way  upward  in  positions  of  increased  responsibility, 
serving  as  captain  for  a  long  period,  but  has  also  advanced  along  material  lines, 
being  now  the  owner  of  two  steamboats,  the  B.  Hershie  and  the  Everett,  both 
of  which  are  stanch  river  crafts  and  are  liberally  patronized  by  the  carrying  trade. 

Captain  Day  was  married  November  i6,  1892,  to  Miss  Winifred  Davenport, 
a  daughter  of  James  H.  and  Savilla  (Reynolds)  Davenport,  of  Scott  county. 
Mrs.  Day  was  born  in  Le  Claire,  Iowa.  Her  father  was  the  first  white  child 
born  in  Scott  county,  his  natal  day  being  May  4,  1838.  His  death  occurred 
April  7,  1905.  His  parents,  Adrian  L.  and  Harriet  (Lane)  Davenport,  were 
among  the  first  settlers  in  this  part  of  the  state  and  took  an  active  part  in  the 
work  of  pioneer  development  and  improvement,  as  the  rich  natural  resources 
of  the  state  were  utilized  in  the  eififort  to  plant  the  seeds  of  civilization  and  prog- 
ress here.  Captain  and  Mrs.  Day  have  two  sons :  Lewis,  born  January  23, 
1894;  and  Davenport,  born  November  4,  1898. 

Captain  Day  is  well  known  in  fraternal  circles,  holding  membership  with  the 
Modern  Woodmen,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Masons.  In  the  Masonic 
order  he  has  taken  the  degrees  of  the  Scottish  Rite.  He  is  also  connected  with 
the  Sons  of  Veterans  and  in  religious  faith  is  an  Episcopalian,  belonging  to 
Grace  cathedral.  Having  practically  spent  his  entire  life  in  this  county,  Captain 
Day  is  widely  and  favorably  known,  and  is  recognized  as  a  man  of  his  word 
who,  without  sham  or  pretense  in  any  particular,  stands  fearlessly  in  support 
of  what  he  believes  to  be  right,  manifesting  a  spirit  of  utmost. honor  and  integ- 
rity in  his  business  affairs  as  well  as  in  his  social  relations. 


B.  W.  GARTSIDE. 


B.  W.  Gartside,  who  since  1889  has  been  vice  president  of  the  T.  W.  McClel- 
land Company,  while  his  identification  with  the  business  dates  from  1878,  was 
born  in  New  Jersey,  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Caroline  (Measey)  Gartside.  In 
his  childhood  days  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Davenport  and  the  public 
schools  afforded  him  his  literary  education.  He  afterward  studied  architecture 
and  in  1878  became  connected  with  the  T.  W.  McClelland  Company,  which  at 
that  time  in  addition  to  mill  work  was  conducting  an  extensive  business  as  con- 
tractors, architects  and  designers.  Mr.  Gartside  took  charge  of  the  architectural 
and  designing  department  but  of  recent  years,  owing  to  the  increase  of  their 
business  along  other  lines,  the  company  has  given  up  the  other  branches  and  is 
now  giving  undivided  attention  to  the  mill  work.  In  1889  Mr.  Gartside  was 
elected  to  the  vice  presidency  of  the  company  and  as  the  second  officer  is  doing 
much  to  shape  the  policy  of  the  house  and  extend  its  business  connections.  He 
is  a  man  of  unfaltering  enterprise  and  keen  discernment,  laboring  earnestly  to  se- 
cure that  success  which  is  the  goal  of  all  laudable  endeavor. 

In  1882  occurred  the  marriage  of  B.  W.  Gartside  and  Miss  Emma  Van  Home, 
a  native  of  Galesburg,  Illinois.  They  have  one  son,  Benjamin  W.,  Jr.,  a  young 
man  of  promise  who  is  now  with  the  Bettendorf  Company.    He  studied  archi- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  217 

tecture  and  was  for  some  years  connected  with  the  McClelland  Company,  and  in 
the  field  of  his  chosen  labor  he  is  making  substantial  progress. 

Mr.  Gartside  holds  membership  in  the  Commercial  and  Outing  Clubs.  In 
manner  he  is  unassuming,  free  from  ostentation  and  display,  yet  the  genuine 
worth  of  his  character  is  manifest  to  all  who  have  business  or  social  relations 
with  him.  He  places  a  correct  valuation  upon  life  and  its  opportunities,  recog- 
nizes the  obUgations  and  duties  of  citizenship  and  manifests  his  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  Davenport  by  active  and  substantial  cooperation  in  various  move- 
ments for  the  general  good. 


J.  B.  MORGAN,  D.  D.  S. 

Dr.  J.  B.  Morgan,  who  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  the  oldest  practitioner 
in  dentistry  in  Davenport,  was  also  one  of  the  first  of  Iowa's  sons  to  go  to  the 
support  of  the  Union  when  the  great  struggle  between  the  north  and  south  was 
inaugurated.  He  was  born  in  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  July  6,  1839.  His 
father,  James  B.  Morgan,  was  a  native  of  England  and  came  to  the  United 
States  when  about  eighteen  years  of  age.  He  settled  in  Pennsylvania  and  there 
married  Miss  Margaret  C.  Boyd,  who  in  her  girlhood  days  had  left  Ireland,  her 
native  country,  and  had  become  a  resident  of  the  Keystone  state.  When  Dr. 
Morgan  was  but  six  months  old  his  father  died  and  the  mother  afterward  mar- 
ried again.  In  1844  she  came  to  Iowa,  settling  in  Delaware  county,  where  she 
continued  to  make  her  home  until  the  time  of  her  removal  to  Dakota  a  few  years 
prior  to  her  demise. 

Dr.  J.  B.  Morgan,  who  was  but  five  years  of  age  when  brought  to  Iowa,  was 
reared  upon  the  home  farm  in  Delaware  county  and  after  mastering  the  branches 
of  learning  taught  in  the  district  schools  attended  Lenox  College  at  Hopkinton. 
When  the  first  call  for  troops  was  issued  by  President  Lincoln  he  made  quick 
response,  enlisting  on  the  20th  of  April,  1861,  as  a  member  of  Company  I,  First 
Iowa  Infantry.  On  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged August  21,  1861,  but  soon  reenlisted,  becoming  a  private  of  Company 
K,  Twelfth  Iowa  Infantry,  on  the  7th  of  September.  On  the  25th  of  November 
of  the  same  year  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  first  sergeant.  Later  he  was 
discharged  and  reenlisted  as  a  veteran  volunteer  of  Company  K,  Twelfth  Iowa 
Infantry,  February  17,  1864,  and  on  the  5th  of  February,  1865,  he  was  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  first  lieutenant  of  that  company,  with  which  he  remained  until  his 
military  service  was  ended  in  March,  1866.  The  First  Iowa  Infantry  was  the 
only  three  months'  regiment  that  went  from  this  state.  It  was  organized  at 
Camp  Elsworth,  Keokuk,  and  left  Iowa,  June  12,  1861,  being  assigned  to  duty 
along  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joe  Railroad  from  Hannibal  to  Mason  City.  The 
troops  were  there  relieved  in  order  to  join  General  Lyon  at  Boonville,  and  an 
advance  was  made  on  Springfield,  Missouri,  from  June  2^  to  July  5.  Dr.  Mor- 
gan participated  in  the  action  at  Forsyth,  Missouri,  on  the  22d  of  July  and  at 
Dug  Springs,  August  2,  followed  by  the  battle  of  Wilson's  Creek  on  the  loth  of 
August. 


218  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

The  Twelfth  Iowa  Infantry,  his  second  regiment,  was  organized  at  Dubuque 
and  mustered  into  service  November  25,  1861.  They  moved  to  St.  Louis,  Novem- 
ber 28,  and  were  on  duty  at  Benton  Barracks  until  January  27,  1862.  Proceeding 
to  Cairo,  Illinois,  they  thence  went  to  Smithland,  Kentucky,  and  were  on  duty 
with  the  First  Brigade,  Second  Division  of  the  District  of  West  Tennessee,  from 
February  until  April,  1862 ;  with  the  Union  Brigade,  District  of  Corinth,  Depart- 
ment of  Tennessee,  to  December,  1862;  First  Brigade,  District  of  Corinth,  Six- 
teenth Army  Corps,  of  the  Tennessee,  to  January,  1863 ;  Third  Brigade,  Third 
Division,  Fifteenth  Army  Corps,  April  to  December,  1863 ;  Third  Brigade, 
First  Division,  right  wing  Sixteenth  Army  Corps,  to  November,  1864;  Third 
Brigade,  First  Division,  detachment  Sixteenth  Corps,  to  February,  1865 ;  Third 
Brigade,  First  Division,  Sixteenth  Corps,  Army  of  the  Gulf,  service;  expedition 
up  Tennessee  river,  February  5-6,  1862 ;  capture  of  Fort  Henry,  Tennessee, 
February  6;  Fort  Donelson,  Tennessee,  February  13-16;  duty  at  Fort  Donel- 
son  until  March  12;  moved  to  Pittsburg  Landing,  March  12-21 ;  battle  of  Shiloh, 
April  6-7;  advance  and  siege  of  Corinth,  Mississippi,  April  26  to  May  30;  pur- 
suit to  Brownsville,  May  31  to  June  12;  duty  at  Corinth  until  December  18;. 
battle  of  Corinth,  October  3-4;  pursuit  to  Ripley,  October  5-12;  ordered  to  Daven- 
port, Iowa,  December  18;  defense  of  Jackson,  Tennessee,  December  20,  1862,  to 
January  4,  1863 ;  moved  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  January  4-7,  and  on  duty  there 
until  March  27th;  thence  to  Duck  Port,  Louisiana,  April  9-14;  movement  on 
Bruensburg  and  turning  Grand  Gulf,  May  2-12;  Jackson,  May  14;  Big  Black 
river.  May  17;  siege  of  Vicksburg,  Mississippi,  May  18-  July  4;  assault  on  Vicks- 
burg,  May  19-22 ;  surrender  of  Vicksburg,  July  4 ;  advance  on  Jackson,  July 
S-io;  siege  of  Jackson,  July  10-15;  Brandon,  July  19-20;  camp  at  Big  Black 
river  until  November  expedition  to  Brownsville,  October  16;  moved  to  Mem- 
phis, November  7-12;  on  general  duty  to  January,  1864;  moved  to  Vicksburg, 
Mississippi,  February  1-6;  expedition  to  Canton,  February  25-March  4;  on 
veteran's  furlough,  March  and  April;  moved  to  Memphis,  April  28-May  2; 
Smith's  expedition  through  Mississippi,  June  16- July  18;  Pontotoc,  July  11; 
Harrisburg,  July  13;  Tupelo,  July  14-15;  Old  Town  Creek,  July  15;  expedition 
to  Oxford,  July  31-August  23;  Tallahatchie  river,  August  7-9;  Abbeville  and 
Oxford,  August  12;  Hurricane,  August  13-14;  College  Hill,  August  21-22; 
Abbeville,  August  23 ;  moved  to  Duvall's  Blufif,  September  i ;  pursuit  of  Price 
through  Missouri,  September  7-November  15;  moved  to  Nashville,  Tennessee, 
November  23-December  i ;  battle  of  Nashville,  December  15-16;  pursuit  of  Hood 
to  the  Tennessee  river,  December  17-30;  duty  at  Clifton,  Tennessee,  and  East- 
port,  Mississippi,  until  February  7,  1865 ;  moved  to  New  Orleans,  Louisiana, 
February  7-22;  thence  to  Dauphine  Island,  Alabama,  March  7-8;  siege  of  Span- 
ish Fort  and  Fort  Blakely,  March  25-April  8 ;  Fort  Blakely,  April  9 ;  capture  of 
Mobile,  April  12;  march  to  Montgomery,  April  13-25;  duty  there  until  May  12; 
moved  to  Selma,  May  12,  and  duty  there  and  district  of  the  Talladega  until  De- 
cember; and  detached  at  Selma  for  duty  in  the  organization  of  the  Freedman's 
Bureau. 

Such  in  brief  is  the  history  of  Dr.  Morgan's  connection  with  the  Union  army 
but  it  tells  little  of  the  long,  hard  marches,  the  difficult  sieges  and  the  long  and 
weary  waiting  in  winter  quarters.    All  the  experiences  meted  out  to  the  soldier 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  219 

were  his,  but  never  did  he  falter  in  the  performance  of  any  duty  and  from  first 
to  last  was  at  the  front  valiantly  defending-  the  Union  cause. 

Upon  leaving  the  army  Dr.  Morgan  returned  to  the  pursuits  of  civil  life. 
In  the  fall  of  1866  he  began  attending  lectures  at  Rush  Medical  College,  of  Chi- 
cago, with  the  intention  of  making  the  practice  of  medicine  his  profession.  After 
attending  one  course  of  lectures  he  decided  to  take  up  the  study  of  dentistry  and 
accordingly  entered  the  Philadelphia  Dental  College,  from  which  he  was  grad- 
uated in  1868.  The  same  year  he  came  to  Davenport,  which  has  since  been  the 
scene  of  his  professional  activities.  On  the  ist  of  June,  1869,  he  purchased  the 
office  and  practice  of  Dr.  Gunckle,  and  the  forty  years  of  his  labors  here  make 
him  the  oldest  dentist  in  the  three  cities  which  are  linked  by  common  interests. 
He  is  not  only  the  dean  of  the  profession  but  has  remained  throughout  the  years 
a  foremost  representative  in  all  that  indicates  progress  and  capability.  Reading, 
research  and  study  have  kept  him  in  touch  with  the  onward  march  of  the  pro- 
fession, his  methods  of  practice  today  being  utterly  dissimilar  to  those  which 
were  in  vogue  when  he  started  out  four  decades  ago.  His  office  is  equipped  with 
the  latest  appliances  and  at  all  times  he  has  enjoyed  the  highest  regard  of  his 
fellow  practitioners  as  well  as  the  general  public. 

On  the  28th  of  September,  1871,  Dr.  Morgan  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Minnie  C.  Harris,  a  native  of  Sag  Harbor,  New  York.  He  has  long  been 
a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  of  the  Loyal  Legion  and  of  the 
Union  Veterans  Union,  thus  maintaining  pleasant  relations  with  his  old  army 
comrades.  He  is  indeed  a  wonderful  man  for  his  age,  faithful,  cheerful  and 
vigorous,  as  fond  of  a  fishing  trip  or  outing  as  many  a  one  of  fewer  years  and 
enjoying  hfe  with  the  full  zest  of  his  juniors.  He  stands  high  both  profession- 
ally and  socially  and  in  citizenship  is  as  loyal  to  his  county  as  he  was  when  he 
followed  the  old  flag  on  southern  battlefields. 


ANDREW   WASHINGTON   BOWMAN,   M.   D. 

Dr.  Andrew  Washington  Bowman,  who  in  the  years  of  his  connection  with 
the  medical  fraternity  of  Davenport  was  one  of  the  city's  most  busy,  capable, 
successful  and  respected  practitioners,  was  born  in  Andalusia,  Rock  Island  county, 
Illinois,  in  January,  1847.  His  father,  Edward  H.  Bowman,  was  also  a  physician 
and,  locating  in  Rock  Island  county  in  1843,  became  a  prominent  representative 
of  the  medical  fraternity  there,  enjoying  a  large  and  growing  practice  for  many 
years.  He  filled  the  office  of  circuit  clerk  of  that  county  and  served  with  dis- 
tinction as  an  army  surgeon  throughout  the  Civil  war.  He  also  spent  several 
years  in  mining  in  California  following  the  discovery  of  gold  on  the  Pacific 
coast,  and  for  a  considerable  period  was  Indian  agent  in  the  Indian  Territory. 

After  completing  his  literary  education  Dr.  Andrew  W.  Bowman  traveled 
through  California  and  Mexico  before  deciding  upon  the  calling  or  profession 
which  he  wished  to  make  his  life  work.  When  in  Mexico  an  epidemic  of  small- 
pox broke  out  where  he  was  staying  and  thus  he  had  an  opportunity  of  using 
the  knowledge  of  medicine  he  had  obtained  in  connection  with  his  father's  prac- 


220  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

tice.  He  treated  several  hundred  cases  with  success  and  received  numerous  in- 
ducements to  remain,  but  he  had  decided  to  become  a  physician  and  follow  the 
profession  in  the  United  States,  for  he  did  not  naturally  like  the  surroundings 
and  environment  of  a  Mexican  home.  He  then  entered  Ann  Arbor  for  a  course 
in  medicine  and  afterward  studied  in  the  Rush  Medical  College,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  with  honors  in  the  class  of  1878.  In  1880  he  came  to  Daven- 
port and  almost  immediately  was  accorded  an  extensive  practice,  which  grew 
with  the  passing  years  until  he  was  one  of  the  city's  most  busy  and  respected 
physicians.  He  was  very  careful  in  the  diagnosis  of  a  case  and  in  the  applica- 
tion of  remedial  agencies.  Moreover,  he  was  familiar  with  the  component  parts 
of  the  human  body  and  every  phase  of  anatomy  and  his  conscientious  performance 
of  duty  marked  an  improved  epoch  in  the  standard  of  medical  service  in  this 
city. 

On  the  nth  of  August,  1879,  Dr.  Bowman  was  married,  to  Miss  Marie  Max- 
well, a  daughter  of  the  late  Dr.  A.  S.  Maxwell,  a  former  resident  of  Daven- 
port. He  was  a  long-time  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the  beneficent 
principles  of  which  he  exemplified  in  his  life,  finding  ample  opportunity  to  dem- 
onstrate his  belief  in  the  brotherhood  of  man.  He  died  July  16,  1906,  at  the  age 
of  fifty-nine  years,  and  a  useful  career  was  thus  brought  to  a  close.  His  friendly 
and  courteous  spirit  and  his  kindly  disposition  had  made  him  esteemed  by  all 
•who  knew  him  and  most  of  all  where  he  was  best  known. 


M.  L.  SIEBENGARTNER. 

Among  the  German  citizens  of  the  little  village  of  Bettendorf  who  have 
proved  that  though  America  is  not  their  native  land  it  commands  from  them 
the  most  effective  loyalty  is  M.  L.  Siebengartner,  a  retired  farmer.  He  owns 
five  acres  within  the  boundaries  of  the  town,  this  constituting  his  place  of  resi- 
dence, and  other  real  estate  here.  He  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  Septem- 
ber 19,  1840,  a  son  of  Marcus  and  Theresa  (Shoenmaier)  Siebengartner, 
both  of  whom  spent  all  their  lives  in  their  native  country. 

Mr.  Siebengartner  was  well  advanced  in  years  before  he  sought  a  home  in 
America.  After  having,  received  the  fundamental  education  provided  by  the 
public  schools  of  the  fatherland  he  attended  college  at  Naunten,  Germany,  there- 
after devoting  himself  to  agricultural  pursuits  in  the  vicinity  of  his  birthplace. 
It  was  not  until  the  28th  of  July,  1884,  that  he  reached  Davenport,  having  brought 
his  family  to  the  United  States  with  him,  and  there  he  found  work  as  a  team- 
ster. Three  years  later  he  removed  to  Bettendorf,  where  he  rented  a  tract  of 
land  and  later  bought  the  place  on  which  he  now  lives.  He  has  cultivated  the 
soil  with  profit  to  himself  and  has  intimately  identified  himself  with  public  in- 
terests for  he  is  a  man  of  progressive  ideas  and  large  public  spirit  so  that  every 
enterprise  which  is  calculated  to  advance  the  welfare  and  better  the  conditions 
of  the  community  has  received  his  support. 

While  living  in  Germany,  October  2,  1865,  Mr.  Siebengartner  married  Miss 
Francise  Hrabmaer  and  they  have  had  seven  children.     Barbara,  who  married 


/  et'-e  / 1  cjci  y-t  1 1  e  7'- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  223 

George  Weinzell  and  lives  in  Germany,  has  five  children,  George,  Max,  Mary, 
Anna  and  Joe.  Michael,  a  business  man  of  Chicago,  Illinois,  married  Allenia 
Dipple  and  they  have  four  children,  Elizabeth,  Max,  Alma  and  Clara.  Marcus 
was  ordained  a  priest  of  the  Catholic  church  at  Regensburg,  Bavaria,  and  is  now 
a  professor  of  theology  in  a  Catholic  academy  in  his  native  land.  Francise  mar- 
ried John  Holzner  and  lives  at  Bettendorf .  Frank  C.  has  remained  at  home  and 
has  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  his  father  as  regards  interest  in  public  affairs, 
being  identified  with  some  of  the  more  important  organizations  of  the  village. 
He  is  vice  president  of  the  Bettendorf  Savings  Bank,  is  commissioner  of  the 
streets,  assessor,  secretary  of  the  Bettendorf  fire  department,  and  treasurer  of 
school  board.  Louis  M.  lives  at  home  and  assumes  the  management  of  the 
farm.    Emma  married  Michael  Flashman,  a  farmer  of  Davenport  township. 

Mr.  Siebengartner  was  one  of  the  men  who  was  instrumental  in  building  the 
Catholic  church  of  the  village.  It  was  erected  in  1901,  with  Father  Dr.  George 
Ginglinger  as  pastor.  There  were  only  ten  Catholic  families  there  at  the  time, 
most  of  them  German,  but  the  little  congregation  has  prospered  largely  through 
Mr.  Siebengartner's  efforts,  for  besides  contributing  to  its  support  he  has  under- 
taken to  care  for  the  church.  He  was  also  one  of  the  first  of  the  councilmen  of 
the  village  and  served  three  terms  as  treasurer  of  the  school  board.  His  inter- 
est in  educational  matters  is  especially  keen,  for,  being  a  product  of  the  German 
schools  which  enjoy  an  international  reputation  for  their  excellence,  he  is  anx- 
ious to  raise  the  standard  of  the  local  institutions  of  learning  as  high  as  possible. 
In  the  quarter  of  a  century  in  which  he  has  lived  here  his  influence  has  been 
felt  in  many  ways  and,  being  wholly  worthy,  he  enjoys  the  utmost  confidence 
of  those  who  have  watched  his  life  from  day  to  day. 


WILLIAM  WATTS. 


William  Watts,  who  in  former  years  was  prominently  connected  with  building 
operations  in  Davenport,  conducting  an  extensive  business  as  a  contractor,  is 
now  living  retired.  Like  many  of  the  residents  of  the  city  of  an  older  generation, 
he  is  of  foreign  birth,  the  place  of  his  nativity  being  Norfolkshire,  England,  and 
his  natal  day  the  31st  of  August,  1837.  He  has,  therefore,  passed  the  seventy- 
second  milestone  on  life's  journey.  His  parents,  Robert  and  Matilda  (Gower) 
Watts,  came  to  the  United  States  in  1848,  landing  in  New  York,  after  which  they 
made  their  way  westward  by  the  canal  to  Buffalo  and  took  up  their  abode  upon 
a  farm  near  that  city. 

William  Watts  had  begun  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  country 
at  the  time  the  family  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world  and  continued  his 
studies  in  the  Empire  state.  He  resided  upon  the  home  farm  in  the  vicinity  of 
Buffalo  until  1856,  when,  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years,  he  left  home,  believing  that 
he  would  have  better  opportunities  to  more  quickly  secure  a  competence  in  the 
middle  west.  He  then  left  the  Empire  state  and  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa, 
where  his  brother,  Robert  J.  Watts,  was  then  living,  having  arrived  here  in  the 
spring  of  that  year,  while  William  Watts  established  his  home  in  Davenport  in 


224  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

the  fall  of  1856.  He  had  learned  the  wagon  maker's  trade  in  the  east  and  after 
coming  to  the  west  began  work  at  the  carpenter's  trade,  being  first  employed  on 
a  house  on  Lucust  street  between  Brady  and  Main  streets,  which  is  still  stand- 
ing. He  was  afterward  employed  in  the  shops  of  the  Rock  Island  Railroad 
Company  as  coach  builder  for  about  fourteen  years  and  has  also  aided  in  the 
construction  of  a  large  number  of  buildings  in  Davenport,  including  the  Metro- 
politan hall.  During  the  panic  of  1857,  he  went  south  to  Memphis,  Tennessee, 
where  he  remained  for  a  year,  and  during  the  period  of  the  Civil  war  he  assisted 
in  building  Camp  McClelland.  He  has  built  about  twenty  houses  for  himself 
and  also  many  others,  and  his  business  as  a  speculative  builder  has  proven  very 
profitable.  He  still  owns  considerable  property,  from  which  he  derives  a  sub- 
stantial annual  income.  His  investments  have  ever  been  judiciously  made,  while 
the  evidences  of  his  handiwork  have  secured  to  him  a  liberal  patronage  as  a  gen- 
eral contractor. 

On  the  6th  of  June,  1859,  ^r.  Watts  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ma- 
tilda Parsonage  and  unto  them  were  born  seven  children:  Sidney,  who  is  living 
in  Benton  county,  Iowa,  married  Hattie  Southerland  and  they  have  four  chil- 
dren :  Guy,  Ray,  Jessie  and  Hazel.  Mary,  the  second  of  the  family,  is  deceased. 
Emma  is  the  widow  of  D.  M.  West,  who  was  an  attorney  of  Council  Bluffs,  and 
she  now  lives  with  her  father.  Anna  L.  is  also  at  home.  William  A.,  of  Dav- 
enport, married  Lillian  De  Foy  and  they  have  three  children:  Margaret,  Helen 
and  Clement.  James  E.,  of  Mason  City,  married  Helen  Johnson.  Jessie  G.  com- 
pletes the  family.  The  wife  and  mother,  who  was  born  in  December,  1839,  died 
on  the  26th  of  March,  1879. 

Mr.  Watts  has  been  a  republican  since  age  conferred  upon  him  the  right  of 
franchise,  never  faltering  in  his  allegiance  to  the  party  because  he  believes  its 
platform  to  contain  the  best  principles  of  good  government.  His  life  has  been 
one  of  continuous  activity,  in  which  has  been  accorded  due  recognition  of  labor, 
and  today  he  is  numbered  among  the  substantial  citizens  of  his  county.  His 
interests  are  thoroughly  identified  with  those  of  Davenport  and  at  all  times  he 
is  ready  to  lend  his  aid  and  cooperation  to  any  movement  calculated  to  benefit 
this  section  of  the  country  or  advance  its  wonderful  development.  A  man  of 
great  natural  ability,  his  success  in  business  from  the  beginning  of  his  residence 
here  has  been  uniform  and  rapid.  He  has  persevered  in  the  pursuit  of  a  per- 
sistent purpose  and  has  gained  a  most  satisfactory  reward. 


CLAUS  HELL. 


Claus  Hell,  a  retired  agriculturist  residing  in  Davenport,  has  made  his  home 
at  No.  705  West  Sixth  street  for  the  past  thirty-six  years.  For  many  years  he 
was  actively  identified  with  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  is  still  the  owner 
of  a  tract  of  two  hundred  acres  of  fine  farm  land,  eighty  acres  of  which  lies 
in  Cleona  township,  Scott  county,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in 
Cedar  county.  His  birth  occurred  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  17th 
of  June,  1837,  his  parents  being  John  and  Anna  Hell,  who  spent  their  entire 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  225 

lives  in  that  country.  The  father  was  a  laborer  and  also  engaged  in  farming  on 
a  small  scale. 

Glaus'  Hell  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land  and  after 
putting  aside  his  text-books  worked  as  a  farm  hand  for  about  a  year.  In  1854, 
when  a  youth  of  seventeen  years,  he  set  sail  for  the  new  world  in  company  with 
his  brother  John,  landing  at  New  York  after  an  ocean  voyage  of  fifty-two  days. 
Another  brother,  Moses  Hell,  had  emigrated  to  the  United  States  the  previous 
year  and  had  established  his  home  in  Davenport,  Iowa.  Mr.  Hell  of  this  re- 
view therefore  made  his  way  at  once  to  this  city  and,  securing  employment  as  a 
farm  laborer,  thus  worked  for  about  two  years.  Then  he  and  his  brother 
John  purchased  ten  steers  and  broke  prairie  for  various  agriculturists  of  the 
community  for  about  six  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period,  in  1862,  the 
two  brothers. bought  one  hundred  and  six:ty  acres  of  prairie  land  in  Cleona  town- 
ship, broke  it  up  and  erected  a  small  house  thereon.  They  lived  together  for 
about  a  year  and  then  divided  the  farm  and  conducted  their  interests  separately. 
Glaus  Hell  was  married  in  1865  and  continued  to  reside  on  his  place  of  eighty 
acres  until  1869,  when  he  purchased  and  located  upon  a  tract  of  fourteen  acres 
of  improved  land  in  Davenport  township  near  the  city  of  Davenport.,  At  the 
end  of  five  years  he  disposed  of  the  property  and  took  up  his  abode  in  his  pres- 
ent home  at  No.  705  West  Sixth  street  in  Davenport,  where  he  has  lived  contin- 
uously since  1874.  He  won  a  gratifying  and  commendable  degree  of  prosperity 
in  the  conduct  of  his  agricultural  interests  and  is  now  enabled  to  spend  his  re- 
maining days  in  well  earned  ease  without  recourse  to  further  labor.  As  above 
stated,  his  holdings  include  two  hundred  acres  of  highly  improved  and  valuable 
land,  which,  though  lying  in  both,  Scott  and  Cedar  counties,  is  all  in  one  body. 

On  the  7th  of  February,  1865,  Mr.  Hell  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Kath- 
rina  Schmaucher,  a  daughter  of  Jasper  and  Minnie  Schmaucher,  both  of  whom 
passed  away  in  Germany.  Mr.  Hell  has  resided  with  the  borders  of  Scott  county 
for  fifty-six  years  and  is  a  valued  member  of  the  German  Pioneers  Society.  Ar- 
riving in  the  United  States  with  no  capital  save  a  stout  heart  and  willing  hands, 
he  realized  the  fact  that  while  in  this  country  labor  is  unhampered  by  caste  or 
class  it  is  only  by  unfaltering  diligence,  guided  by  sound  judgment,  that  success 
can  be  secured.  Through  the  exercise  of  these  qualities  he  made  steady  progress 
and  is  now  one  of  the  substantial  and  respected  citizens  of  his  community. 


KASPER  WACHTER. 


Kasper  Wachter,  who  has  lived  retired  in  Davenport  since  1887,  was  for- 
merly actively  and  successfully  identified  with  agricultural  interests  in  this 
county.  He  was  born  in  Mels,  Switzerland,  a  little  town  at  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tains of  which  he  still  has  a  picture.  His  birth  occurred  on  the  4th  of  August, 
1834,  his  parents  being  Frank  and  Barbara  Wachter.  The  father,  who  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  brought  his  family  to  the  United  States  in  1845,  reach- 
ing New  York  a  month  after  leaving  the  land  of  the  Alps.    The  journey  from 


226  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

the  Empire  state  to  Iowa  likewise  consumed  about  a  month,  the  family  traveling 
via  the  lakes  to  Chicago  and  thence  to  Davenport,  Scott  county,  by  prairie 
schooner.  After  arriving  here  Frank  Wachter  purchased  eighty  acres  of  prairie 
land  near  the  present  site  of  the  poorhouse  and  also  bought  an  old  log  cabin  at 
Rockingham,  which  he  moved  to  his  farm  and  in  which  he  took  up  his  abode. 
In  1852  he  remodeled  the  dwelling  and  continued  to  reside  therein  until  called  to 
his  final  rest  in  1856,  when  fifty-four  years  of  age.  His  wife,  whom  he  survived 
for  a  decade,  passed  away  in  1846.  Their  children  were  seven  in  number,  namely: 
Antone,  who  died  in  California;  Frank,  a  resident  of  Wisconsin;  Anna,  whose 
demise  occurred  in  1849;  Kasper,  of  this  review;  Joseph,  who  lives  in  Kentucky; 
Barbara,  the  wife  of  Bernhard  Huskey,  of  Davenport ;  and  Amanda,  who  passed 
away  in  1868. 

Kasper  Wachter,  who  was  a  lad  of  eleven  years  when  he  accompanied  his 
parents  on  their  emigration  to  the  new  world,  attended  school  in  Davenport  for  a 
time  but  his  advantages  in  this  direction  were  somewhat  limited.  He  studied 
under'  the  preceptorship  of  Father  Pelamourgues,  an  early  priest  of  the  com- 
munity. After  putting  aside  his  text-books  he  was  busily  engaged  in  farm  work 
until  October,  1861,  when  he  enhsted  in  the  Union  army,  joining  Company 
G,  Tenth  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry,  at  Black  River  Falls,  Wisconsin.  The 
regiment  was  equipped  at  Milwaukee,  camped  there  for  a  time  and  subsequently 
marched  all  the  way  to  Huntsville,  Alabama,  arriving  at  that  place  in  the  month 
of  May.  Mr.  Wachter  participated  in  the  battles  of  Perryville,  Kentucky,  and 
Stone  River  and  in  the  latter  engagement  was  shot  through  the  left  shoulder, 
thus  sustaining  an  injury  which  necessitated  his  removal  to  the  regiment  hos- 
pital. He  was  later  transferred  to  a  hospital  near  Cincinnati  and  when  he  had 
recovered  was  sent  back  to  his  regiment  at  Murfreesboro,  where  he  was  hon- 
orably discharged  in  May,  1863.  After  returning  to  Scott  county  he  once  more 
turned  his  attention  to  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  following  his  marriage, 
which  was  celebrated  in  1864,  he  took  up  his  abode  on  a  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  acres  on  Lost  Grove  road,  to  the  operation  of  which  he  devoted  his 
energies  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  active  business  career.  In  1887  he  dis- 
posed of  the  property  and  has  since  lived  retired  in  Davenport,  having  won 
a  competence  that  enables  him  to  spend  his  declining  years  in  well  earned  ease 
without  recourse  to  further  labor. 

Mr.  Wachter  has  been  married  twice.  On  the  31st  of  May,  1864,  he  wedded 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Freund,  the  widow  of  Paul  Freund,  and  their  union  was  blessed 
with  seven  children,  the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows.  Carrie,  who  is  the  widow 
of  Jacob  Gittion,  has  three  children,  namely:  Lillian,  Leonard  and  Francis. 
Katherine  is  the  wife  of  Rudolph  Shepler,  of  Davenport,  by  whom  she  has  four 
children;  Clara,  Agnes,  Aloysius  and  Bernice.  Kasper  L.  Wachter  has  passed 
away.  Antone,  who  resides  in  Davenport,  wedded  Miss  Clara  Court  and  has 
one  child,  Marie.  Edward  makes  his  home  in  Davenport.  The  other  two  chil- 
dren of  the  family  died  in  early  Hfe.  The  wife  and  mother  was  called  to  her 
final  rest  on  the  8th  of  December,  1899,  and  on  the  nth  of  May,  I90i,-Mr. 
Wachter  was  again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Emma  Wilson, 
whose  parents  were  Noah  and  Leah  Rudy,  of  Pennsylvania.  Her  first  husband, 
Seth  Wilson,  of  New  York,  died  in  1894.    By  him  she  had  two  children,  namely: 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  227 

Clara,  living  in  Pasadena,  California ;  and  Luella,  who  married  Frank  Ruefer,  of 
Davenport,  and  has  four  children:  Gertrude,  Georgia,  Marie  and  Raymond. 

Politically  Mr.  Wachter  is  a  stanch  advocate  of  the  democratic  party  and 
while  living  on  the  farm  he  capably  served  his  fellow  townsmen  in  the  capacity 
of  road  supervisor  and  also  as  a  school  director.  In  religious  faith  he  is  a 
Catholic.  He  has  now  passed  the  seventy-fifth  milestone  on  life's  journey  and 
receives  the  veneration  and  respect  which  should  always  be  accorded  one  who 
has  traveled  thus  far  on  this  earthly  pilgrimage  and  whose  career  has  ever  been 
upright  and  honorable.  He  is  widely  and  favorably  known  throughout  the 
county  which  has  remained  his  home  for  almost  two-thirds  of  a  century  and  of 
the  growth  and  development  of  which  he  has  been  an  interested  witness. 


EDWARD  J.  DOUGHERTY. 

In  the  development  of  the  natural  resources  of  Iowa  and  in  the  promotion 
of  business  interests  which  have  had  much  to  do  with  the  upbuilding  and  ad- 
vancement of  Davenport  and  the  state  at  large,  Edward  J.  Dougherty  took  ac- 
tive and  prominent  part  and  came  to  be  recognized  as  most  influential  in  the  pro- 
motion of  business  interests,  as  a  leader  in  financial  circles  and  as  a  promoter  of 
various  mining  projects.  The  extent  and  importance  of  his  work  well  entitled 
him  to  rank  with  the  representative  residents  of  this  city.  Mr.  Dougherty  was 
born  in  County  Tipperary,  Ireland,  March  17,  1846,  a  son  of  William  Dougherty, 
who  in  185 1  bade  adieu  to  the  Emerald  isle  and  with  his  family  sailed  for  the.  new 
world.  Becoming  a  resident  of  Davenport,  he  started  the  first  brickyard  in  this 
city.  Two  years  later  he  established  his  family  upon  a  farm  on  the  Utica  road 
and  there  Edward  J.  Dougherty  remained  until  twenty-six  years  of  age,  his 
youthful  experiences  being  those  that  usually  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  farm  lad.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  through  the  summer  months 
worked  in  the  fields. 

Two  years  before  leaving  the  old  homestead  Edward  J.  Dougherty  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Alice  E.  Glynn,  whose  father  was  a  prominent  farmer  of  Long 
Grove.  After  leaving  the  old  home  place  Mr.  Dougherty  and  his  family  resided  on 
a  farm  in  Sheridan  township  until  1888,  when  he  purchased  the  old  Brownlie 
farm  on  Brady  street.  There  he  made  his  hom.e  until  he  removed  to  this  city 
and  took  up  his  residence  in  the  old  Dr.  J.  L.  Reed  homestead  at  No.  1504  Main 
street.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Farmers  &  Mechanics  Savings 
Bank  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  a  director  and  the  chairman  of  the  execu- 
tive committee  of  the  bank.  The  extent  and  variety  of  his  business  interests 
and  connections  made  him  one  of  the  most  prominent  residents  of  Scott  county. 
His  labors  contributed  in  large  and  substantial  measure  to  public  progress  and 
improvement  and  he  well  deserves  mention  with  those  who  have  been  the  real 
upbuilders  of  this  section  of  the  state.  He  promoted  the  Davenport  and  South- 
ern Railroad  and  was  its  first  president,  continuing  in  that  office  until  his  demise. 
He  promoted  and  financed  the  Guaranty  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  be- 
coming one  of  its  directors,  and  was  chairman  of  its  executive  committee.     He 


228  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

was  also  the  president  of  the  Scott  County  Coal  Mining  Company,  the  president 
of  Schick's  Express  &  Storage  Company,  president  of  the  Silvis  Coal  Mining- 
Company  of  Carbon  Cliff,  Illinois,  and  a  director  of  the  Norris  Coal  Mining 
Company.  As  his  financial  resources  increased  he  made  extensive  investment 
in  realty  and  became  one  of  the  largest  landowners  of  the  county,  holding  title 
to  twelve  hundred  and  thirty  acres  in  Princeton  township,  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
two  acres  in  Butler  township,  two  hundred  acres  in  Sheridan  township  and  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Lincoln  township.  He  also  had  extensive  holdings 
in  the  Dakotas  and  Nebraska,  together  with  much  real  estate  in  Davenport. 
Whatever  he  undertook  he  carried  forward  to  successful  completion  and  his 
business  affairs  were  ever  of  a  constructive  nature,  contributing  to  the  general 
growth  and  prosperity  of  the  community.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  character, 
of  domestic  virtues  and  of  moral  and  religious  spirit.  He  was  widely  known  as 
an  efficient  pubhc  official,  serving  for  several  terms  as  supervisor  during  his  res- 
idence in  Sheridan  township.  In  religious  faith  he  was  a  Catholic  and  gave  gen- 
erously to  the  support  of  the  church  and  its  charities.  He  stood  as  a  splendid 
example  of  the  type  of  self-made  man.  Reared  in  the  growing  west,  he  saw 
and  improved  the  advantages  which  Iowa  afforded  her  citizens  and  in  the  estab- 
lishment and  conduct  of  important  business  interests  he  became  recognized  as 
one  of  the  foremost  men  of  Scott  county,  his  labors  being  of  far-reaching  and 
beneficial  effect  in  relation  to  public  welfare  and  at  the  same  time  constituting  a 
source  of  substantial  individual  profit. 


WILLIAM  S.  CHENOWETH. 

For  a  period  of  over  forty-one  years  William  S.  Chenoweth  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Davenport  and  through  intelligently  directed  activity  in  his  chosen  field 
of  labor,  came  to  be  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  prominent  representatives  of 
the  Aetna  Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Connecticut.  He  is  today  one  of  the 
oldest  insurance  men  in  the  state,  but  is  now  living  retired,  his  success  in  former 
years  enabling  him  to  enjoy  many  of  the  comforts  of  life  without  recourse  to 
further  labor.  He  has  passed  his  eighty-fourth  milestone  on  life's  journey. 
During  twenty-eight  years  and  a  half  he  averaged  twenty-five  thousand  miles  a 
year  on  the  road  for  the  Aetna  Insurance  Company. 

His  birth  occurred  in  New  Castle,  Pennsylvania,  September  26,  1825,  his 
parents  being  Arthur  and  Rebecca  (Reynolds)  Chenoweth.  His  father  was  one 
of  the  early  settlers  of  Lawrence  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  named  this  county 
before  his  death,  which  occurred  over  eighty-two  years  ago,  and  the  family  has 
long  been  represented  in  that  state.  He  had  previously  lived  near  Harper's 
Ferry,  Virginia,  when  he  removed  to  Pennsylvania. 

William  S.  Chenoweth  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  his  native  city,  and  in 
the  year  1844  sought  the  opportunities  of  the  middle  west,  first  establishing  his 
home  near  La  Harpe,  Illinois.  He  afterward  lived  at  different  points  in  that 
state  and  was  associated  with  different  lines  of  business  until  eventually  he 
turned  his  attention  to  insurance.     He  is  today  one  of  the  oldest  insurance  men 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  231 

in  the  state  of  Iowa  and  one  of  the  best  known  in  the  western  and  southern 
states.  The  rebelUon  destroyed  the  large  insurance  business  of  the  Aetna  Fire 
Insurance  Company  in  southern  states  and  nearly  forty  years  ago  he  was  sent 
by  the  Aetna  Insurance  Company  to  open  up  the  insurance  business  for  this 
company  in  the  different  southern  states.  It  was  a  hard  place  to  travel  then,  as 
the  railroads  were  put  in  bad  condition  by  the  war.  He  entered  this  field  in  a 
humble  way,  but  gradually  advanced  as  he  proved  his  usefulness  and  worth  in 
this  field.  He  thoroughly  familiarized  himself  with  every  phase  of  the  insur- 
ance business  and  with  firm  belief  in  its  value,  to  the  insured  as  well  as  the 
members  of  the  company  promoting  insurance,  he  was  enabled  to  build  up  an 
extensive  clientage  and  secure  a  business,  the  volume  of  which  brought  him,  in 
the  course  of  years,  to  a  prominent  position  among  the  insurance  men  of  the 
state,  securing  for  him  at  the  same  time  a  substantial  financial  reward  for  his 
labors. 

On  the  17th  of  April,  1851,  Mr.  Chenoweth  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Caroline  Webster  Painter.  Her  father,  like  Mr.  Chenoweth's,  had  come  to  the 
middle  west  in  the  hope  of  bettering  his  fortune.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chenoweth  can 
both  remember  spending  the  day  together  at  her  home  over  seventy-four  years 
ago,  when  she  was  five  and  he  was  ten  years  of  age.  By  this  marriage  there  were 
bom  four  children:  Alice,  the  oldest,  is  living  at  home.  Mary  P.  became  the 
wife  of  J.  B.  Johnson,  who  for  twenty-eight  years  was  an  attorney  of  Des 
Moines  and  is  now  living  in  Oklahoma  City.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  have  three 
children:  Arthur,  who  is  married  and  has  a  son,  Donald;  Hazel,  the  wife  of 
John  H.  Fowler,  by  whom  she  has  one  son,  William  H. ;  and  Ernest  C,  at  home. 
Louise,  the  third  member  of  the  family,  died  in  childhood.  Henrietta  B.,  the 
youngest  of  the  family,  is  the  wife  of  Oren  Bradshaw  Waite,  a  minister  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  they  have  two  daughters.  Marguerite  and 
Dorothy. 

Sixty-three  years  ago  Mr.  Chenoweth  joined  the  ranks  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  has  since  maintained  active  membership  in  that 
fraternity,  heartily  endorsing  the  beneficent  principles  which  constitute  its  basic 
elements.  He  has  always  been  a  generous  contributor  to  the  churches  and  his 
influence  has  ever  been  on  the  side  of  justice,  truth  and  right.  His  political 
allegiance  was  given  to  the  whig  party  in  early  manhood,  and  in  1844  he  heard 
Henry  Clay  make  a  speech  from  the  steps  of  the  old  Planters  House  in  St. 
Louis.  He  joined  the  republican  party  on  its  organization  and  has  since  been 
one  of  its  stalwart  advocates. 

He  has  lived  in  the  Mississippi  valley  for  fifty-three  years,  and  his  life  record 
covers  almost  eight-five  years,  so  that  he  has  been  a  witness  of  many  events 
which  to  the  great  majority  are  matters  of  history.  He  can  remember  the 
building  of  the  early  railroads  in  this  section  of  the  country  and  of  being  in 
Chicago  Ihe  day  the  books  were  opened  to  sell  stock  in  the  first  Chicago  rail- 
road (the  Chicago  &  Galena  Railroad)  and  the  day  when  the  emigrants  to  the 
west  traveled  in  the  old  moving  wagons.  Chicago  then  had  fourteen  thousand 
inhabitants.  Many  of  the  homes  in  this  section  of  the  country  were  log  cabins 
and  sod  houses  and  there  were  vast  tracts  of  land  yet  unclaimed  and  unculti- 
vated. 


232  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Mr.  Chenoweth  has  lived  to  witness  the  remarkable  changes  which  have 
occurred  and  has  always  maintained  a  deep  interest  in  the  work  of  progress 
that  has  brought  Illinois  and  Iowa  to  their  present  advanced  position.  It  is 
these  places  that  the  greater  part  of  his  life  has  been  passed  in  and  he  has 
always  felt  that  he  made  a  wise  move  when  he  came  to  this  section  of  the  coun- 
try, rich  in  its  natural  resources  and  affording  boundless  opportunities  to  the 
early  settlers  as  well  as  to  the  later  day  residents.  While  his  able  managed  in- 
dividual interests  have  brought  to  him  success,  he  has  always  contributed  in  no 
small  degree  toward  promoting  general  progress  through  the  course  of  years. 


JOSEPH  N.  GREENE. 


There  are  many  admirable  traits  of  character  exemplified  in  the  life  of  Joseph 
N.  Greene,  who  is  now  one  of  the  patriarchal  citizens  of  Davenport,  having 
reached  the  age  of  eighty-four  years.  Much  of  his  life  was  devoted  to  the  art 
of  photography  but  since  1894  he  has  lived  retired.  A  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
Joseph  N.  Greene  was  born  in  Clearfield  county,  March  6,  1826,  and  is  a  son  of 
Isaac  and  Elizabeth  (Liebengood)  Greene.  The  father  was  a  carpenter  by 
trade  and  during  the  latter  part  of  his  life  engaged  in  boat  building  on  the  canal 
at  Blairsville,  to  which  place  he  removed  with  his  family  soon  after  the  birth  of 
his  son  Joseph.  The  latter  there  resided  until  about  1862  and  acquired  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  of  that  town.  He  now  has  in  his  possession  a  pic- 
ture of  the  old  log  school  building  which  was  erected  in  1830  and  was  used  as  a 
church  and  place  of  public  meetings  as  well  as  for  educational  purposes.  His 
father  built  the  first  house  in  Blairsville  and  the  family  were  closely  associated 
with  the  development  and  progress  of  the  town.  Both  the  father  and  mother 
died  there,  the  former  passing  away  at  the  age  of  fifty  years,  while  the  latter, 
long  surviving  him,  reached  the  very  advanced  age  of  ninety-four  years.  Her 
parents  were  among  the  first  settlers  of  western  Pennsylvania  and  as  pioneer 
residents  aided  in  planting  the  seeds  of  civilization  in  a  virgin  soil. 

Joseph  N.  Greene,  who  was  the  fourth  in  a  family  of  nine  children,  after 
pursuing  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Blairsville,  learned  the  trade  of  boat 
making  under  his  father  and  followed  it  until  after  his  father's  death.  He  built 
a  boat  for  himself  about  1848  and  used  it  on  the  canal  there.  In  1861  he  organ- 
ized a  company  at  Blairsville  for  service  in  the  Civil  war,  for  his  patriotic  spirit 
was  aroused  by  the  attempt  of  the  south  to  overthrow  the  Union.  The  organi- 
zation became  known  as  Company  I  of  the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  Volunteer 
Infantry.  They  enlisted  at  Blairsville  and  went  into  camp  at  Harrisburg,  Penn- 
sylvania, Mr.  Greene  being  elected  captain  of  the  company.  They  remained  in 
Harrisburg  for  about  four  months  and  then  proceeded  to  Washington,  D.  C, 
joining  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Mr.  Greene  was  in^  a  number  of  skirmishes 
up  to  the  time  when  he  was  honorably  discharged  on  account  of  ill  health  in  1863. 

Returning  to  Pennsylvania,  he  established  his  home  in  Allegheny,  where  he 
turned  his  attention  to  photography.  In  1865  he  removed  to  Geneseo,  Illinois, 
and  conducted  a  photograph  gallery  there  until  1879,  after  which  he  went  to 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  233 

Morrison  and  later  to  Sterling,  Illinois,  where  he  remained  for  two  years.  On 
the  expiration  of  that  period  he  came  to  Davenport  and  since  1894  has  continu- 
ously lived  retired.  During  his  active  connection  with  the  photographic  art  he 
■kept  in  touch  with  all  the  modern  processes  of  taking  pictures  and,  with  keen 
appreciation  for  the  effects  of  light  and  shade  as  well  as  for  pose,  he  produced 
excellent  work  that  gained  for  him  a  liberal  patronage  and  made  his  business  a 
profitable  venture. 

"X)n  the  13th  of  November,  1862,  Mr.  Greene  was  married  in  Davenport  to 
Miss  Susan  Brown,  a  daughter  of  Squire  James  and  Mary  (Donley)  Brown. 
Mrs.  Greene  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  and  in  her  infancy  was  brought  to  Scott 
county,  Iowa.  Her  father  first  came  to  this  county  in  the  fall  of  1844  and  the 
mother  brought  their  children  the  following  spring  to  the  new  home  which  he 
had  prepared.  Mr.  Brown  rented  a  farm  on  Duck  Creek,  which  he  occupied  for 
two  years  and  then  purchased  an  adjoining  tract  of  land  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  where  he  made  his  home  for  some  time.  Eventually  he  sold  that 
property,  however,  and  removed  nearer  Davenport,  where  he  bought  another 
farm,  residing  thereon  until  the  death  of  his  wife  about  1882.  He  then  retired 
from  active  life  and  took  up  his  abode  in  the  city.  He  was  not  only  a  prominent 
agriculturist  but  also  took  an  active  part  in  public  affairs,  serving  as  justice  of 
the  peace  of  Pleasant  Valley  township  for  a  long  period,  during  which  time  his 
fair  and  impartial  decisions  won  him  high  encomiums.  He  was  also  school 
director  and  held  other  offices  in  the  township.  He  gave  his  political  support  to 
the  democracy  and  his  allegiance  to  the  Catholic  church,  in  the  faith  of  which  he 
died  in  1893  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  years.  His  wife  had  passed  away  at  the  age 
of  seventy-four  years. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Greene  were  born  eight  children:  Carrie,  who  is  a  Sister 
of  Mercy  in  the  Mercy  Convent  at  St.  Louis;  Josephine,  who  is  the  wife  of  W.  A. 
Craft,  of  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania,  and  has  two  children,  Dora  and  Gertrude; 
!/Vgnes,  Pius  and  Lourde,  all  now  deceased ;  Mattie,  the  wife  of  James  Shelby,  of 
Davenport,  and  the  mother  of  eight  children: — Harold,  Hugh,  Hildegard, 
Jerome,  Lourde,  Barthela,  Monica  and  Regina;  Gertrude,  the  wife  of  Albert 
Osterman,  of  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania;  and  Isaac,  at  home.  Mr.  Greene  has 
belonged  to  a  large  number  of  fraternal  orders  but  is  not  affiliated  with  any  at 
the  present  time.  He  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Catholic  church  and  his 
life  has  been  in  harmony  with  the  teachings  thereof.  For  eighty-four  years  he 
has  traveled  life's  journey,  faithfully  performing  the  duties  that  each  day  has 
brought,  and  his  trustworthiness,  his  energy  and  his  reliability  have  gained  him 
the  high  and  favorable  regard  of  all  with  whom  he  has  been  associated. 


FRANK  W.  MUNDT. 


Frank  W.  Mundt  is  numbered  among  those  who  in  the  opening  years  of  the 
Civil  war  offered  their  services  to  the  government  and  for  three  years  were  en- 
gaged in  active  military  duty.  He  is  now  living  retired  in  Davenport  and  is 
numbered  among  the  worthy  citizens  that  Germany  has  furnished  to  this  state. 


234  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

His  birth  occurred  in  the  city  of  Mecklenburg,  October  i6,  1834,  and  his  par- 
ents, who  were  also  natives  of  that  country,  spent  their  entire  lives  there. 

Frank  W.  Mundt  acquired  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Germany  and  was 
a  young  man  of  about  twenty  years  when  he  made  the  voyage  to  the  new  world, 
landing  at  New  Orleans.  He  thence  proceeded  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  Dav- 
enport and,  unafraid  of  hard  work,  immediately  sought  employment  that  would 
enable  him  to  meet  his  expenses  and  make  a  good  start  in  life.  He  was  epi- 
ployed  at  different  kinds  of  labor  both  in  town  and  on  the  farms.  At  the  time  of 
the  Civil  war,  however,  he  put  aside  all  business  and  personal  considerations  and 
in  September,  1861,  at  San  Francisco,  California,  enlisted  as  a  member  of  Com- 
pany K,  Second  Cavalry  Volunteers.  They  went  across  the  plains  to  Salt 
Lake  and  were  engaged  in  fighting  the  Indians  most  of  the  time  until  mustered 
out  at  Salt  Lake  City,  October  8,  1864,  after  which  Mr.  Mundt  returned,  to 
Davenport. 

It  was  on  the  30th  of  September,  1868,  that  Mr.  Mundt  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Anna  Pahl,  who  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  a  daughter  of 
Claus  and  Marie  Pahl.  Her  parents  died  in  the  fatherland  and  she  came  alone 
to  the  United  States  in  1866.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mundt  have  been  born  ten 
children:  Emma,  the  wife  of  John  Brooks  of  Portland,  Oregon,  by  whom  she 
has  three  children — ^Dorothy,  William  and  Selma;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Robert 
Armil  of  Davenport,  by  whom  she  has  seven  children — Bessie,  Etta,  Earl,  Ruth, 
Paul,  Robert  and  Marie ;  William,  of  this  city,  who  wedded  Nellie  I.  Oschaugh- 
nessy,  now  deceased,  by  whom  he  had  two  children — ^Julia  and  Alfred;  Louisa, 
the  wife  of  Louis  Eckhardt,  sherifif  of  Scott  county,  and  the  mother  of  two  chil- 
dren— Louisa  and  Herbert;  Selma  and  Frank,  at  home;  Freda,  the  wife  of  Fred 
Volz  of  Davenport  and  the  mother  of  two  children — Margaret  and  Marie;  and 
Paula,  Emil  and  Alfred,  all  at  home. 

Mr.  Mundt  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  Post  at  Davenport  and  takes 
pleasure  in  the  camp  fires.  He  is  widely  known  in  this  city,  where  he  has  long 
made  his  home  and  where  he  stands  as  an  excellent  type  of  the  German-Ameri- 
can citizens  who  have  done  so  much  for  Davenport's  improvement  and  up- 
building. 


J.  W.  BETTENDORF. 


As  some  one  has  expressed  it,  "To  know  Davenport  is  to  know  Bettendorf." 
In  other  words,  the  name  of  Bettendorf  is  inseparably  interwoven  with  the  history 
of  the  city,  its  commercial  enterprise  and  business  development,  through  almost  a 
quarter  of  a  century.  The  student  of  biography  must  inevitably  reach  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  mass  of  men  seem  content  to  remain  in  the  position  in  which  they 
are  placed  by  birth,  experience  and  environment.  Laudable  ambition,  ready 
adaptability  and  the  capacity  for  hard  work  are  essential  elements  of  success  and 
in  none  of  these  requirements  has  J.  W.  Bettendorf  been  found  lacking.  It  is  not 
a  matter  of  marvel,  therefore,  that  he  occupies  a  prominent  position  among  the 
real  builders  of  this  city  and  the  eminence  to  which  he  has  attained  is  due  to  the 
fact  that  he  possesses  the  ability  to  recognize  the  opportune  moment  and  to  cor- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  237 

rectly  appraise  the  value  of  a  situation  and  determine  its  possible  outcome.  It  is 
these  qualities  which  have  led  him,  in  association  with  his  brother,  to  enter  upon 
the  great  work  of  establishing  the  mammoth  enterprise  that  is  now  conducted  under 
the  name  of  the  Bettendorf  'Axle  Company,  and  as  secretary,  treasurer  and  man- 
ager of  the  company  he  is  giving  his  attention  to  constructive  effort  and  executive 
ability  along  lines  that  have  produced  what  is  uniformly  conceded  to  be  the  most 
important  industrial  concern  of  this  city. 

A  native  of  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  Mr.  Bettendorf  was  born  October  lo,  1864. 
His  father,  M.  Bettendorf,  a  native  of  Germany,  came  to  America  when  eighteen 
years  of  age,  taking  up  his  abode  at  Mendota,  Illinois.  He  was  a  school  teacher 
by  profession  and  followed  that  pursuit  in  Illinois  but  subsequent  to  his  removal 
to  Sedalia,  Missouri,  conducted  a  grocery  business  and  general  store.  Later  he 
became  a  resident  of  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  and  engaged  in  clerking  for  the  gov- 
ernment at  Fort  Leavenworth.  He  is  now  living  retired  in  the  town  of  Bettendorf, 
a  suburb  of  Davenport  and  the  location  of  the  extensive  works  which  his  sons 
have  developed.  He  married  Catharine  Reck,  also  a  native  of  Germany,  and  they 
became  parents  of  a  daughter  and  three  sons,  but  only  two  of  the  family  are  now 
living,  the  elder  brother  being  W.  P.  Bettendorf,  president  of  the  Bettendorf  Axle 
Company. 

J.  W.  Bettendorf,  the  third  child  and  second  son,  was  nine  years  of  age  when 
the  family  left  Kansas  and  became  residents  of  Peru,  Illinois,  where  he  remained 
until  he  attained  his  majority.  His  education  was  largely  acquired  in  the  schools 
of  Peru  and  when  eighteen  years  of  age  he  secured  "  a  situation  in  the  plow 
works  of  that  place.  His  initial  service  was  that  of  a  machinist,  while 
later  he  became  foreman  of  the  assembling  department.  In  1886  he  came  to  Dav- 
enport, where  in  connection  with  his  brother  he  organized  the  Bettendorf  Metal 
Wheel  Company.  For  two  years  he  worked  as  a  machinist  and  then  became  su- 
perintendent of  the  plant.  In  1890  he  went  to  Springfield,  Ohio,  as  manager  of 
the  branch  of  the  business  at  that  place,  but  in  the  fall  of  1893  returned  to  Daven- 
port and  in  association  with  W.  P.  Bettendorf  turned  his  attention  to  the  manu- 
facture of  steel  gear  wagons.  In  January,  1895,  their  interests  were  incorporated 
under  the  name  of  Bettendorf  Axle  Company,  with  J.  W.  Bettendorf  as  secretary. 
Something  of  the  extent  and  prominence  of  the  business  is  indicated  in  a  humor- 
ous reply  recently  made  to  a  Davenport  man  in  Pittsburg.  When  asked  where  he 
was  from  and  telling  the  city  of  his  residence  the  inquirer  said,  "Oh,  yes,  Daven- 
port— ^that  is  near  Bettendorf,  isn't  it?"  This  indicates  how  widely  the  town  of 
Bettendorf — ^and  the  town  is  practically  the  great  Bettendorf  works — is  known. 
The  volume  of  its  business  has  made  the  name  a  familiar  one  to  the  iron  trade,  not 
only  of  America  but  of  Europe.  J.  W.  Bettendorf  continued  to  serve  as  secretary 
and  manager  of  the  company  from  1899  until  1906,  when  he  was  also  elected 

treasurer. 

In  1888  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Bettendorf  and  Miss  Elizabeth 
Ohl,  a  daughter  of  George  and  Sibilla  Ohl.  They  have  two  sons,  Edwin  J.  and 
William  E.,  aged  respectively  twenty  and  seven  years.  Mr.  Bettendorf  is  one  of 
the  charter  members  of  the  Elks  lodge  and  is  prominent  in  the  social  life  of  the 
city,  while  in  all  those  things  which  pertain  to  the  city's  substantial  growth  and 
progress  he  is  deeply  and  actively  interested.     Many  measures  which  are  of  strictly 


238  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

impersonal  character  have  received  his  endorsement  and'  cooperation  and  the  city 
has  been  benefited  thereby.  In  this  age  of  marked  industry  and  activity  he  has 
made  for  himself  an  honored  name  but  it  is  not  his  success  alone  that  entitles  him 
to  the  high  regard  of  his  friends.  He  has  never  allowed  the  accumulation  of 
wealth  to  affect  in  any  way  his  manner  toward  those  less  fortunate,  and  entrance 
to  his  circle  of  friends  is  gained  by  character  worth  and  not  by  material  posses- 
sions. His  associates  know  him  as  a  most  genial  and  kindly  gentleman  and  while 
his  business  relations  have  brought  him  the  acquaintance  of  many  men  distin- 
guished in  commercial  circles,  he  holds  as  his  most  priceless  treasure  the  friendship 
and  respect  of  his  fellow  townsmen,  among  whom  he  has  now  resided  for  almost  a 
quarter  of  a  century. 


GEORGE  W.  VALENTINE. 

George  W.  Valentine,  long  and  favorably  known  in  the  business  circles  of 
Davenport,  where  he  is  conducting  an  extensive  contracting  business  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  Garstang  &  Valentine,  bricklayers,  was  born  at  Buffalo,  New 
York,  July  8,  1834,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Katherine  (Mee)  Valentine. 
The  father  was  a  bricklayer  in  the  east  and  the  mother  died  during  the  residence 
of  the  family  in  that  part  of  the  country.  The  father  came  to  Davenport  after 
the  arrival  of  his  son  George  here  and  spent  his  last  days  in  this  city. 

George  W.  Valentine  pursued  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Buffalo 
and  afterward  learned  the  bricklayer's  trade  under  the  direction  of  his  father. 
Noting  the  rapid  improvement  and  settlement  of  the  middle  west  and  believing 
that  it  would  offer  a  good  field  of  labor  for  one  in  his  line  of  work,  he  came  to 
Davenport  alone  in  1856,  when  a  young  man  of  but  twenty-two  years  of  age. 
Here  he  began  work  at  his  trade  and  has  since  been  connected  with  this  line  of 
business.  He  aided  in  building  the  old  Methodist  church,  was  employed  on  the 
construction  of  the  First  National  Bank,  also  of  the  Burtis  Opera  House,  the 
Kimball  Hotel  and  a  large  number  of  other  buildings.  About  thirty  years  ago 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Frank  Garstang  and  during  this  period  they  have 
been  awarded  contracts  for  the  erection  of  many  large  and  important  buildings 
in  the  city.  They  sustain  an  unassailable  reputation  because  of  the  excellent 
workmanship  which  is  done  under  their  supervision  and  because  of  their  un- 
faltering fidelity  to  the  terms  of  a  contract.  Their  patronage  is  now  extensive 
and  the  business  has  long  been  conducted  upon  a  profitable  basis. 

On  the  4th  of  June,  1857,  Mr.  Valentine  was  united.in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary 
Snow,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Louisa  (Clark)  Show.  She  was  born  in 
Chautauqua  county,  New  York,  and  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  in  1856.  For 
fifty-three  years,  therefore,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Valentine  have  traveled  life's  journey 
together  and  as  time  passed  on  their  marriage  was  blessed  with  five  children: 
Leon,  who  married  Anna  Russell  and  has  one  daughter,  Mary ;  Carrie,  the  wife 
of  Joseph  O.  Bradney,  of  Belmont,  New  York;  Martha,  the  wife  of  William 
Davis,  of  Livingston,  Montana,  by  whom  she  has  three  children — Leon,  Marion 
and  Carrie;  George,  of  Evanston,  Illinois,  who  married  Lottie  Wells  and  has 
three  children— Wells  W.,  George  S.  and  Mary;  and  Ella,  who  died  at  the  age 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  239 

of  fourteen  months.    The  parents  began  their  domestic  life  in  the  same  house  in 
which  they  still  reside. 

Mr.  Valentine  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Unitarian  church.  In  mat- 
ters of  citizenship  he  has  always  been  interested  and  his  support  has  been  given 
to  those  projects  and  measures  which  he  has  deemed  of  importance  and  of  vital 
significance  to  the  community.  He  has  ever  favored  progress  and  improvement 
and  those  qualities  have  been  manifest  in  his  own  life.  His  reliability  in  business 
and  his  fidelity  in  other  relations  have  won  for  him  a  creditable  standing  in  public 
regard. 


RIGHT  REV.  THEODORE  X.  -AIORRISON,  D.  D. 

The  Right  Rev.  Theodore  N.  Morrison,  Episcopal  bishop  of  Iowa,  was  born 
in  Ottawa,  Illinois,  February  i8,  1850.  His  father,  Theodore  Morrison,  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania,  was  brought  to  Illinois  in  1835  by  his  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
John  Morrison,  who  settled  at  Tremont.  Theodore  Morrison,  Sr.,  became  a  rep- 
resentative of  the  Episcopal  ministry,  being  ordained  by  Bishop  Chase  in  1848, 
after  which  he  labored  for  many  years  in  Aurora,  Jacksonville  and  Bloomington, 
Illinois.  A  life  consecrated  to  this  holy  calling  was  closed  in  1888  when,  at  the 
age  of  sixty-two  years,  he  passed  away.  In  early  manhood  he  had  wedded  Anna 
Eliza  Howland,  a  native  of  New  York  and  a  daughter  of  Allen  A.  Howland,  M. 
D.,  who  settled  in  Ottawa,  Illinois,  in  1832. 

Bishop  ]\Iorrison,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  the  eldest  in  a 
family  of  three  sons  and  two  daughters.  In  his  youthful  days  he  attended  the 
public  schools  of  Jacksonville  and  in  1870  was  graduated  from  the  Illinois  Col- 
lege of  that  city,  having  completed  the  literary  and  scientific  courses.  Determin- 
ing to  devote  his  life  to  the  ministry,  he  entered  the  General  Seminary  of  New 
York  city  and  in  1873  was  made  deacon.  The  same  year  he  took  charge  of  St. 
Paul's  Episcopal  church  in  Pekin,  lUinios,  and  in  1875  was  advanced  to  the 
priesthood.  In  1876  he  became  rector  of  the  Church  of  the  Epiphany  in  Chicago, 
where  he  remained  until  February,  1899,  or  for  a  period  of  almost  twenty-three 
years.  His  work  there  was  characterized  by  continuous  growth  in  the  various 
lines  of  church  activity  and  the  Epiphany  became  one  of  the  strong  churches  in 
Chicago.  His  parishioners  were  loath  to  part  with  him  yet  rejoiced  in  the  honor 
that  was  conferred  upon  him  when  on  February  22,  1899,  he  was  consecrated 
bishop  of  Iowa.  He  then  came  to  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  resided,  care- 
fully guiding  the  destinies  of  the  churches  under  his  direction  with  the  same  zeal 
and  earnestness  which  he  manifested  when  in  charge  of  the  Church  of  the  Epi- 
phany in  Chicago.  He  holds  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from  Illinois  Col- 
lege and  from  General  Seminary,  and  the  degree  of  S.  T.  D.  from  the  Western 
Theological  Seminary. 

On  the  28th  of  October,  1879,  Dr.  Morrison  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  B. 
Swazey.  a  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Arthur  Swazey,  for  many  years  pastor  of  the 
Third  Presbyterian  church  of  Chicago,  and  the  first  editor  of  The  Interior.  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Morrison  have  six  children,  namely:  Rev.  Cameron  S.,  who  resides  in 


240  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

the  state  of  Washington;  Mrs.  Zay  B.  Curtis,  living  in  Little  Rock,  Arkansas; 
Nevin  S. ;  Arthur  S.;  Theodore  N.;  and  Sarah. 

Dr.  Morrison  is  a  man  of  strong  executive  ability,  marked  ecclesiastical  force 
and  with  that  broad  general  culture  which  makes  him  the  peer  not  only  of  the 
leading  representatives  of  the  clergy  but  also  of  those  men  whose  thought  is 
given  to  the  solution  of  problems  of  grave  import  to  mankind.  Transcending 
every  other  interest  in  his  life,  however,  is  the  work  to  which  he  has  been  devoted 
from  early  manhood  and,  conscientiously  and  zealously  utilizing  and  consecrat- 
ing the  powers  with  which  nature  endowed  him,  his  labors  have  come  to  be  rec- 
ognized as  a  strong  force  in  the  development  of  the  Episcopal  church  in  the 
middle  west. 


HANS  J.  EHLERT. 


Ernest,  persistent  labor  is  the  secret  of  the  success  which  constitutes  the 
crowning  feature  of  the  business  record  of  Hans  J.  Ehlert,  who  for  many  years 
diligently  engaged  in  gardening  and  in  the  nursery  business.  He  was  born  near 
Dannewerk,  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  April  4,  1839.  His  parents,  Chris- 
tian and  Anna  Ehlert,  both  died  in  Germany.  They  were  farming  people  of  that 
country  and  owned  a  fine  tract  of  land  there.  Their  son  Hans  still  has  a  picture 
of  the  old  home  and  also  the  church  and  churchyard  in  which  his  parents  He 
buried.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land,  was  reared 
to  the  occupation  of  farming  and  followed  that  pursuit  during  his  residence  in 
the  fatherland.  He  owned  two  hundred  acres  of  land  there,  which  he  sold  on 
coming  to  America,  the  year  1881  witnessing  his  arrival  in  New  York.  He  made 
his  way  direct  to  Davenport,  where  lived  his  uncle,  Jens  Peter  Stebold.  His 
first  work  here  was  for  a  Mr.  Putnam,  whom  he  served  as  gardener,  and  to  that 
business  he  continued  to  devote  his  energies  for  many  years.  He  also  served  as 
sexton  of  the  West  Davenport  cemetery  for  nearly  seven  years  and  made  many 
improvements  while  there,  employing  the  art  of  the  landscape  gardener  to  make 
it  a  beautiful  silent  city.  In  the  spring  of  1899  he  erected  his  present  fine  resi- 
dence, which  he  has  since  occupied. 

Mr.  Ehlert  was  married  on  the  2d  of  May,  1861,  to  Miss  Christina  Harmsen, 
a  native  of  Germany,  who  was  born  May  24,  1836,  and  died  January  23,  1889. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ehlert  became  the  parents  of  nine  children  but  the  irst  two  died 
in  infancy.  The  others  were :  Anna,  the  wife  of  Hans  Anderson,  of  Springfield, 
Missouri,  and  the  mother  of  two  children — Nelson  and  Christ;  John,  of  Daven- 
port, who  married  Leona  Peterson  and  has  two  children — Flora  and  Irma; 
Christ,  of  Davenport,  who  wedded  Laura  Peters,  who  died,  leaving  two  chil- 
dren— Ella  and  Minnie — after  which  he  wedded  Mary  Jens;  Marie,  at  home; 
Chrissie,  the  wife  of  William  Murray,  of  Batesville,  Arkansas,  by  whom  she  has 
one  child — Gladys;  Julius,  at  home;  and  Henry,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nine 
years. 

Mr.  Ehlert  is  a  prominent  member  of  Davenport  Lodge,  No.  50,  K.  P.,  in 
which  he  has  been  honored  with  all  of  the  offices.     His  diligent  life,  enterprising 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  241 

spirit  and  reliable  business  methods  have  constituted  the  chief  features  in  a  suc- 
cess which  is  as  honorable  as  it  is  desirable.  For  many  years  he  carried  on  gar- 
dening and  the  nursery  business  until  his  labors  brought  him  a  substantial  suc- 
cess, permitting  of  his  present  retirement  from  business  cares. 


HEINRICH  and  CARL  MATTHEY,  M.  D. 

The  interests  and  life  history  of  Drs.  Heinrich  and  Carl  Matthey  are  so  in- 
separably associated  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  record  the  career  of  one 
without  giving  extended  mention  of  the  other.  Twin  brothers,  they  are  natives 
of  Prussia,  born  on  the  20th  of  October,  1852.  Their  parents  were  Heinrich  and 
Emilie  (Kuntz)  Matthey.  The  father  was  one  of  the  German  patriots  of  1848 
and  was  active  in  the  revolution  of  that  year,  but  was  not  destined  to  go  to  the 
front,  for  they  were  captured  and  disarmed  ere  they  took  part  in  active  military 
service.  Heinrich  Matthey  was  a  man  of  education,  and  it  was  that  he  might 
enjoy  the  benefits  of  a  more  liberal  government  that  were  denied  him  in  his  native 
country  that  he  sought  a  home  in  the  new  world.  Settling  in  Davenport,  he 
engaged  in  literary  work,  being  for  many  years  the  editor  and  publisher  of  the 
Sternah  Banner,  which  he  established  in  1876.  He  still  makes  his  home  in 
this  city,  and  is  one  of  its  most  respected  and  honored  German  residents. 

The  brothers,  Drs.  Heinrich  and  Carl  Matthey,  acquired  their  preliminary 
education  in  Germany,  where  they  resided  with  their  parents  until  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  at  which  time  the  family  came  to  the  United  States,  first  settling 
in  Milwaukee.  Heinrich  Matthey  accompanied  his  parents,  for  he  had  already 
finished  his  elementary  education,  and  had  adopted  journalism  as  his  profession. 
With  that  field  of  labor  he  was  connected  until  1882.  Dr.  Carl  Matthey  elected 
to  remain  in  Germany  until  he  had  finished  his  education.  The  family  home 
was  maintained  in  Milwaukee  from  1873  until  1876,  when  a  removal  was  made 
to  Davenport.  Dr..  Heinrich  Matthey  was  associated  with  his  father  for  some 
time  on  the  Sternan  Banner,  and  in  1880  went  to  Sterling,  Illinois,  where  he 
published  the  Sterling  Beobachter,  which  he  conducted  successfully  for  two 
years.  He  then  sold  out  and  went  to  Germany  to  study  medicine,  pursuing  a 
course  in  medicine  and  surgery  in  Leipsic  and  in  Wuerzburg  Universities,  being 
graduated  from  the  latter  with  the  class  of  1887.  In  the  meantime  Dr.  Carl 
Matthey  had  studied  at  the  universities  in  Munich,  Marburg  and  Zurich,  being 
graduated  from  the  university  in  the  last  named  place  in  1880.  He  then  came 
to  America  and  opened  an  ofifice  in  Davenport.  Dr.  Heinrich  Matthey  returned 
to  Davenport  in  1887  and  for  two  years  practiced  alone,  but  in  1889  the  brothers 
formed  a  partnership  and  have  since  been  associated  in  the  practice  of  medicine 
and  surgery.  They  have  made  continuous  progress  in  their  chosen  field  of  labor, 
becoming  more  firmly  established  each  year  and  increasing  as  well  the  scope, 
extent  and  value  of  their  professional  practice.  They  have  always  remained 
close  and  discriminating  students  and  by  research  and  investigation  have  kept 
in  touch  with  the  marvelous  advance  in  knowledge,  methods,  appliances  and 
mechanical  auxiliaries  made  in  the  past  few  years.     At  times  they  have  gone 


242  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

abroad  to  visit  the  best  and  most  progressive  hospitals  of  Europe,  and  while  at 
home  new  distinctions,  new  work,  and  new  public  duties  in  their  profession  have 
been  theirs,  finding  them  ready  to  give  their  best  efforts  and  meet  in 
full  each  duty  that  has  devolved  upon  them.  Their  practice  is  now  extensive 
and  the  profession  as  well  as  the  public  accords  them  high  rank  as  distinguished 
physicians  and  surgeons.  Both  hold  membership  in  the  Scott  County,  the  Iowa 
and  Illinois  Central  District,  the  Iowa  State  and  American  Medical  Associations. 
They  are  also  serving  on  the  staff  of  Mercy  and  St.  Luke's  Hospitals. 

In  1882  Dr.  Carl  Matthey  was  married  to  Miss  Meta  StefFen,  a  daughter  of 
August  Steffen,  Sr.,  and  to  them  have  been  born  two  sons  and  a  daughter.  In 
1890  Dr.  Heinrich  Matthey  wedded  Miss  Hilda  Mueller,  a  daughter  of  Chris 
Mueller,  and  they  now  have  two  children.  The  families  are  prominent  socially 
and  the  brothers  are  identified  with  several  clubs  and  social  organizations.  Dr. 
Heinrich  Matthey  belongs  to  the  Commercial  Club  and  is  much  interested  in  its 
success.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  park  commission,  and  by  appointment  of 
the  governor  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  state  board  of  health  for  eight  years. 
Dr.  Carl  Matthey  was  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  two  terms,  or  six 
years,  and  both  are  interested  in  promoting  the  best  interests  of  good  govern- 
ment and  municipal  improvement,  yet  are  without  personal  ambition  for  office. 
In  the  positions  to  which  they  have  been  called,  however,  they  have  done  excel- 
lent work  for  public  benefit,  their  service  being  marked  by  many  tangible  evi- 
dences of  their  devotion  to  the  general  good.  Although  born  across  the  water, 
they  stand  as  a  splendid  type  of  American  manhood  and  citizenship,  and  are 
neglectful  of  no  opportunity  to  advance  the  public  welfare,  while  their  deepest 
interests,  their  ambitions,  and  their  natural  inclinations  are  bound  up  in  their 
profession,  in  which  they  are  honored,  and  in  which  they  have  achieved  enviable 
distinction. 


CAPTAIN  W.  A.  BLAIR. 

Prompted  always  by  the  laudable  ambition  of  eventually  attaining  success, 
Captain  W.  A.  Blair,  as  the  result  of  his  energy  and  capability,  has  gradually 
advanced  in  business  circles  until  he  is  today  one  of  the  best  known  of  the  river 
men  in  the  Mississippi  valley.  He  has  for  a  number  of  years  been  president  of 
the  Carnival  City  Packet  Company.  For  thirty-two  years  he  has  been  con- 
nected with  the  shipping  and  passenger  service  and  has  been  an  interested 
witness  of  the  changes  which  have  constituted  features  in  the  history  of 
shipping  on  this  great  natural  highway.  Few,  if  any,  are  more  competent  to 
speak  authoritatively  upon  the  subject  for  practically  throughout  his  entire 
business  career  Captain  Blair  has  been  actively  connected  with  marine  interests, 
conforming  his  business  to  changing  conditions  and  utilizing  the  various  oppor- 
tunities offered  for  success. 

He  was  born  in  Galena,  Illinois,  November  17,  1856.  His  father.  Andrew 
Blair,  a  native  of  Ireland,  came  to  America  when  fifteen  years  of  age  and  in 
this  country  wedded  Margaret  A.  Henry,  a  native  of  Baltimore,  Maryland,  who 
is  now  living  in  Davenport.    Captain  Blair  is  the  eldest  of  seven  children,  four 


-X- 


a^rr^ll^ 


n- 


HISTORY  Of  SCOTT  COUNTY  245 

sons  and  three  daughters.  His  boyhood  days  were  spent  in  and  around  Galena 
and  the  aptitude  which  he  displayed  in  the  acquirement  of  an  education  enabled 
him,  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  to  secure  a  teacher's  certificate.  He  then 
engaged  in  teaching  in  and  near  Princeton,  Iowa,  following  that  profession  for 
nine  terms.  During  the  last  four  terms  he  taught  only  in  the  winter  months, 
while  the  summer  seasons  were  spent  on  the  Mississippi  river,  and  thus  he  en- 
tered the  department  of  labor  which  was  to  claim  the  major  portion  of  his  at- 
tention throughout  the  remainder  of  his  active  life. 

When  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  secured  the  position  of  clerk  on  the  tow- 
boat  Le  Claire  Belle,  of  which  ex-Governor  Van  Sant  was  part  owner  and  man- 
ager. He  spent  four  seasons  in  the  employ  of  Governor  Van  Sant,  by  which 
time  he  had  thoroughly  learned  the  river,  so  that  he  was  granted  a  pilot's  and 
master's,  license  to  navigate  the  river  between  St.  Louis  and  St.  Paul.  It  was 
at  that  time  that  Captain  Blair  joined  Captain  Van  Sant  in  a  partnership  under 
the  name  of  the  Le  Claire  Navigation  Company.  This  was  in  1882.  They  be- 
came actively  engaged  in  towing  logs  and  lumber  and  at  one  time  operated  seven 
boats,  while  Mr.  Van  Sant  owned  also  four  other  boats  independent  of  the 
company's  interests.  Thus  together  they  handled  one-fifth  of  the  output  of  logs 
at  Beef  Slough  in  its  palmy  days.  Their  iausiness  grew  to  extensive  and  profit- 
able proportions,  and  they  were  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  reliable,  capable 
and  enterprising  firms  connected  with  river  interests.  The  decline  of  the  log- 
ging business,  due  to  the  exhaustion  of  the  supply  of  pine,  induced  Captain  Blair 
to  sell  his  stock  in  the  towboats  at  a  sacrifice. 

He  then  turned  his  attention  to  the  local  packet  business  and  organized  the 
Carnival  City  Packet  Company  in  1892,  its  board  of  directors  consisting  of  Cap- 
tain August  Reimers,  L.  M.  Fisher,  F.  W.  Smith,  M.  L.  Marks  and  Captain 
W.  A.  Blair.  There  has  been  but  one  change  in  the  board  since  the  organiza- 
tion, that  occurring  in  the  winter  of  1908,  when  G.  M.  Bechtel  was  elected  to  fill 
the  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Captain  August  Reimers.  In  the  intervening 
years  the  company  has  owned  and  operated  nine  different  boats,  plying  between 
Davenport  and  Burlington,  Keokuk  and  Burlington,  and  Keokuk  and  Quincy. 
They  now  own  and  operate  the  following  river  craft :  the  Columbia,  Helen  Blair, 
Wenona  and  Keokuk  and  the  Black  Hawk,  a  new  boat.  The  business  has  steadily 
grown,  and  they  now  handle  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand  pas- 
sengers and  fifteen  thousand  tons  of  freight  annually.  They  have  had  two  losses 
by  fire  but  never  a  mishap  resulting  in  the  loss  of  a  single  passenger.  Captain  Blair 
during  the  thirty-two  years'  experience  has  never  had  occasion  to  use  a  life  pre- 
server. He  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  careful  and  reliable  river  captains,  giving 
frequent  and  thorough  inspection  to  his  vessels  in  every  department,  his  long  and 
practical  experience  enabling  him  to  correctly  judge  of  the  worth  and  substan- 
tiality of  each  part  of  the  boat  and  also  of  the  value  of  the  services  of  the  men 
who  are  in  charge. 

In  1882  Captain  Blair  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Bard,  a 
daughter  of  Richard  and  Phebe  Bard,  of  Le  Claire,  Iowa.  They  have  two  sons 
and  a  daughter :  George  W.,  Gertrude  Helen  and  Burdette. 

Captain  Blair  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  in  Davenport  and  has 
always  been  much  interested  in  public  affairs  of  the  city,  giving  active  and  loyal 


246  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

support  to  every  project  and  movement  which  he  deems  of  value  in  upholding 
civic  virtue  and  civic  pride.  For  more  than  a  half  century  he  has  witnessed 
the  growth  and  progress  of  this  and  other  cities  along  the  river  and  has  been  a 
factor  in  the  business  activity  which  has  promoted  the  commercial  and  industrial 
progress.  His  chosen  life  work  has  brought  him  a  wide  acquaintance  among 
leading  business  men  and  wherever  known  he  is  highly  esteemed,  winning  the 
respect  and  admiration  of  his  fellowmen  by  reason  of  his  fidelity  to  high  and 
honorable  principles. 


O.  C.  ROGERS,  M.  D. 


Dr.  O.  C.  Rogers,  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine  in  Davenport  since 
1892,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  on  the  nth  of  February,  i860.  His  father,  Wil- 
liam Rogers,  was  likewise  a  native  of  the  Keystone  state  and  a  representative  of 
the  medical  profession.  He  visited  Scott  county  in  the  '50s,  carefully  looked 
over  the  situation  and  then  returned  to  the  east.  The  memory  of  the  pleasing 
western  country,  however,  remained  with  him  and  at  length  proved  an  irresistible 
attraction,  so  that  in  1862  he  returned  with  his  family  and  took  up  his  abode  in 
this  county.  He  continued  to  practice  in  Slopertown  until  the  early  '80s,  when 
he  removed  to  Pleasant  Valley,  where  he  remained  for  two  years  and  then  came 
to  Davenport,  passing  away  in  this  city  in  1892.  He  married  Sarah  Coiiklin, 
also  a  native  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  country  schools  afforded  Dr.  Rogers  his  early  educational  privileges, 
while  later  he  had  the  benefit  of  instruction  in  the  Davenport  high  school.  De- 
siring a  professional  career,  he  studied  medicine  in  the  oiifice  of  Dr.  H.  L.  Baw- 
den,  of  Davenport,  who  directed  his  preHminary  reading,  while  subsequently  he 
attended  the  Iowa  State  University.  He  next  entered  the  Creighton  College  at 
Omaha,  from  which  he  was  graduated,  and  when  seven  years  had  been  devoted 
to  practice  at  Pleasant  Valley,  Iowa,  he  removed  to  Davenport  in  1892  and  has 
since  been  engaged  in  general  practice  in  this  city. 

In  1889  Dr.  Rogers  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  B.  Finefield,  a  native  of  Iowa, 
and  unto  them  have  been  born  two  children.  Bertha  and  William.  Having  spent 
practically  his  entire  life  in  this  county,  Dr.  Rogers  is  well  known  and  has  made 
many  friends  during  the  years  of  his  residence  in  Davenport. 


S.  H.  MOORHEAD. 


It  is  seldom  that  an  individual  wins  distinction  in  more  than  one  line  of  busi- 
ness or  has  time  to  devote  himself  to  more  than  one  line  of  activity.  An  excep- 
tion to  this  rule,  however,  is  found  in  the  life  record  of  S.  H.  Moorhead,  who 
not  only  is  identified  with  various  lines  of  business  in  Buffalo,  but  is  also  a  well 
known  and  influential  figure  in  financial  and  political  circles  of  the  community. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  247 

Scott  county,  Iowa,  numbers  him  among  her  native  sons,  his  birth  occurring 
in  Buffalo  township  on  the  28th  of  October,  1861,  a  son  of  H.  C.  and  Mary 
Moorhead.  The  former  came  to  Scott  county  in  1835,  from  Zanesville,  Ohio, 
and  here  purchased  what  was  then  known  as  the  Campbell  place,  consisting  of 
three  hundred  and  twelve  acres  of  land  in  Buffalo  township,  just  west  of  the 
village  of  Buffalo.  There  he  reared  his  family  and  spent  his  remaining  days. 
Our  subject  was  one  of  a  family  of  four  sons  and  two  daughters  born  unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  H.  C.  Moorhead,  and  of  this  number  three  sons  and  two  daughters 
lived  to  reach  mature  years.  The  brother,  William  Moorhead,  who  still  survives, 
makes  his  home  on  a  portion  of  the  old  homestead,  while  one  sister,  Mrs.  D.  B. 
Morehouse,  of  Davenport,  is  now  deceased. 

On  his  father's  farm  S.  H.  Moorhead  was  reared  to  manhood;  acquiring  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  Buffalo,  and  devoting  the  time  not  given  to 
his  text-books  to  the  work  of  the  fields,  early  becoming  familiar  with  the  tasks 
that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  farm  lad.  Amid  the  busy  activities  of  the  farm  he 
learned  many  lessons  concerning  the  value  of  industry,  integrity  and  persever- 
ance— lessons  which  served  as  an  excellent  foundation  stone  upon  which  to  build 
his  future  business  success.  After  leaving  school  he  devoted  several  years  to 
the  occupation  to  which  he  had  been  reared,  engaging  as  a  farm  hand,  and  then, 
on  the  ist  of  September,  1886,  in  connection  with  his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Dor- 
man,  started  his  present  lumber  business.  In  1889  he  purchased  his  brother- 
in-law's  interest  in  the  business  and  has  since  conducted  the  enterprise  alone. 
He  does  a  general  business  in  lumber  and  building  materials,  having  an  exten- 
sive trade,  not  only  throughout  Buffalo  township,  but  also  in  several  Illinois 
towns  lying  across  the  river.  A  man  of  excellent  business  ability  and  wise 
sagacity,  he  has  made  a  close  study  of  the  demands  of  the  trade  and  has  ever 
kept  in  close  touch  with  the  lumber  market,  so  that  he  not  only  knows  where 
and  when  to  purchase,  but  also  how  to  sell  to  the  best  advantage,  and  has  be- 
come a  well  known  and  prominent  figure  in  lumber  circles  of  Scott  county. 

Mr.  Moorhead  has  also  found  time  to  direct  his  attention  to  other  business 
channels  and  has  dealt  considerably  in  real  estate.  He  is  the  owner  of  a  section 
of  land  in  Canada  and  also  owns  a  part  of  the  old  homestead  farm,  upon  which 
his  brother  William  resides.  In  April,  1909,  he  became  the  prime  mover  in  the 
organization  of  the  Buffalo  Savings  Bank  and  was  elected  its  first  president,  in 
which  office  he  is  still  incumbent.  This  bank  has  already  become  an  important 
factor  in  financial  circles,  taking  its  place  among  the  safe  and  reliable  moneyed 
institutions  of  the  community,  and  much  of  its  rapid  progress  and  success  is  due 
to  the  well  directed  efforts  of  its  president,  whose  reputation  for  integrity  and 
honesty  in  all  business  dealings  is  universally  conceded.  He  is  thoroughly  identi- 
fied with  its  interests  and  is  doing  everything  in  his  power  to  increase  its  in- 
fluence and  standing  in  the  locality. 

In  June,  1891,  in  Buffalo,  Mr.  Moorhead  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Amelia  Dorman,  a  daughter  of  Henry  Dorman,  of  Buffalo,  and  this  union  has 
been  blessed  with  one  daughter.  Flora,  who  is  at  present  a  student  in  the  Daven- 
port high  school. 

The  religious  connection  of  Mr.  Moorhead  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he 
was  baptized  in  the  faith  of  the  Episcopal  church,  while  fraternally  he  holds 


248  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

membership  in  Banner  Lodge,  No.  i6,  K.  P.,  and  in  Buffalo  Camp  of  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America.  Since  age  conferred  upon  him  the  right  of  franchise,  he 
has  given  stalwart  allegiance  to  the  republican  party  and  has  been  called  by  his 
fellow  citizens  to  fill  various  local  offices,  including  that  of  councilman.  He  has 
also  served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board,  the  cause  of  education  ever  finding 
in  him  a  stanch  advocate.  Preeminently  a  man  of  business,  his  efforts  in  con- 
nection with  various  enterprises  have  served  as  potent  factors  in  stimulating  ac- 
tivity along  those  lines,  and  he  justly  deserves  a  foremost  place  among  the  sub- 
stantial, influential  and  representative  citizens  of  Buffalo  township,  within  whose 
borders  his  entire  life  has  been  spent  and  where  he  is  respected,  trusted  and  ad- 
mired by  an  extensive  circle  of  warm  friends. 


ESEK  STEERE  BALLORD. 

One  of  the  most  prominent  of  the  older  generation  of  the  citizens  of  Daven- 
port is  Esek  Steere  Ballord,  who  for  upward  of  half  a  century  has  been  con- 
nected with  the  business  life  here.  During  that  time  he  conducted  a  drug  store 
at  one  locality,  although  the  firm  name  was  changed  several  times,  but  more 
than  that  he  has  identified  himself  with  those  interests  that  are  calculated  to 
promote  the  intellectual  and  moral  advancement  of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  is 
a  descendant  of  a  family  for  many  years  associated  with  the  history  of  this 
country.  The  first  of  his  name  to  settle  upon  American  shores  was  William 
Ballard,  from  whom  were  descended  in  direct  line  Nathaniel,  William,  Zaccheus 
and  Lynde,  who  was  the  grandfather  of  our  subject.  His  son  John  was  one 
of  the  first  graduates  from  Colgate  University  and  became  a  minister  of  the 
Baptist  church.  He  wedded  Miss  Augusta  Maria  Oilman,  who  was  descended 
from  colonial  ancestors,  for  Moses  Oilman  came  from  England  in  1635,  settling 
in  what  is  now  known  as  Hingham,  Massachusetts. 

Esek  Steere  Ballord  was  born  in  Bloomfield,  Connecticut,  July  26,  1830,  and 
received  his  education  at  Bacon  Academy.  Later  he  went  to  Hartford,  where 
he  learned  the  drug  business.  Having  attained  a  certain  efficiency  in  what  was 
to  be  his  vocation  he  went  to  New  York  city,  where  he  became  an  apothecary 
for  a  charitable  institution.  After  two  years'  experience  there  lie  went  to  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  but  remained  only  two  years  before  he  continued  his  western  jour- 
ney and  came  to  Davenport.  Here  he  engaged  in  the  drug  business,  with  which 
he  was  connected  for  forty-five  years,  dispensing  healing  medicines  and  other 
sundries  at  the  same  place  throughout  that  period.  The  name  was  first  Taylor 
&  Ballord,  but  was  later  changed  to  E.  S.  Ballord  &  Company,  by  the  admis^ 
sion  of  his  cousin  John  W.  Ballard.  E.  S.  Ballord  retired  from  the  company 
in  1903,  when  it  was  continued  by  John  W.  Ballard  and  his  son  Harry  in  the 
firm  name  of  Ballard  Drug  &  Dental  Company.  Upon  retiring  from  active 
participation  in  the  business,  Mr.  Ballord  devoted  himself  to  farming,  for  the 
estate  he  owns  in  Davenport  is  one  of  the  largest  in  the  city.  It  embraces  six 
acres  and  is  known  as  the  Birches.  There  are  in  all  thirty  varieties  of  trees 
planted  upon  the  grounds  to  enhance  their  beauty,  many  of  them  having  been 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  249 

brought  from  Connecticut.  While  he  never  spared  any  means  to  advance  his 
own  prosperity,  Mr.  Ballord  has  found  time  to  devote  to  other  matters,  for 
during  a  long  period  of  years  he  occupied  the  position  of  trustee  of  the  C.  C. 
Cook  Home  for  the  Friendless  and  for  a  number  of  years  was  the  president, 
vice  president  and  director  of  the  Davenport  National  Bank. 

On  September  4,  1862,  Mr.  Ballord  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Frances 
Webb,  a  daughter  of  Zerah  Webb  and  a  descendant  in  the  eighth  generation 
of  Christopher  Webb,  of  Braintree,  Massachusetts.  She  is  also  a  descendant  in 
the  seventh  generation  of  Henry  Adams,  of  Braintree  and  Quincy,  Massachu- 
setts, who  was  the  ancestor  of  the  two  presidents,  John  and  John  Quincy 
Adams,  and  also  of  Samuel  Adams.  Five  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Ballord.  Katharin  Augusta  is  the  wife  of  Leon  M.  Allen,  passenger  traffic 
manager  of  the  Rock  Island  system,  and  they  live  in  Kenilworth.  Illinois.  They 
have  three  children,  Leon,  Priscilla  and  Francis.  Bessie  W.  is  a  graduate  of 
Wellesley  College  of  the  class  of  1887.  She  has  traveled  widely  abroad,  but 
makes  her  home  in  Davenport.  Belle  became  the  wife  of  Jenness  B.  Richardson, 
who  is  manager  of  the  Davenport  Democrat.  They  have  one  son,  David  Nel- 
son. John  Oilman  married  Marie  Cooper  Adams,  and  they  have  a  son,  John 
Adams.  Webb  Rysee  wedded  Gertrude  Jones,  of  San  Francisco,  and  is  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Webb  Naval  Academy,  but  completed  his  education  in  Glasgow, 
Scotland.  He  is  a  naval  architect  by  profession,  and  is  now  manager  of  the 
Canon  Lumber  Company  of  Everett,  Washington. 

The  family  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  in  the  work  of  which, they 
take  an  active  interest.  Mr.  Ballord  belongs  to  the  Iowa  Sons  of  the  Revolu- 
tion and  of  the  Colonial  Wars.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Runnemede 
and  a  member  of  the  New  England  Historical  Society  of  Boston.  With  his 
daughter,  Bessie  W.,  he  is  a  life  member  in  the  Davenport  Academy  of  Science. 
He  also  took  out  a  life  membership  certificate  in  the  American  Sunday  School 
Union,  as  he  was  fully  in  sympathy  with  the  principles  which  lay  at  the  bot- 
tom of  this  organization.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the  Masons,  be- 
longing to  Trinity  Lodge,  No.  208.  Mrs.  Ballord  belongs  to  the  Mayflower  and 
Colonial  Dames  through  her  descent  from  Governor  William  Bradford  and 
John  Alden  and  takes  an  active  part  both  in  the  work  of  the  local  society  and 
in  the  national  body.  Her  daughters  Katharin  and  Belle  are  also  members  of 
Colonial  Dames.  One  of  the  more  prominent  families  of  Davenport,  Mr.  Bal- 
lord's  home  at  226  East  Locust  street,  is  frequently  the  scene  of  congenial  gath- 
erings of  friends,  in  whose  midst  Mrs.  Ballord  shows  that  she  is  a  hostess  of 
charming  qualities. 


EDWARD  MEYER. 


Among  the  leading  men  of  his  part  of  Scott  county  must  be  numbered 
Edward  Meyer,  who  was  born  in  Davenport  township,  September  19,  1859,  his 
parents  being  Hans  and  Cecelia  (Stoltenberg)  Meyer,  natives  of  Holstein,  Ger- 
many.   Both  of  them  came  to  America  in  1847,  she  in  company  with  her  parents 


250  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

and  he  alone.  They  were  married  in  Davenport  and  lived  on  a  farm  in  Daven- 
port township  until  1867,  when  they  moved  into  Blue  Grass  township,  only  a 
short  distance  from  the  city,  the  father  engaging  in  farming  there.  In  1897  he 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven,  and  upon  the  consequent  breaking  up  of  the 
home,  the  mother  returned  to  Davenport,  living  there  until  1904,  in  which  year 
she  entered  into  her  heavenly  rest.  This  estimable  couple  were  the  parents  of 
seven  children:  Matilda,  wife  of  Hans  Hansen,  of  Davenport;  Martha  MoUie, 
unmarried,  residing  in  Davenport;  Adelia,  wife  of  William  Koberg,  of  this 
county;  William  of  Blue  Grass  township;  Caroline,  wife  of  William  F.  Frye, 
of  this  county;  Theresa,  wife  of  Fred  Rehder,  of  Lake  Park,  Iowa;  and  the 
subject  of  the  sketch  who  is  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth. 

Edward  Meyer  resided  under  the  parental  roof  in  Davenport  and  Blue  Grass 
township,  assisting  his  father  and  becoming  well  grounded  in  the  manifold 
branches  of  the  agricultural  science.  In  1886  he  deemed  it  expedient  to  make 
himself  more  independent  and  took  possession  of  the  farm  upon  which  he  still 
resides.  This  valuable  property  consists  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres 
and  is  located  on  sections  22  and  14.  It  is  exceptionally  well  improved  and 
adorned  with  an  attractive  residence.  Mr.  Meyer  engages  successfully  in  gen- 
eral farming,  stock-raising  and  dairying.  As  additional  interests,  he  is  a  director 
in  the  Farmers'  Savings  Bank  of  Walcott  and  the  Farmers'  Elevator  Company 
of  the  same  place. 

On  the  24th  of  February,  1886,  Mr.  Meyer  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Amelia  Mann.  Mrs.  Meyer  was  born  April  15,  1864,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
William  and  Elizabeth  (Schaffer)  Mann,  both  of  them  natives  of  Waldeck, 
Germany.  The  mother  is  deceased,  the  father  now  residing  in  Davenport.  A 
family  of  five  children  brightens  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meyer,  these  being 
by  name:  Lilly,  Hilda,  William  F.,  Herbert  H.,  Arthur  E.,  all  of  whom  reside 
still  with  their  parents.  They  also  lost  a  daughter,  Adelia,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  ten  years. 

Mr.  Meyer  is  a  loyal  democrat  and  at  present  holds  the  office  of  township 
assessor  in  which  capacity  he  has  served  for  two  terms.  He  has  also  been  a 
member  of  the  school  board  for  twelve  years.  He  is  progressive  both  in  the 
management  of  his  own  affairs  and  in  his  ideas  for  the  advancement  of  the 
community  in  which  he  lives,  which  is  only  another  fashion  of  saying  that  he  is 
a  valuable  citizen. 


CHARLES  FRANCIS. 


Charles  Francis,  who  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  that  of  civil  engineering, 
has  traveled  extensively,  thus  gaining  a  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the  country 
and  at  the  same  time  giving  proof  of  his  ability  in  his  chosen  field  of  labor,  was 
born  in  Lowell,  Massachusetts,  August  10,  1842.  His  father,  James  B.  Francis, 
was  a  native  of  Oxford,  England,  born  on  the  isth  of  May,  1815.  He  came  to 
the  United  States  in  1833  when  a  youth  of  eighteen  years  and  after  studying 
hydraulic  engineering  followed  that  profession  with  headquarters  in  Lowell,  Mass- 


cu/t 


A^ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  253 

achusetts,  for  fifty-five  years.  He  was  a  man  of  keen  intellect  and  brilliant 
attainments,  who  became  very  eminent  in  his  profession.  Without  prestige  or 
influence  to  aid  him  at  the  outset  of  his  career,  as  the  result  of  his  earnest  study 
and  notable  ability,  he  came  to  rank  with  the  foremost  representatives  of  engineer- 
ing in  New  England,  his-opinions  upon  professional  subjects  largely  being  accepted 
as  authority.  His  superior  skill  also  won  him  that  financial  success  which  is  the 
legitimate  goal  of  all  business  endeavor.  He  died  in  1892,  his  wife  surviving  him 
until  1904.  In  her  maidenhood  she  was  Miss  S.  W.  Brownell,  a  native  of  Wal- 
tham,  Massachusetts,  born  in  181 7. 

Re&red  in  his  native  city  Charles  Francis  pursued  his  studies  until  he  had  com- 
pleted a  course  in  the  Lowell  high  school,  after  which  he  entered  Harvard  in  i860 
and  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1864.  In  the  meantime,  however,  he  served 
his  country  as  a  soldier  of  the  Union  Army,  enlisting  in  1861  in  the  Forty-fourth 
Massachusetts  Regiment.  He  was  assigned  to  Company  F,  with  which  he  con- 
tinued for  one  year,  when  he  was  honorably  discharged.  After  leaving  college  he 
entered  the  Lowell  Machine  Shop  and  learned  the  trade,  for  he  had  decided  to 
follow  his  father's  profession  and  determined  to  qualify  therefor  by  actual  prac- 
tice as  well  as  by  theory.  He  afterward  had  the  invaluable  advantage  of  several 
years'  experience  and  business  training  with  his  father.  His  first  public  work  of 
importance  was  assisting  in  the  construction  of  a  dam  in  the  Connecticut  river  at 
Turners  Falls,  and  later  was  engaged  on  the  building  of  the  Provincetown  dike. 
He  afterward  went  to  Chicago,  where  he  remained  until  the  time  of  the  great  fire 
of  1871,  when  he  removed  to  California  and  did  much  work  on  the  Pacific  coast, 
principally  in  the  construction  of  mining  ditches  and  other  work  relative  to  the 
development  of  mining  interests.  He  remained  there  for  nine  years,  after  which 
he  went  to  Mexico  and  was  connected  with  the  Mexican  Central  Railroad  from 
1879  until  1883.  He  then  returned  to  Lowell  and  was  again  associated  with  his 
father  until  1889. 

In  that  year  Mr.  Francis  came  to  Davenport  under  government  appointment  as 
engineer  in  charge  of  the  dam  at  the  Rock  Island  Arsenal.  On  the  completion  of 
that  work  he  decided  to  make  Davenport  his  home  and  has  never  had  occasion  to 
regret  his  determination  to  remain  here.  He  has  done  much  work  of  importance 
in  this  city  along  professional  lines  and  has  also  taken  an  active  and  helpful  part  in 
public  affairs.  He  has  practiced  here  as  a  construction  engineer,  in  which  capacity 
many  contracts  have  been  awarded  him,  and  for  eight  or  nine  years  he  has  been 
working  on  the  development  of  the  water  power  in  this  city.  He  was  for  seven 
years  a  member  of  the  state  board  of  health  and  from  1891  until  1892  was  com- 
missioner of  public  works.  His  professional  and  public  services  have  alike  been 
of  an  important  character  and  have  constituted  elements  in  the  city's  advancement 
and  improvement. 

In  1869  Mr.  Francis  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  S.  C.  Crosby,  a  native  of 
Lowell,  Massachusetts,  and  unto  them  has  been  born  a  daughter,  Fanny  C.  Mr. 
Francis  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  in  which  he  has  attained  high  rank, 
being  connected  with  the  Knights  Templar  and  the  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Contemporary  Club.  The  consensus  of  public  opinion 
regarding  Mr.  Francis  is  of  most  favorable  character.  Davenport  feels  that  she 
gained  a  valuable  addition  to  her  citizens  when  he  determined  to  make  his  home 


254  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

here.  His  public-spirited  devotion  to  the  city  .has  been  manifest  in  many  tangi- 
ble and  practical  ways  and  his  work  has  been  of  far-reaching  and  beneficial  effect. 
In  his  profession,  stimulated  by  the  example  of  his  father,  he  has  long  since  passed 
beyond  the  ranks  of  the  many  and  stands  among  the  successful  few. 


GEORGE  LUEDERS. 


No  history  of  Liberty  township  would  be  complete  without  mention  of 
George  Lueders,  the  present  mayor  of  the  town  of  New  Liberty,  who  is  well 
known  in  financial  circles  as  the  cashier  of  the  German  Savings  Bank.  He 
claims  Germany  as  the  place  of  his  nativity,  his  birth  occurring  in  Holstein  on 
the  30th  of  January,  1861.  A  son  of  Michael  and  Lena  (Brade)  Lueders,  the 
parents  were  both  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  the  former  on  the  4th  of  March, 
1828,  and  the  latter  on  November  12,  1831.  They  came  to  the  United  States 
in  1875,  making  their  way  direct  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  where  they  resided  until 
1887,  and  then  came  to  New  Liberty.  The  father  had  been  a  musician,  playing 
in  a  band  in  both  the  old  country  and  after  coming  to  Iowa,  and  was  thus  en- 
gaged until  he  entered  the  hotel  and  saloon  business,  with  which  he  was  con- 
nected for  some  time.  Later  he  withdrew  from  active  life  and  returned  to 
Davenport,  where  he  spent  his  remaining  days  in  retirement.  He  passed  away 
on  the  nth  of  January,  1899,  while  his  widow  died  November  3,  1909,  having 
made  her  home  with  our  subject  for  several  years.  They  were  the  parents  of 
four  children,  namely:  John,  a  resident  of  Madison,  Wisconsin;  Christ,  whose 
death  occurred  in  California  about  ten  years  ago ;  Lena,  the  wife  of  H.  B.  Arp, 
of  West  Liberty;  and  George,  of  this  review. 

George  Lueders  was  a  lad  of  fourteen  years  when  he  came  with  his  parents 
to  America,  and  his  education,  which  had  been  begun  in  the  schools  of  the 
fatherland,  was  completed  in  the  common  schools  of  Davenport.  After  laying 
aside  his  text-books  he  was  engaged  as  a  farm  hand  for  a  few  years,  and  then 
for  ten  years  assisted  his  father  in  his  hotel  and  saloon  business  in  New  Liberty. 
At  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  inaugurated  a  live  stock,  lumber  and  farm 
implement  business  at  this  place,  becoming  an  extensive  dealer  in  those  com- 
modities, in  which  connection  he  continued  until  he  became  identified  with  the 
banking  business  in  1905.  In  that  year  the  German  Savings  Bank  of  New 
Liberty  was  organized,  with  W.  Treimer,  president,  J.  C.  Bolte,  vice-presi- 
dent, and  Mr.  Lueders  as  cashier  and  general  manager,  which  office  he  has 
held  since  its  inceptiori.  The  bank  was  capitalized  for  ten  thousand  dollars, 
while  its  annual  statement  for  1909  shows  deposits  amounting  to  more  than 
one  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  dollars.  Its  safe,  conservative  policy  recom- 
mends it  to  the  judgment  of  the  public,  and  has  made  it  one  of  the  sound  and 
reliable  moneyed  institutions  of  the  township.  Its  steady  and  rapid  develop- 
ment has  been  due  in  no  small  measure  to  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Lueders,  who  in 
the  capacity  of  cashier  has  proven  a  most  capable  official  who,  through  his 
ability  and  fidelity  to  the  interests  of  the  house,  has  won  the  esteem  and  confi- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  255 

dence  of  his  fellow  officers,  and  by  his  unfailing  courtesy  and  promptness  in 
the  discharge  of  his  duties  has  become  popular  with  the  patrons  of  the  bank. 

It  was  on  the  24th  of  October,  1889,  that  Mr.  Lueders  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Alvina  Roehlk,  a  native  of  Scott  county,  born  on  the  24th  of  June, 
1871.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Hans  and  Bertha  (Giese)  Roehlk,  who  were  both 
born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  but  now  make  their  home  in  New  Liberty.  Fra- 
ternally Mr.  Lueders  is  identified  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodge  at  Bennett, 
and  also  holds  membership  in  the  camp  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America 
at  New  Liberty,  being  an  active  and  exemplary  member  of  both  organizations. 
Politically  he  exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  meas- 
ures of  the  republican  party,  and  has  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  the  past 
five  years.  At  the  incorporation  of  the  town  of  New  Liberty,  which  occurred 
in  1909,  his  fellow  townsmen  manifested  their  regard  for  him  in  electing  him 
mayor,  in  which  office  he  is  now  the  incumbent.  In  the  discharge  of  his  duties 
in  that  capacity  he  is  proving  a  worthy  official,  justifying  the  trust  reposed  in 
him  by  his  fellow  citizens  and  fulfilling  every  obligation  that  devolves  upon  hifti 
with  the  same  spirit  of  thoroughness  and  fidelity  that  characterizes  his  business 
career.  A  man  of  resourceful  ability,  constantly  watchful  of  opportunities,  he 
has  seized  legitimate  advantages  as  they  have  arisen  and  has  never  hesitated  to 
take  a  forward  step  when  the  way  was  open.  Fortunate  in  possessing  ability 
and  character  that  inspired  confidence,  the  simple  weight  of  his  character  and 
ability  has  brought  him  into  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility,  and  he  ranks 
high  among  the  well  known  and  valued  citizens  of  Liberty  township. 


CLAUS  ECKMANN. 


The  life  history  of  Claus  Eckmann  is  that  of  a  self-made  man  who,  diligent 
and  persevering,  worked  his  way  steadily  upward  from  a  humble  financial  posi- 
tion until  he  was  able  to  spend  his  last  days  in  retirement  in  Davenport,  where 
as  a  respected  and  worthy  citizen  he  lived  until  called  to  his  final  rest  on  the 
I2th  of  April,  1902.  He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  February  12,  1827, 
and  was  a  son  of  Claus  Eckmann,  Sr.  Both  of  his  parents  died  in  the  father- 
land, where  the  subject  of  this  review  spent  his  youth,  acquiring  his  education 
and  learning  the  cabinetmaker's  trade.  He  afterward  served  in  the  Schleswig- 
Holstein  war  in  1848-50.  He  continued  his  residence  in  Germany  until  about 
1862,  when  he  came  to  the  United  States  with  his  wife  and  two  children,  for 
he  had  been  married  in  the  meantime  to  Miss  Catherine  Pahl,  a  daughter  of 
Glaus  Pahl,  of  Germany.    Mrs.  Eckmann  was  born  December  24,  1831. 

On  crossing  the  Atlantic  to  America,  Mr.  Eckmann  came  direct  to  Davenport 
with  his  family  and  for  a  time  worked  at  the  cooper's  trade.  About  1876,  how- 
ever, he  purchased  a  dairy  farm  near  the  mile  racing  track  and  lived  thereon 
for  many  years,  successfully  conducting  business  as  a  dairyman  and  general 
agriculturist.  From  time  to  time  he  bought  other  land,  which  he  rented,  and  this 
added  materially  to  his  income.  At  length  he  retired  and  took  up  his  abode  in 
Davenport  in  1892,  living  there  for  about  ten  years  ere  called  to  his  final  rest. 


256  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eckmann  were  born  seven  children.  William,  who  was 
a  graduate  of  the  State  University  and  became  a  practicing  physician  of  Man- 
ning, Iowa,  died  in  1892.  Margaret  died  while  the  parents  were  crossing  the 
Atlantic  to  the  new  world.  Emma  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Schwenck,  of  Lyon 
county,  Iowa.  Alvina  and  Bertha  were  twins  and  the  latter  is  now  deceased, 
while  the  former  is  the  wife  of  Charles  L.  Haller,  of  Oklahoma  city.  Carl  has 
also  passed  away,  and  Clara  C.  completes  the  family. 

The  death  of  the  father  occurred  April  12,  1902,  while  his  wife  survived 
until  June  18,  1904.  He  was  a  member  of  the  German  Odd  Fellows  lodge,  in 
which  he  held  office,  and  was  also  a  member  of  the  Schleswig-Holstein  Society. 
His  life  was  well  spent,  his  diligence  and  industry  bringing  to  him  a  substantial 
measure  of  success,  while  his  business  probity  gained  him  the  respect  and  con- 
fidence of  all  with  whom  he  was  associated. 


EDGAR  H.  RYAN. 


Edgar  H.  Ryan,  although  he  is  now  retired  from  manufacturing  interests, 
with  which  he  was  long  identified,  is  still  financially  concerned  in  many  impor- 
tant business  enterprises  which  have  direct  bearing  upon  the  progress  and  com- 
mercial development  of  Davenport.  His  industry  and  keen  perception  have 
enabled  him  to  make  his  way  steadily  to  the  foremost  ranks  of  the  city's  dis- 
tinguished and  honored  business  men,  in  which  connection  he  is  justly  entitled 
to  definite  mention  in  the  annals  of  Iowa.  He  was  born  in  Warren  county, 
Indiana,  January  13,  1851.  His  father,  Edgar  Ryan,  Sr.,  was  a  native  of  Ohio, 
his  birth  having  occurred  near  Columbus  on  the  loth  of  June,  1820.  When  a 
young  man  he  went  to  Indiana,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising, 
in  which  undertaking  he  was  quite  successful.  In  the  fall  of  1855  he  came  to 
Davenport,  where  the  following  year  he  was  joined  by  his  wife  and  children, 
the  family  home  being  since  maintained  here.  The  father  engaged  in  the  whole- 
sale grocery  business  in  the  old  Burrows  &  Prettyman  block  on  the  river,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Ryan  &  McCarn.  During  a  flood,  while  working  to  remove 
his  goods  to  a  place  of  safety,  he  contracted  a  severe  cold  which  resulted  in 
his  death  in  June,  1857.  Although  the  period  of  his  residence  here  was  of  com- 
paratively short  duration,  during  that  time  he  gained  the  good  will  and  respect 
of  his  neighbors  and  business  associates  and  had  every  promise  of  a  successful 
career.  He  was  married  in  Ohio  to  Miss  Celinda  Osbom,  a  native  of  Colum- 
bus, Ohio,  who  died  in  January,  1895.  She  had  been  a  resident  of  Davenport 
for  many  years  and  following  her  husband's  death  had  carefully  reared  her 
family  of  five  sons. 

Edgar  H.  Ryan,  the  youngest  of  the  family,  was  but  five  years  of  age  when 
the  mother  and  her  children  joined  the  husband  and  father  in  this  city.  Here 
he  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  be- 
came a  recognized  factor  in  the  business  circles  of  this  city  as  proprietor  of  a 
hat,  furnishing  goods  and  fur  store  at  Second  and  Main  streets.  There  he 
remained  until  1885,  when  he  withdrew  from  that  field  of  labor  to  engage  in  the 


^ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  259 

gfrain  business  and  for  eleven  years  was  a  partner  in  the  Bosch-Ryan  Grain 
Company.  He  next  turned  his  attention  to  manufacturing  interests,  engaging 
in  the  manufacture  of  Portland  cement  at  lola,  Kansas,  with  the  principal  office 
of  the  company  at  Davenport.  After  a  successful  and  active  business  career  in 
this  field  he  retired  in  January,  1906,  but  still  has  many  financial  interests  and 
investments,  including  farm  lands  in  Nebraska,  Minnesota  and  Kansas,  and 
large  land  holdings  in  Mexico,  the  supervision  of  which  makes  him  a  busy  man. 
In  1888  he  erected  the  Ryan  building,  now  known  as  the  South  Putnam  build- 
ing. He  has  long  been  interested  in  Davenport  real  estate,  becoming  a  member 
of  the  Davenport  Real  Estate  Company,  and  has  laid  out  many  additions  and 
done  much  to  improve  the  city.  He  is  also  interested  in  banks  and  industrial 
concerns  and  his  sound  judgment  constitutes  a  valuable  feature  in  the  pros- 
perous control  of  these  undertakings.  Opportunities  which  others  pass  by  heed- 
lessly he  recognizes  and  utilizes  and  his  intelligent  and  well  directed  activity 
have  brought  him  prominently  to  the  front  in  relation  to  the  business  life  of 
the  city  whereon  Davenport's  growth  and  development  rest.  He  is  now  the 
secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Davenport  Real  Estate  &  Town  Lot  Company, 
which  has  laid  out  Park  Lawn  in  its  first,  second  and  third  additions,  also  the 
valuable  tract  north  of  Central  Park  and  Cook's  Home  addition.  For  fifteen 
years  he  was  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Davenport  Safety  Deposit 
Company. 

In  June,  1873,  Mr.  Ryan  was  married  to  Miss  Ella  Coleman,  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  Coleman,  a  prominent  banker  of  La  Fayette,  Indiana,  and  they  have 
one  child,  Julia.  The  family  home  is  a  fine  residence  on  Brady  street.  Mr. 
Ryan  has  lived  to  witness  remarkable  changes  in  the  city,  which  was  a  small 
town  of  comparatively  little  industrial  or  commercial  importance  at  the  time  of 
his  arrival  here.  His  father's  home  was  on  Seventh  and  Brown  streets  and  the 
business  center  was  largely  along  the  river.  Taking  his  place  in  commercial 
circles  when  he  attained  his  majority,  Mr.  Ryan's  activities  have  since  been 
of  a  nature  that  have  contributed  in  substantial  measure  to  the  city's  business 
and  financial  growth  as  well  as  his  individual  prosperity.  Fraternally  he  is  con- 
nected with  the  Masons,  attaining  the  Knight  Templar  degree  in  the  comman- 
dery,  and  he  is  also  a  member  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  Politics  have  little  interest 
for  him,  for  he  has  always  preferred  to  concentrate  his  energies  upon  his  busi- 
ness and  by  industry,  close  application  and  determination  he  has  become  one 
of  the  foremost  citizens  of  Davenport. 


M.  J.  TOBIN. 


Since  1852,  or  for  a  period  of  fifty-seven  years,  M.  J.  Tobin  has  been  closely 
identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of  Scott  county  and  his  possessions,  now 
embracing  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Winfield  township,  make  him  one  of 
the  substantial  citizens  of  eastern  Iowa.  He  was  bom  in  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  in 
183s,  a  son  of  Richard  and  Mary  (Cody)  Tobin,  who  emigrated  with  their 
family  to  the  new  world  in  1852,  in  which  year  they  settled  in  Scott  county. 


260  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

They  made  the  journey  from  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  to  this  district  by  boat, 
and  in  Winfield  township  the  father  entered  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
raw  land,  which  he  broke  with  ox-teams,  in  due  time  making  it  a  cultivable  prop- 
erty, continuing  his  work  as  a  farmer  throughout  his  entire  business  career.  He 
passed  away  in  1897,  having  reached  a  very  advanced  age.  He  was  one  of  the 
influential  and  valued  citizens  of  Scott  county  and  at  his  death  the  community 
mourned  the  loss  of  one  whom  it  had  come  to  love  and  honor. 

M.  J.  Tobin  was  a  youth  of  seventeen  years  when  he  accompanied  his 
parents  to  the  new  world.  When  they  located  on  the  farm  in  Winfield  town- 
ship the  son  rendered  valuable  assistance  in  the  work  of  developing  and  improv- 
ing the  tract  on  which  substantial  buildings  were  erected.  When  starting  out  in 
life  on  his  own  account  he  chose  the  occupation  to  which  he  had  been  reared  and 
the  original  farm  is  now  in  his  possession,  and  the  additional  purchases  he  has 
made  finds  him  today  the  owner  of  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  All  this  is 
well  improved  land  and  the  first  buildings  which  were  put  upon  the  farm  have 
been  replaced  with  those  of  more  modern  type,  so  that  the  farm  is  now  one  of 
the  valuable  properties  in  eastern  Iowa.  In  connection  with  general  farming 
Mr.  Tobin  has  also  given  much  attention  to  the  raising  of  stock,  making  a  spe- 
cialty of  cattle,  and  through  this  means  he  has  greatly  augmented  his  financial 
resources. 

Mr.  Tobin  has  been  married  twice.  He  first  wedded  Miss  Anna  Moore,  their 
marriage  ceremony  being  performed  in  St.  Ann's  Catholic  church  at  Long 
Grove.  Four  children  were  born  of  this  union :  Richard,  Mary  Ellen,  Sarah  and 
Margaret.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Tobin  chose  Mary  Doyle,  and  there  are 
four  sons  of  this  marriage:  Martin,  Thomas,  John  and  Arthur.  He  has  given 
all  his  children  good  educational  advantages,  the  sons  having  attended  St.  Am- 
brose College,  while  the  daughters  were  educated  in  a  Catholic  convent. 

Mr.  Tobin  has  been  a  life-long  democrat  and  for  six  years  served  as  trustee 
of  Winfield  township.  He  is  a  communicant  of  St.  Ann's  church.  Public- 
spirited  in  an  eminent  degree,  no  pioneer  of  Scott  county  is  deserving  of  more 
prominent  mention  in  a  history  of  this  character  than  is  Mr.  Tobin.  In  him 
are  embodied  the  virtues  of  the  early  pioneers — the  steadfast  purpose,  rugged 
integrity  and  religious  zeal — virtues  to  which  the  splendid  civilization  of  this 
great  state  is  indebted  for  its  wonderful  development  and  its  glorious  progress. 
He  has  led  a  busy,  active  and  useful  life  and  now,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five 
years,  he  stands  crowned  with  honors  and  years,  one  of  the  most  respected  pio- 
neer citizens  of  Scott  county  and  Winfield  township. 


JOHN  B.  CROUCH,  M.  D. 

Dr.  John  B.  Crouch,  one  of  the  successful  representatives  of  the  medical 
profession  in  Eldridge,  was  born  in  Davenport  in  1880.  His  father,  Fred 
Crouch,  is  a  member  of  the  Walsh  Construction  Company,  who  are  among  the 
prominent  contractors  of  that  city.  There  Dr.  Crouch  spent  his  childhood  and 
youth,  attending  the  common  schools,  in  which  he  derived  his  early  education, 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  261 

and  then  entering  the  high  school  where  he  prepared  for  the  college  course  that 
should  fit  him  for  the  medical  profession.  He  spent  two  years  at  the  Iowa  Col- 
lege at  Grinnell ;  one  year  in  the  medical  department  of  the  State  University ;  and 
then  transferred  his  credits  to  the  Northwestern  University  Medical  School  at 
Chicago,  from  which  he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1905.  He  immediately 
engaged  in  his  professional  labors,  and  after  about  two  months'  experience,  suc- 
ceeded Dr.  Kemmerer,  who  had  long  been  known  as  one  of  the  oldest  practi- 
tioners of  Eldridge.  The  four  years  of  his  residence  here  have  been  productive 
of  large  returns;  he  has  built  up  a  large  and  remunerative  practice;  and  has 
gained  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  patients  and  colleagues,  while  the  drug 
store,  which  he  has  conducted  in  conjunction  with  his  professional  duties,  is 
one  of  the  thriving  business  concerns  of  the  village.  He  is  a  man  who  by  na- 
ture and  training  is  especially  adapted  for  general  practice,  although  he  is  at 
the  same  time  a  deep  student,  which  has  enabled  him  to  'become  almost  a  spe- 
cialist in  those  fields  of  his  art  which  appeal  most  strongly  to  him.  In  diagnosis 
he  is  careful  and  thorough,  as  a  practitioner  he  is  painstaking,  while  his  per- 
sonality, his  enthusiasm  and  his  cheerfulness  make  him  ever  welcome  in  a  sick 
room. 

Dr.  Crouch  belongs  to  several  of  the  college  fraternal  organizations,  for  he 
was  ever  a  man  to  make  stanch  friends,  and  as  a  member  of  the  County  and 
American  Medical  Associations  keeps  well  informed  upon  the  progress  in  his 
profession  and  the  interests  with  which  his  co-workers  are  concerned.  In  1905 
in  Davenport  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Dr.  Crouch  and  Miss  Martha 
Frances  Ballard,  whose  parents  are  residents  of  that  city.  One  daughter,  Rhoda 
Bliss,  now  about  one  year  old,  has  been  born  to  the  couple. 


HENRY  ROHWER. 


The  agricultural  interests  of  this  state  were  formerly  well  represented  by 
Henry  Rohwer,  who  gave  many  years  of  his  life  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil.  He 
is  now  living  retired,  however,  in  Davenport,  having  passed  the  seventy-fourth 
milestone  on  life's  journey,  so  that  he  is  well  entitled  to  the  rest  that  has  been 
vouchsafed  him.  A  great  majority  of  Davenport's  German  citizens  came  from 
Schleswig-Holstein,  which  province  was  also  the  birthplace  of  Henry  Rohwer, 
whose  natal  day  was  June  4,  1835.  His  father  was  Jochim  Rohwer.  His  mother 
died  during  his  early  childhood,  which  was  spent  in  Germany.  After  attending 
the  public  schools  he  began  learning  the  shoemaker's  trade,  and  in  1857  came  to 
the  United  States,  for  he  had  heard  favorable  reports  concerning  America  and 
its  opportunities  and  hoped  to  acquire  a  comfortable  competence  more  rapidly 
in  this  country  than  he  could  expect  to  do  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic. 
Bidding  adieu  to  home  and  friends,  he  sailed  alone  for  the  western  world,  land- 
ing at  New  York,  after  which  he  made  his  way  to  Davenport.  He  at  first 
worked  at  his  trade  in  this  city,  being  engaged  in  shoemaking  until  1862,  when 
he  crossed  the  plains  to  California  with  teams.  It  required  three  months  to 
make  the  trip  even  at  that  day.    He  remained  for  two  and  a  half  years  on  the 


262  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Pacific  coast  and  then  returned  to  the  east  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama, 
eventually  landing  at  New  York  city.  From  that  point  he  continued  across  the 
country  to  Davenport,  where  he  again  engaged  in  shoemaking  until  1882.  He 
next  turned  his  attention  to  farming  in  Iowa,  investing  in  eighty  acres,  upon 
which  he  took  up  his  abode.  The  work  of  tilling  the  soil  then  engaged  his  at- 
tention and  he  made  his  home  thereon  until  1906,  carefully  cultivating  his  crops 
and  gathering  large  harvests.  He  then  sold  out  and  returned  to  Davenport, 
where  he  has  since  made  his  home. 

In  politics  Mr.  Rohwer  has  always  been  a  stalwart  republican  and  he  served 
as  township  trustee  for  six  years  and  also  as  school  director  in  Crystal  town- 
ship. 

Mr.  Rohwer  has  been  married  twice.  On  the  17th  of  August,  1865,  he 
wedded  Miss  Catherine  Barofsky,  who  died  in  1885.  They  were  the  parents 
of  eight  children.  Julius,  living  in  Ida  Grove,  Iowa,  married  Emma  Vogt  and 
they  have  seven  children.  Gustave,  now  located  in  Moline,  married  Emma  Corth 
and  has  seven  children.  Theodore,  whose  home  is  in  Schleswig,  Crawford 
county,  Iowa,  is  married  and  has  seven  children.  Henry  is  married  and  is  lo- 
cated in  Seattle,  Washington.  Amanda  is  the  wife  of  Fred  Fick,  of  Ida  county, 
Iowa,  and  has  one  son.  The  other  children  died  in  infancy  with  the  exception 
of  George,  who  passed  away  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years.  For  his  second 
wife  Mr.  Rohwer  chose  Whipke  Stelk,  whom  he  wedded  in  April,  1887.  She 
was  the  widow  of  John  Stelk  and  by  her  former  marriage  had  four  children: 
Anna,  the  wife  of  R.  A.  Madison,  of  Ottumwa  county,  Iowa,  by  whom  she  has 
one  child;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Rudolph  Meinert,  of  Davenport,  by  whom  she 
has  one  child;  John,  at  home;  and  Charles,  who  married  Gusta  Weis  and  lives 
in  Virginia. 

Mr.  Rohwer  belongs  to  the  association  known  as  the  Old  German  Pioneers, 
Coming  to  the  new  world  soon  after  attaining  his  majority,  he  readily  adapted 
himself  to  changed  conditions,  made  haste  to  master  the  language  of  -the  people 
and  acquaint  himself  with  American  customs  and  habits.  In  all  of  his  business 
life  he  has  displayed  the  energy  and  perseverance  characteristic  of  the  German 
people  and,  improving  the  opportunities  which  to  him  seemed  to  point  to  suc- 
cess, he  eventually  reached  a  position  among  the  men  of  affluence  in  Scott  county 
and  is  now  numbered  among  the  substantial  citizens  of  Davenport,  where  he 
makes  his  home,  his  leisure  being  devoted  to  those  pursuits  which  afford  him 
recreation  and  interest. 


HENRY  C.  COOK. 


One  of  the  well  cultivated  farms  of  Sheridan  township  is  that  of  ninety 
acres  belonging  to  Henry  C.  Cook,  one  of  the  sturdy  sons  of  the  fatherland 
who  did  so  much  toward  developing  the  fertility  of  Scott  county  in  the  early 
years  of  its  settlement.  He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  September  17, 
1840,  a  son  of  Hans  and  Kathryn  Cook.    The  father  was  engaged  in  agricul- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  263 

tural  pursuits  in  the  old  country,  but  in  the  hope  of  bettering  his  own  fortunes 
and  of  providing  larger  opportunities  for  his  children,  he  with  his  family  emi- 
grated to  the  United  States  in  1847.  They  disembarked  at  New  York,  whence 
they  came  west  to  Chicago,  completing  their  journey  to  Iowa  by  wagon.  Upon 
reaching  Scott  county,  Mr.  Cook  entered  four  hundred  acres  of  prairie  land, 
but  he  was  not  permitted  to  enjoy  his  new  property,  for  he  died  thirteen  days 
after  arriving  here,  and  his  claim,  made  out  in  his  name  in  Washington,  D.  C., 
was  paid  for  by  his  friend,  Nicholas  Rusch,  who  later  married  his  widow. 

Mr.  Rusch  became  a  prominent  factor  in  the  public  life  of  Scott  county.  He 
was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  February  16,  1822,  and  received  a  good  educa- 
tion in  the  land  of  his  birth,  for  after  leaving  the  elementary  school  at  Marne, 
he  entered  the  gymnasium  at  Meldorf,  later  attended  the  Segeberg  Seminary, 
and  finally  became  a  student  in  the  University  of  Kiel,  where  he  specialized  in 
theology.  He  afterward  taught  as  a  private  tutor  in  Holstein.  He  came  to  this 
country  on  the  same  ship  with  Mr.  Cook,  expecting  to  teach  here.  After  Mr. 
Cook's  death  he  assumed  the  management  of  the  farm,  making  all  the  improve- 
ments and  bringing  it  to  a  high  state  of  fertility,  and  there  he  lived  until  after 
the  inauguration  of  the  Civil  war.  He  was  a  successful  farmer,  and  also  pos- 
sessed the  personality  that  made  him  a  man  in  whom  the  people  placed  the  ut- 
most confidence.  He  was  an  ardent  republican  in  his  political  sympathies,  and 
upon  that  party's  ticket  was  elected  to  various  township  offices.  In  1859  he  was 
the  choice  of  his  district  for  state  senator,  and  although  he  served  only  until 
i860,  he  was  concerned  with  some  important  legislation.  In  that  year  the  re- 
publican party  elected  him  lieutenant  governor  of  Iowa,  at  the  same  time  that 
Mr.  Kirkwood  was  elected  governor,  and  he  held  that  position  until  1862,  when 
he  resigned  to  accept  the  appointment  as  commissioner  of  immigration,  which 
was  made  by  Governor  Kirkwood.  Mr.  Rusch  had  his  headquarters  in  New 
York  city  for  ten  months,  and  then  as  immigration  had  fallen  off  on  account 
of  the  war,  he  returned  to  Iowa  and  was  appointed  assistant  quartermaster,  with 
the  rank  of  captain,  for  the  troops  of  this  state.  During  the  course  of  the  war 
he  went  to  Vicksburg,  Mississippi,  was  made  chief  quartermaster  of  the  Iowa 
troops  there  and  died  there  September  22,  1864,  while  in  active  service.  He 
was  a  man  of  great  force  of  character  and  left  his  impress  upon  the  affairs  of 
his  time  and  locality,  bequeathing  to  the  generation  who  followed  him  a  record 
for  public  service  and  patriotism  which  should  be  inspiring.  Educational  in- 
terests in  Scott  county  were  also  furthered  by  him,  for  he  donated  the  land  for 
and  helped  build  the  first  school  in  his  neighborhood. 

Mr.  Rusch  became  the  father  of  three  children,  namely:  Emily,  who  is  the 
wife  of  J.  E.  Meyers,  of  Davenport;  Minnie,  who  was  the  wife  of  Joseph  Keck, 
formerly  of  Washington,  Iowa,  but  now  like  his  wife  deceased;  and  Gustav  C, 
a  prominent  farmer  of  Sheridan  township,  thus  county.  His  wife,  who  had 
previously  married  Hans  Cook,  had  six  children  by  her  first  union,  as  follows: 
Louisa,  who  married  Henry  Berg,  now  deceased,  but  formerly  a  resident  of 
Davenport;  Augusta,  who  married  Henry  Landt,  of  Tama  county,  Iowa;  Julia, 
who  is  the  widow  of  Cornelius  Axelson  and  lives  in  Mississippi;  Henry  C, 
whose  name  introduces  this  review;  Eliza,  the  wife  of  Martin  Banthen,  of 
Durant,  Iowa ;  and  Agnes,  who  married  Jens  Lorenzen,  of  Davenport. 


264  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Henry  C.  Cook  received  his  early  education  in  Germany  before  his  parents 
emigrated  to  this  country,  for  he  was  about  seven  years  of  age  when  they 
started  upon  their  journey,  and  after  he  came  to  Scott  county  he  attended  the 
district  school  near  his  home  in  Sheridan  township,  where  he  completed  his 
training  for  the  responsibilities  of  manhood.  He  was  early  initiated  into  the 
methods  of  cultivating  the  soil,  and  in  the  years  that  he  has  been  a  resident 
of  this  county  has  lived  upon  this  same  farm.  He  assisted  his  stepfather  in 
operating  it  during  the  lifetime  of  the  latter,  and  then,  after  his  death  he  as- 
sumed the  full  charge  of  it.  In  the  period,  amounting  now  to  almost  half  a 
century,  that  the  place  has  been  under  his  control,  he  has  worked  earnestly  and 
diligently  to  make  it  one  of  the  most  productive  tracts  of  land  in  his  vicinity, 
and  as  enterprise  and  determination  have  been  salient  features  in  his  success, 
he  is  well  deserving  of  the  comfortable  income  which  his  labors  have  brought 
him. 

On  the  6th  of  October,  1869,  Mr.  Cook  was  married  to  Miss  Kathryn  Emise, 
a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  August  Emise,  who  were  among  the  early  German 
settlers  of  Scott  county.  Both  are  now  deceased.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cook 
have  been  born  three  children.  Carl  F.,  who  is  engaged  in  the  telephone  busi- 
ness in  Eldridge,  Iowa,  wedded  Miss  Eliza  Peterson  and  they  had  one  child  who 
died  in  infancy.  Harry  and  Carrie  are  both  at  home,  and  the  latter  is  a  grad- 
uate of  Brown's  Business  College,  of  Davenport. 

Mr.  Cook  has  served  as  trustee  of  Sheridan  township  and  has  filled  other 
offices  within  the  gift  of  the  people,  with  the  same  carefulness  and  honor  that 
has  distinguished  his  private  life,  and  the  fact  that  many  of  his  closest  friends 
are  those  who  have  known  him  from  boyhood  is  an  evidence  that  his  life  has 
been  directed  in  accordance  with  high  principles  of  manhood  and  citizenship. 


OTTO  CLAUSEN. 


Davenport  has  always  acknowledged  her  indebtedness  to  her  German- 
American  citizens  for  much  of  her  progress  in  the  fields  of  commerce  and  in- 
dustry, and  prominent  among  those  who  have  been  leaders  in  manufacturing 
circles  was  numbered  Otto  Clausen,  for  many  years  general  manager  of  the 
H.  F.  Brammer  Manufacturing  Company.  He  was  bom  June  14,  1850,  in 
Schonhorst,  Kirchspiel  Brugga,  near  Kiel,  a  son  of  Claus  and  Johanna  (Car- 
stens)  Clausen.  His  father  was  the  oldest  son  of  Claus  Clausen,  teacher  in  Ox- 
boll  on  the  island  Alsen.  The  mother  of  Otto  Clausen  was  a  daughter  of  Jo- 
hann  Carstens,  teacher  at  Michaelis  Donn,  north  Ditmarsch. 

Mr.  Clausen's  childhood  was  spent  in  Dollerup,  Kirchspiel,  Grundshoff,  An- 
geln,  Boel  Angeln,  and  at  Atzeballig,  near  Augustenburg,  he  being  confirmed 
at  the  latter  place.  On  the  ist  of  May,  1869,  when  nineteen  years  of  age,  he 
sailed  for  America,  landing  at  Montreal.  He  arrived  in  Davenport  on  the  ist 
of  June,  his  choice  of  a  location  being  influenced  by  the  fact  that  he  had  a  dis- 
tant relative,  Emil  Geisler,  living  here.  After  spending  some  time  here  he 
went  to  St.  Louis  by  steamboat  and  later  journeyed  to  Memphis,  Tennessee. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  267 

There  he  accepted  a  position  as  bookkeeper  in  a  private  hospital  (St.  Joseph's 
Infirmary),  working  during  the  day  and  attending  the  commercial  college  at 
night  in  order  that  he  might  learn  the  English  language  and  become  qualified 
for  active  work  in  commercial  and  industrial  circles,  for  in  the  schools  of  his 
native  country  he  had  acquired  a  good  education  in  his  mother  tongue.  Later 
he  became  clerk  in  the  Central  Hotel  at  Memphis,  there  remaining  for  seven 
years.  When  he  had  saved  enough  of  his  earnings  he  returned  to  Europe  in 
1872  and  brought  his  parents,  sisters  and  one  brother  to  the  new  world  with 
him,  the  family  settling  in  Memphis.  The  following  year  yellow  fever  broke 
out  in  that  city  and  Mr.  Clausen  volunteered  as  a  nurse,  taking  care  of  many 
who  were  afflicted  by  that  dread  disease — a  heroic  act  for  which  he  deserved  high 
praise.  In  1876  he  started  his  own  grocery  business,  which  he  conducted  with 
success  until  1885. 

On  the  20th  of  January,  1880,  Mr.  Clausen  was  married  to  Adele  Geisler, 
who  was  a  daughter  of  Emil  and  Sophia  (Halkins)  Geisler  and  who  died  July 
4,  1886.  There  were  two  children  by  that  marriage,  one  of  whom  died  in  in- 
fancy, while  the  other,  Adele,  is  now  the  wife  of  H.  W.  Hubers  of  Davenport 
and  has  one  child,  Marjorie  Del.  Mr.  Clausen  continued  in  business  in  Mem- 
phis until  1886,  when  he  came  to  this  city  and  purchased  the  present  home  of 
the  family.  On  the  nth  of  August,  1887,  he  married  Eveline  Steinberg,  a 
daughter  of  Louis  W.  and  Anna  Wilhelmina  (Hagen)  Steinberg.  By  this  union 
there  was  born  a  son,  who  died  in  infancy.  In  1888  Mr.  Clausen  accepted  the 
position  of  bookkeeper  and  treasurer  of  the  H.  F.  Brammer  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, and  in  1895  became  its  general  manager.  He  remained  the  executive  head 
of  the  enterprise  until  1901,  when  he  retired  from  the  active  control  of  the 
business  and  throughout  his  remaining  days  enjoyed  the  fruits  of  his  former 
toil  in  well  earned  retirement. 

Mr.  Clausen  was  a  member  of  the  Turner  Society  and  had  a  very  extensive 
acquaintance  among  the  German-American  residents  of  this  city.  He  won  a 
creditable  position  in  business  circles,  was  ever  charitable,  brave  and  fearless  in 
the  face  of  danger,  trustworthy  in  the  performance  of  duty  and  diligent  in  the 
accomplishment  of  every  task  which  he  undertook.  These  qualities  gained  him 
a  firm  hold  on  the  affections  of  his  fellow  townsmen,  so  that  his  memory  is 
cherished  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  loved  his  home  and  was  a  most  kind  and 
loving  father  and  husband.  His  death  occurred  on  the  30th  of  April,  1905, 
at  his  southern  home,  Ottonia  Park,  Santa  Rosa  county,  Florida.  His  remains 
were  brought  to  Davenport  for  interment. 


OTTO  KLUG. 


Otto  Klug,  a  capitalist,  who  during  the  years  of  his  residence  in  Davenport 
largely  obtained  his  income  from  real  estate  investments  and  continued  through 
the  period  of  his  life  as  one  of  the  influential  and  honored  citizens  here,  was 
born  in  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  August  i,  1822.  His  life  record  covered 
the  intervening  years  to  the  25th  of  May,  1899,  when  he  was  called  to  his  final 


268  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

rest.  Educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  country,  he  remained  there 
through  the  great  revolutionary  struggle  of  1848,  in  which  he  took  an  active 
part.  In  1849,  the  revolutionists  being  frustrated  in  their  plans  to  secure  greater 
political  liberty  and  privileges,  Mr.  Klug  determined  to  come  to  America,  where 
he  might  enjoy  the  fruits  of  independence  denied  him  in  his  native  country. 
He  therefore  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America  and  established  his  home  in  Daven- 
port. In  Germany  he  had  been  engaged  in  the  dry-goods  business  and  upon 
coming  to  this  city  he  opened  a  store  on  Front  street,  stocked  in  part  with 
goods  which  he  had  brought  over  from  Hamburg.  Two  years  later  he  removed 
to  a  store  on  Second  street,  where  he  continued  a  profitable  and  growing  busi- 
ness until  1868,  when  he  sold  out  to  Christian  Toerring  and  retired  from  mer- 
chandising, finding  that  his  real  estate  and  other  interests  demanded  the  greater 
part  of  his  time.  He  had  as  the  years  went  by  made  investment  in  property 
until  his  holdings  were  such  as  to  claim  the  greater  part  of  his  attention  in  their 
successful  management  and  control.  He  was  seldom  if  ever  at  fault  in  mat- 
ters of  business  judgment  and  hence  his  labors  and  his  investments  brought  him 
success  which  was  substantial  as  well  as  creditable.  He  owned  several  large 
business  blocks  beside  valuable  residences  and  unimproved  property  in  this  city 
and  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  also  the  secretary  of  the  Davenport  Plate 
Glass  Insurance  Company,  of  which  he  was  the  founder  and  one  of  the  direc- 
tors. He  was  also  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Scott  County  Savings  Bank  and 
a  director  until  called  to  his  final  rest. 

On  the  14th  of  August,  1852,  Mr.  Klug  was  married  to  Miss  Fredericka 
Schricker,  who  came  to  America  in  1849,  landing  in  St.  Louis,  and  coming  to 
Davenport  in  1851.  Their  children  are:  Clara,  now  the  wife  of  H.  F.  Petersen; 
Agnes,  the  wife  of  William  Haase;  Lillie,  at  home;  Thekla,  the  wife  of  Robert 
Wagner;  Otto;  Elfrieda,  at  home;  and  Henrietta,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nine 
years.  After  residing  in  America  for  forty  years  Mr.  Klug  returned  with  his 
family  to  visit  his  native  town  in  Germany.  He  was  greatly  interested  therein, 
but  while  he  always  maintained  a  deep  love  for  the  fatherland  he  was  still  more 
strongly  attached  to  the  land  of  his  adoption,  for  it  was  here  that  he  won  his 
success,  while  in  his  social  relations  he  gained  a  circle  of  friends  that  bound  him 
closely  to  this  country.  He  was,  moreover,  in  sympathy  with  its  form  of  gov- 
ernment and  eagerly  and  enthusiastically  championed  the  salient  features  in  the 
American  republic.  His  first  trip  to  the  new  world  was  made  on  a  sailing  ves- 
sel, from  which  he  landed  at  New  Orleans,  and  then  came  up  the  river  to  Daven- 
port. In  the  forty  years  that  elapsed  before  he  again  went  to  Germany,  there 
had  been  marvelous  changes  made  in  marine  transportation,  and  he  crossed  the 
Atlantic  in  one  of  the  ocean  greyhounds  which  brought  him  to  his  destination 
in  a  few  days. 

Mr.  Klug  was  always  closely  identified  with  the  growth  of  Davenport,  and 
his  cooperation  could  always  be  counted  upon  to  further  any  measure  for  the 
general  good.  For  six  years  he  served  on  the  board  of  education,  and  for  ten 
years  represented  his  ward  in  the  city  council,  being  several  times  elected  alder- 
man. He  was  a  member  of  the  volunteer  fire  department  for  sixteen  years,  and 
at  one  time  was  its  chief.  He  was  also  treasurer  of  the  first  German  free 
school,  which  he  organized  in  1853,  acting  as  custodian  of  its  funds  until  his 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  269 

demise.  He  belonged  to  the  Schleswig-Holstein  Kampfgenossen  Verein  and  was 
its  vice  president  until  he  departed  this  life.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the 
Turners  Society  and  had  he  lived  for  another  year  would  have  received  a  diploma 
which  the  Turners  give  to  all  who  work  for  their  interests  for  a  quarter  of  a 
century.  An  expert  marksman,  he  belonged  to  the  Davenport  Shooting  Club 
and  was  recognized  as  king  of  the  association,  having  been  winner  in  many 
contests. 

While  Mr.  Klug  took  an  active  part  in  public  affairs,  his  best  traits  of  char- 
acter were  reserved  for  his  own  fireside,  and  the  allurements  of  club  and  social 
life  were  not  sufficient  to  dim  for  him  the  joys  of  the  family  circle.  He  was 
most  devoted  to  the  welfare  of  his  wife  and  children,  and  erected  in  Davenport 
one  of  the  finest  homes  in  this  city,  standing  on  the  bluff  and  overlooking  the 
river  and  surrounding  country.  He  also  purchased  an  attractive  country  home 
where  he  planted  fine  orchards  and  vineyards,  taking  great  pride  in  his  agricul- 
tural and  horticultural  interests  there.  He  was  one  of  the  best  known  men  in 
the  city  and  had  a  large  circle  of  admiring  friends.  His  strong  character  im- 
pressed itself  upon  all  with  whom  he  was  associated  and  the  honesty  of  his 
motives  was  never  called  into  question.  He  lived  to  see  the  hopes  that  brought 
him  to  the  new  world  more  than  realized  and  while  he  won  notable  success  here, 
he  also  belonged  to  that  class  of  citizens  who  gave  of  their  labor  for  the  benefit 
of  their  adopted  country.  He  lingers  in  the  minds  of  his  fellow  citizens  as  one 
of  Davenport's  most  prominent  and  honored  residents. 


JAMES  H.  MARRIOTT. 

An  enterprising  and  progressive  business  man  of  Long  Grove  is  James  H. 
Marriott,  who  was  born  in  Newmarket,  Maryland,  in  1857,  and  is  a  son  of  Au- 
gustus Marriott,  who  was  engaged  in  the  shoe  business  in  that  city.  There  he 
received  his  early  education  and  lived  until  the  approach  of  manhood,  when 
he  removed  to  the  advancing  west.  For  a  time  he  resided  in  Newman,  Illinois, 
and  subsequently  located  in  Eldridge,  Iowa,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  paint- 
ing business. 

In  1887  he  came  to  Long  Grove  as  a  clerk  for  George  W.  Curtis.  After 
two  years'  experience  there,  in  which  he  proved  that  he  was  endowed  with  con- 
siderable business  acumen,  he  was  taken  into  partnership  by  his  employer,  and 
together  they  conducted  the  general  store  for  a  number  of  years.  Mr.  Marriott 
finally  purchased  Mr.  Curtis'  interest.  After  conducting  the  store  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  by  himself  he  reorganized  a  company,  incorporating  it  under  the 
name  of  Marriott,  Wolf  &  Briceland.  During  the  two  years  of  its  existence, 
they  have  built  up  a  large  and  profitable  mercantile  establishment,  filling  a  long- 
felt  need  in  the  community  of  Long  Grove.  Mr.  Marriott  is  its  president  and 
manager,  so  that  to  his  ability  and  progressive  spirit  is  due  the  large  and  up-to- 
date  line  of  general  merchandise  to  be  found  upon  its  counters  and  shelves.  He 
makes  every  effort  to  satisfy  the  wants  of  his  patrons  and  has,  in  consequence, 
met  with  a  generous  support  from  them.     In  1890,  with  others,  he  organized 


270  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

the  Long  Grove  Creamery  Company,  of  which  he  is  the  president.  It  has  a 
capacity  of  from  one  thousand  to  two  thousand  pounds  of  butter  each  day  and 
employs  a  large  number  of  men.  The  product  of  the  creamery  finds  a  ready 
market  in  Davenport  and  Chicago. 

Since  1900  Mr.  Marriott  has  been  the  postmaster  of  Long  Grove,  fulfilling 
his  duties  with  the  care  and  abiUty  which  has  characterized  his  operations  in 
the  mercantile  world.  Whenever  he  has  occasion  to  exercise  his  right  of  fran- 
chise he  casts  his  vote  for  the  candidate  of  the  republican  party,  feeling  in  great- 
est sympathy  with  its  principles.  He  has  ever  been  distinguished  by  a  desire  to 
promote  the  welfare  of  his  fellow  citizens,  whose  unqualified  respect  he  enjoys. 


KARL  VOLLMER,  M.  D. 

Davenport,  his  native  city,  numbers  among  her  honored  and  successful 
physicians  Dr.  Karl  VoUmer,  who  by  reason  of  his  ability  and  thorough  training 
has  attained  foremost  rank  among  the  representatives  of  the  medical  profes- 
sion in  this  city.  Born  on  the  20th  of  November,  1869,  he  is  a  son  of  Henry 
and  Dorothea  (Plambeck)  VoUmer,  extended  mention  of  whom  is  made  on  an- 
other page  of  this  volume,  and  a  brother  of  Henry  Vollmer,  attorney  and  coun- 
sellor of  this  city. 

In  the  public  schools  of  Davenport  Dr.  Vollmer  acquired  his  preliminary  edu- 
cation and  later,  deciding  upon  the  practice  of  medicine  as  his  life  work,  became 
a  student  under  the  direction  of  Surgeon-in-Chief  Peck,  of  the  Rock  Island  Rail- 
way, and  was  the  last  one  to  study  under  that  well  known  physician,  who  was 
recognized  as  one  of  the  best  medical  practitioners  of  his  day.  Under  his  guid- 
ance Dr.  Vollmer  became  imbued  with  the  importance  of  his  profession  and  also 
its  beauty,  mystery  and  unselfishness,  and  it  was  his  ambition  to  follow  in  the 
footsteps  of  him  who  was  his  principal  inspiration.  With  this  end  in  view  he 
entered  the  medical  department  of  the  Iowa  State  University,  from  which  he 
was  graduated  in  1892,  and  then  went  abroad,  spending  a  season  at  the  Alle- 
gemeine  Krankenhause  in  Vienna  in  post-graduate  work.  This  was  followed 
by  a  season  as  assistant  in  the  Royal  Opthalmic  Hospital  in  London,  after 
which  he  returned  to  Davenport,  and  in  the  fall  of  1893,  thus  well  equipped, 
entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  this  city.  His  study  abroad  had 
been  confined  principally  to  the  eye,  ear,  nose  and  throat,  and  along  this  line  he 
has  since  continued  to  specialize,  his  office  in  the  Schmidt  building  being  thor- 
oughly equipped  with  every  modern  and  up-to-date  accessory  for  carrying  on 
this  branch  of  the  medical  profession.  In  1906  he  again  went  abroad  and  sup- 
plemented his  former  study  by  work  at  Warzburg  University.  He  keeps  in 
close  touch  with  his  professional  brethren  through  his  membership  in  the  Na- 
tional, State  and  County  Medical  Societies,  and  the  high  place  which  he  occupies 
in  medical  circles  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  in  1907  he  was  elected  to  the 
presidency  of  the  latter  organization. 

It  was  in  1897  that  Dr.  Vollmer  was  united  in  marriage  in  Davenport  to 
Miss  Paula  Koehler,  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Ottilie  Koehler,  mention  of  whom 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  271 

will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  This  union  has  been  blessed  by  the 
birth  of  one  son,  born  on  the  20th  of  October,  1902,  who  is  the  life  and  light 
of  the  household.  The  family  reside  in  an  attractive  home  at  No.  817  West 
Seventh  street,  and  are  very  prominent  in  the  social  circles  of  the  community. 
Dr.  Vollmer  is  on  the  staff  of  Mercy  and  St.  Luke's  Hospitals,  and  with  a 
large  private  practice  demanding  his  time  and  talents,  he  has  little  time  for 
the  amenities  of  life,  yet  he  takes  time  to  keep  up  his  interest  in  things  municipal 
and  social  and  gives  hearty  support  to  the  democratic  party,  while  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Commercial  Club,  the  Outing  Club,  the  Davenport  Turn  Verein  and 
many  local  social  societies  of  lesser  note.  His  principal  interest,  however,  is  in 
his  profession,  the  duties  of  which  he  performs  in  a  conscientious  and  thorough 
manner,  fully  realizing  the  heavy  responsibilities  that  rest  upon  him  in  the  con- 
duct of  his  chosen  calling.  Davenport  has  watched  with  interest  his  rapid  and 
substantial  rise  and  this  city,  in  which  he  was  reared  and  which  has  been  the 
center  of  his  efforts  and  activities,  recognizes  him  as  one  of  her  most  valuable 
citizens  and  an  honor  to  his  profession. 


WILLIAM  DE  LAP. 


William  De  Lap,  who,  since  1908,  has  served  as  mayor  of  Buffalo,  is  also 
successfully  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  insurance  business  at  that  place.  He 
was  born  in  Millville,  Wisconsin,  November  14,  1857,  a  son  of  Elijah  and 
Amanda  (Swain)  De  Lap,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Steuben  county,  New 
York,  the  former  born  in  1818  and  the  latter  in  1821.  The  father,  who  was  a 
physician,  came  to  Buffalo  in  1870  and  engaged  in  practice  here  until  the  time 
of  his  death,  being  numbered  among  the  representatives  of  homeopathy.  The 
mother  still  survives  and  makes  her  home  with  a  daughter,  Mrs.  A.  N.  Darman. 

William  De  Lap  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Scott  county 
and  his  education  was  acquired  in  the  schools  of  Buffalo.  After  putting  aside 
his  text-books  he  engaged  in  farming  and  also  did  a  general  teaming  business 
for  several  years,  but  for  the  past  few  years  he  has  engaged  in  the  real  estate 
and  insurance  business.  He  is  demonstrating  his  ability  in  these  lines,  is  fa- 
miliar with  the  values  of  property  in  this  section,  so  that  he  can  buy  and  sell 
advantageously,  and  also  writes  a  large  number  of  insurance  policies  each  year. 
He  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  Buffalo  Savings  Bank. 

In  addition  to  his  business  interests  Mr.  De  Lap  is  also  giving  of  his  time  to 
community  affairs,  having  in  1908  been  elected  mayor  of  Buffalo.  He  is  quali- 
fied to  fill  the  office  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  people  and  with  credit  to  himself 
as  has  been  demonstrated  in  the  past  year.  He  ever  advocates  a  movement 
which  he  believes  will  promote  the  interests  of  the  community  and  in  many 
ways  manifests  "his  public  spirit. 

Mr.  De  Lap  is  a  republican  in  his  political  views  and  for  some  years  served 
as  a  member  of  the  city  council.  His  fraternal  relations  are  with  Banner  Lodge, 
No.  16,  K.  P.,  at  Buffalo.  He  possesses  unusual  will  power,  undaunted  tenacity 
and  a  high  order  of  business  talent,  and  is  affable  and  approachable,  always 


272  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

glad  to  receive  suggestions  from  any  one  along  lines  of  advancement  for  the 
general  good,  so  that  no  man  of  Buffalo  is  held  in  higher  esteem  than  is  Mr. 
De  Lap. 

In  his  family  are  three  children:  Mamie,  who  died  in  infancy;  Sadie,  who 
is  the  wife  of  John  Murer,  of  Buffalo  township;  and  Williard,  who  married 
Daisy  Oard,  of  Jamestown,  this  county,  and  resides  in  Buffalo. 


ROBERT  M.  ABBOTT. 

Among  the  older  citizens  of  Davenport  who  have  retired  from  the  active  pur- 
suits of  business  must  be  numbered  Robert  M.  Abbott,  who  was  for  many  years 
prominent  as  a  grain  and  produce  merchant.  He  is  a  descendant  of  one  of  the 
earliest  families  to  settle  in  America.  The  first  of  his  name  to  cross  the  ocean 
were  George  and  Hannah  (Chandler)  Abbott,  who  settled  in  this  country  in  1640. 
They  were  natives  of  Yorkshire  and  Puritans  in  their  religious,  faith  and  upon 
reaching  Massachusetts  located  in  Andover,  where  their  house  was  a  garrison 
during  the  early  Indian  troubles.  Indeed,  George  Abbott  became  one  of  the  im- 
portant members  of  the  little  colony  in  those  days  and  a  monument  was  erected 
in  his  memory  as  is  recorded  in  the  annals  of  Andover.  His  son  William  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Geary,  from  whom  was  descended  Philip  Abbott,  who  was  born 
April  3,  1699.  He  married  Abigail  Bickford  and  died  in  1748,  having  been  a 
participant  in  the  struggles  of  the  colonists.  His  son  John  enjoyed  the  distinction 
of  having  erected  the  first  dwelling  house  in  Wilkes  Barre,  Luzerne  county  Penn- 
sylvania. It  was  erected  in  1769  and  was  standing  uritil  1812.  There  he  was 
killed  during  the  Indian  troubles.  He  wedded  Alice  Fuller  and  of  their  union 
was  born  Stephen  Abbott,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject.  He  served  in  the 
war  of  the  revolution  and  after  its  close  returned  to  the  estate  his  father  had 
procured,  where  he  followed  the  vocation  of  a  farmer.  He  married  Abigail 
Searls,  July  14,  1799,  and  of  their  union  was  born  John  Abbott,  the  father  of 
our  subject.  His  birth  occurred  at  the  opening  of  the  nineteenth  century.  Like 
his  father  he  was  a  farmer  and  as  he  gained  a  success  in  his  life's  work  he  be- 
came a  financier  and  a  man  prominent  in  his  locality.  He  married  Hannah  Court- 
right  in  early  manhood  and  died  November  23,  i860. 

Robert  M.  Abbott,  having  as  his  heritage  the  record  of  ancestors  who  had 
become  prominent  in  Wilkes  Barre,  was  born  in  that  city,  June  17,  1837.  He 
received  his  early  education  in  the  place  of  his  birth,  which  remained  his  home 
for  several  years  after  the  death  of  his  father.  He  engaged  in  agriculture,  in 
which  he  attained  proficiency,  and  about  1865  came  to  Iowa,  locating  in  Daven- 
port. Here  he  became  connected  with  the  grain  business  but  after  two  years 
embarked  in  the  hardware  business,  in  which  he  remained  for  some  time  with 
Mr.  Collamer.  He  then  returned  to  the  grain  and  produce  business,  to  which  he 
gave  his  attention  until  advancing  years  and  a  large  competence  suggested  to 
him  the  feasibility  of  retiring  from  active  life.  During  the  years  in  which  he 
was  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  he  evinced  a  keen  appreciation  of  the  value 
of  grain  and  the  operations  upon  the  stock  market,  but,  while  he  was  never  at 


1/ 


(L£H^ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  275 

a  loss  to  profit  by  opportunity  for  bettering  himself,  the  record  of  his  dealings 
was  never  marred  by  any  act  which  he  might  desire  to  keep  hidden.  His  home 
is  now  at  1026  Brady  street,  where  guests  are  made  welcome  and  hospitably 
entertained. 

On  the  29th  of  December,  1864,  Mr.  Abbott  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Caroline  Courtright.  Like  her  husband  she  is  a  descendant  of  colonial  ancestors. 
In  the  annals  of  Harlem  the  first  member  of  the  family  bore  the  name  of  Se- 
bastian Van  Kortryck.  He  had  come  toi  this  country  from  West  Flanders,  Hol- 
land, his  people  having  gone  there  fi-om  Belgium  in  the  seventeenth  century. 
He  was  a  man  of  wealth  and  social  position  and  his  descendants  became  promi- 
nent in  the  New  Amsterdam  colony.  His  son  was  known  as  Jan  Bastian  Van 
Kortryck,  who  in  the  course  of  years  was  the  father  of  Hendrick  Jans  Van  Kort- 
ryck. His  son  Cornelius  wedded  Christiana  Rosencrans,  and  of  their  union  was 
bom  Benjamin  Courtright,  the  great-grandfather  of  Mrs.  Abbott.  He  married 
Catherine*  Cuddebeck,  and  of  their  union  was  born  John  Courtright.  He  mar- 
ried Alice  Abbott,  nee  Fuller,  and  became  the  father  of  Cornelius  Courtright, 
the  father  of  Mrs.  Abbott.  He  in  turn  married  Harriet  Bailey,  among  whose 
children  was  Caroline  Courtright,  who  on  December  29,  1864,  married  Mr.  Ab- 
bott and  became  the  mother  of  three  children.  John  Howard,  was  long  known 
as  one  of  the  best  young  men  in  Davenport,  where  he  was  engaged  in  different 
pursuits.  Recently,  however,  he  has  taken  up  his  residence  in  Kansas  City, 
where  he  is  now  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business.  Carrie  Helene  makes  her 
home  with  her  parents.  She  belongs  to  the  Colonial  Dames  and  takes  an  active 
part  in  the  affairs  of  the  society,  while  Mrs.  Abbott  belongs  to  the  Daughters  of 
the  American  Revolution  and  also'  to  the  Colonial  Dames.  Robert  Bruce  is  now 
in  St.  Paul,  where  for  the  past  ten  years  he  has  been  connected  with  a  large 
department  store. 

Mr.  Abbott  has  always  been  prominent  in  the  public  affairs  of  Davenport 
and  many  of  the  improvements  of  the  city  are  the  result  of  his  suggestion  or 
active  work.  In  consequence  he  enjoys  a  large  reputation  besides  the  satisfac- 
tion of  knowing  that  his  sons  profit  by  his  example  and  are  well  advanced  along 
the  road  to  useful  and  successful  lives. 


LOUIS  SCHROEDER. 


Louis  Schroeder,  who  is  living  retired  at  No.  1557  Prairie  street,  in  Daven- 
port, followed  farming  in  this  county  for  many  years,  and  through  the  careful 
conduct  of  his  agricultural  interests  won  the  competence  that  now  enables  him 
to  spend  the  evening  of  life  in  the  enjoyment  of  well  earned  rest.  He  was  born 
in  Germany  on  the  i6th  of  April,  1839,  his  parents  being  Anton  and  Martha 
Schroeder,  both  of  whom  passed  away  in  the  fatherland. 

Louis  Schroeder  spent  his  youthful  days  in  the  acquirement  of  an  education 
and  when  his  text-books  had  been  laid  aside  he  learned  the  stonemason's  trade, 
following  that  occupation  in  Germany  until  the  time  of  his  emigration  to  the 
new  world  in  1867.     He  was  accompanied  on  the  voyage  by  his  wife  and  one 


276  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

child  and  after  landing  at  New  York  made  his  way  at  once  to  Davenport,  Iowa, 
where  he  secured  employment  at  his  trade.  A  short  time  afterward,  however, 
he  turned  his  attention  to  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  was  actively  engaged 
in  the  operation  of  a  rented  farm  in  Davenport  township  for  seven  years,  on  the 
expiration  of  which  period  he  purchased  a  small  tract  of  land  in  the  same  town- 
ship, devoting  his  time  and  energies  to  its  cultivation  for  thirteen  years.  At  the 
end  of  that  time  he  traded  the  property  for  sixty-six  and  a  half  acres  of  fine 
farming  land  on  the  Jersey  Ridge  road,  where  he  likewise  carried  on  his  agri- 
cultural interests  energetically  and  successfully  for  about  thirteen  years.  He 
then  sold  the  place  and  bought  his  present  property  on  Prairie  street  in  Daven- 
port, where  he  has  since  lived  retired  without  recourse  to  further  labor. 

On  the  14th  of  February,  1866,  Mr.  Schroeder  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Lena  Miller,  by  whom  he  had  six  children,  namely:  Louisa,  who  wedded 
Henry  Leonard,  of  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  and  has  one  child — Charles;  August, 
who  follows  farming  near  Walcott,  Iowa,  and  who  is  married  and  has  eight 
children;  William,  who  wedded  Miss  Mary  Seaman  and  resides  in  Davenport; 
Emma;  Edward,  at  home;  and  Albert,  living  in  Davenport,  who  is  married  and 
has  one  child.  The  wife  and  mother  was  called  to  her  final  rest  on  the  30th  of 
November,  1909,  when  she  had  attained  the  age  of  seventy-two  years,  six 
months  and  nine  days. 

Mr.  Schroeder  has  made  his  home  in  Scott  county  for  more  than  four  de- 
cades and  is  widely  recognized  as  one  of  its  substantial  and  esteemed  citizens. 
The  hope  that  led  him  to  leave  his  native  land  and  seek  a  home  in  America  has 
been  more  than  realized.  He  found  the  opportunities  he  sought,  which,  by  the 
way,  are  always  open  to  the  ambitious,  energetic  man — and  making  the  best  of 
these  he  has  steadily  worked  his  way  upward. 


JOHN  BANGERT. 


Among  the  successful  and  representative  agriculturists  of  Cleona  township 
who  claim  Germany  as  the  place  of  their  nativity,  is  John  Bangert,  whose  birth 
occurred  in  Hesse-Darmstadt  on  the  12th  of  November,  1852.  His  parents 
were  Henry  and  Marie  (Wanda)  Bangert,  also  natives  of  the  father- 
land, whose  entire  lives  were  spent  in  that  country.  The  father  was  a 
distiller  by  trade,  being  engaged  in  that  line  of  activity  for  twenty-one  years. 
John  Bangert,  of  this  review,  was  the  second  in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of 
six  children,  he  and  a  sister  Mary  being  the  only  ones  of  that  number  to  come 
to  this  country. 

In  the  common  schools  of  Germany  John  Bangert  acquired  a  good  educa- 
tion and  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until  fifteen  years  of  age,  when  he 
came  alone  to  America.  Here  he  joined  an  uncle,  John  Wanda,  who  resided  in 
Muscatine  county,  Iowa,  near  Blue  Grass,  with  whom  he  continued  to  make 
his  home  until  twenty-one  years  of  age.  On  attaining  his  majority  he  took  up 
agricultural  pursuits  on  his  own  account  and  for  four  years  operated  a  farm 
belonging  to  his  aunt  in  Muscatine  county.    At  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  277 

came  to  Scott  county,  where  he  rented  a  farm  in  Bufifalo  township  for  two  years. 
He  then  returned  to  Muscatine  county  and  there  engaged  in  farming  in  the 
capacity  of  renter  until  about  eleven  years  ago,  when  he  purchased  his  present 
farm,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  located  on  the  northwest  quar- 
ter of  section  34,  Cleona  township.  He  has  since  directed  his  efforts  toward 
the  further  development  of  this  farm,  which  under  his  wise  and  careful  man- 
agement has  been  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  it  being  one  of  the  well 
improved  properties  of  the  township.  He  practices  rotation  of  crops,  has  made 
a  thorough  study  of  the  cereals  best  adapted  to  the  soil  and  climate  and  the 
proper  cultivation  of  the  same,  and  is  systematic,  methodical  and  progressive  in 
his  methods,  so  that  with  the  passing  of  the  years  he  has  won  a  most  gratifying 
measure  of  success  in  agricultural  lines. 

Mr.  Bangert  laid  the  foundation  for  a  happy  home  life  by  his  marriage,  Oc- 
tober 23,  1879,  to  Miss  Katharine  Shulte,  who  was  born  in  Buffalo  township, 
Scott  county,  Iowa,  on  the  ist  of  May,  1858,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Marie  (Gaass)  Shulte,  both  natives  of  Germany.  The  parents  came  to  New 
York  in  1850  and  were  there  married,  after  which  they  removed  to  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  and  thence  to  Davenport.  The  father  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years, 
his  death  occurring  on  the  ocean  while  on  a  trip  back  to  the  fatherland,  while 
the  mother  survived  for  several  years,  passing  away  when  eighty-three  years 
of  age.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bangert  were  born  six  children,  namely:  August, 
of  Cleona  township ;  Marie,  the  wife  of  Henry  Bierkamp  of  Cedar  county ;  Anna, 
who  married  Henry  Lehms  of  Muscatine  county;  Clara,  the  wife  of  Hugo 
Schneckloth,  a  resident  of  Muscatine  county;  and  Henry  and  Lena,  both  at 
home. 

Politically  Mr.  Bangert  has  given  stalwart  support  to  the  democratic  party 
since  age  conferred  upon  him  the  right  of  franchise,  but  he  has  never  been  an 
aspirant  for  public  office,  preferring  to  concentrate  his  energies  upon  the  con- 
duct of  his  business  affairs.  He  is  public-spirited  in  his  citizenship,  however, 
and  although  born  across  the  waters  is  thoroughly  identified  with  the  interests 
of  his  adopted  country  and  is  numbered  among  her  loyal,  representative  and  sub- 
stantial citizens. 


PETER  N.  JACOBSEN. 

Few  among  the  older  German  settlers  of  Davenport  enjoy  a  larger  number 
of  friends  and  a  more  universal  respect  than  does  Peter  N.  Jacobsen,  who,  after 
a  life  of  diligence  and  well  repaid  toil,  is  living  in  retirement  at  1823  Division 
street.  He  was  bom  in  Eckernfoerder,  Germany,  March  24,  1833,  a  son  of 
Claus  and  Dorothy  (Miller)  Jacobsen.  His  paternal  grandfather,  Peter  Jacob- 
sen,  was  one  of  the  very  wealthy  and  prominent  men  in  his  section  of  Germany 
and  served  in  the  war  with  Russia.  He  married  Miss  Anna  Maria  Jochensen 
from  Kollebig,  Germany.  Claus  Jacobsen,  a  miller  by  trade,  never  left  the  land 
of  his  birth.  He  was  the  father  of  thirteen  children,  of  whom  Peter  N.  is  the 
eldest  and  the  only  one  who  came  to  this  country  besides  his  youngest  sister. 


278  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

There  is  but  one  other  survivor  of  this  large  family,  a  daughter,  living  in  Ger- 
many. 

Peter  N.  Jacobsen  received  all  of  his  education  in  the  land  of  his  birth,  for 
he  attended  a  private  school  near  his  home.  In  early  life  he  learned  the  mil- 
ler's trade,  later  becoming  an  overseer  who  traveled  through  the  country  super- 
intending factories  for  different  concerns.  He  went  to  Schube,  Germany,  where 
he  remained  for  a  time;  from  there  to  Pretsch;  thence  to  Oldenburg,  and  then 
to  Wohedurst.  He  removed  finally  to  Copenhagen,  Denmark,  where  he  re- 
mained until  he  returned  home  to  enter  the  German  army.  After  his  period  of 
service,  in  1857,  he  sailed  for  America,  making  his  way  immediately  to  Daven- 
port after  landing  upon  our  shores.  First  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  and  then 
rented  land  in  this  county,  finally  buying  eighty  acres  in  Princeton  township. 
His  life  having  been  for  so  long  devoted  to  milling,  he  shortly  afterward  took 
charge  of  the  Rush  mill,  which  he  operated  and  then  rented.  In  i860  he  sold 
his  property  and  came  to  Davenport,  where  he  secured  a  mill,  which  he  conducted 
for  several  years.  This  he  also  sold  and  embarked  in  the  saloon  business,  to 
which  he  devoted  his  attention  until  his  son  was  old  enough  to  assume  its  re- 
sponsibilities. He  then  retired  from  active  life  and  has  since  devoted  himself 
entirely  to  matters  which  were  calculated  to  advance  the  interests  of  his  com- 
patriots in  this  county. 

Mr.  Jacobsen  has  been  twice  married.  In  1857  he  wedded  Miss  Anna  Goetz 
and  to  them  were  born  seven  children :  Charley  F. ;  Dora  L. ;  Peter  N.,  deceased ; 
Anna;  Peter  N.,  Jr.;  Claus;  and  Henry.  Mrs.  Jacobsen  died  in  1885,  and  sub- 
sequently Mr.  Jacobsen  wedded  Mrs.  Paulina  Heunger.  She  had  a  daughter, 
Anna,  who  became  the  wife  of  one  of  Mr.  Jacobsen's  sons. 

Mr.  Jacobsen  has  always  been  very  active  in  the  public  affairs  and  has  been 
prominent  in  the  numerous  organizations  which  have  been  formed  by  his  com- 
patriots for  social  or  beneficent  reasons.  He  belongs  to  the  Northwest  Daven- 
port Relief  Society,  Noto  Themp  Society  and  its  relief  corps,  the  Davenport 
Singing  Society  (Liedertael),  the  German  Relief,  the  German  Pioneer  Society, 
of  which  he  is  vice  president,  the  German  School  Society,  and  the  German  and 
American  Alliance. 


A.  P.  DOE. 


It  has  been  urged,  and  with  some  reason,  that  the  spirit  of  commercialism 
is  rife  in  America  to  the  exclusion  of  the  humanitarian  recognition  of  the  ob- 
ligations which  the  individual  owes  to  his  fellowmen.  To  this  general  rule  there 
are,  however,  many  notable  exceptions  and  such  a  one  is  found  in  the  life  record 
of  A.  P.  Doe,  no  less  esteemed  for  his  success  and  prominence  than  for  his  hearty 
and  helpful  cooperation  in  lines  of  public  work  that  have  constituted  a  bene- 
ficial factor  in  the  city's  development  and  for  his  earnest  and  efficient  work  for 
the  Orphans  Home.  His  life  history  had  its  beginning  at  Windham,  Maine, 
March  31,  1837.  His  father,  Charles  Doe,  was  born  in  the  same  house  and 
comes  of  a  family  of  English  origin,  connected,  however,  with  American  in- 


^:^-ll- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  '  281 

terests  since  1636,  when  the  first  representative  of  the  family  came  to  the  United 
States,  arriving  at  Gloucester,  Massachusetts.  Through  succeeding  generations 
the  family  was  represented  in  New  England  and  A.  P.  Doe  spent  his  youthful 
days  in  the  Pine  Tree  state,  there  acquired  his  education  and  afterward  learned 
the  machinist's  trade,  becoming  a  skilled  mechanic.  Subsequently  he  removed 
to  Meriden,  Connecticut,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  rifles 
during  the  period  of  the  Civil  war. 

The  opportunities  of  the  west,  however,  attracted  him  and  in  1866  he  arrived 
in  Davenport,  where  he  became  identified  with  the  business  interests  of  the  city 
as  a  wholesale  shoe  merchant.  For  thirty-five  years  he  continued  in  that  line 
of  trade,  enjoying  not  only  a  successful  patronage  but  also  an  unassailable;  rep- 
utation for  business  enterprise  and  commercial  integrity.  His  careful  manage- 
ment resulted  in  continual  development  of  the  business  along  substantial  lines 
until  the  trade  of  the  house  was  represented  by  a  large  figure  annually.  Mr. 
Doe  continued  in  that  field  of  activity  until  1901,  when  he  retired.  In  the  mean- 
time he  had  become  closely  associated  with  financial  interests  as  one  of  the  or- 
ganizers of  the  Iowa  National  Bank,  of  which  he  served  as  vice  president  until 
1901,  when  he  was  elected  to  the  presidency  and  so  continues.  He  was  also  one 
of  the  organizers  of  the  Scott  County  Savings  Bank  and  a  member  of  its  direc- 
torate for  a  quarter  of  a  century.  His  business  judgment  has  always  been  re- 
garded as  sound,  his  keen  insight  enabling  him  to  correctly  solve  the  intricate 
problems  of  commerce  and  finance. 

In  1864  Mr.  Doe  was  married  to  Miss  Julia  M.  Bryant,  a  native  of  Windsor, 
Maine,  and  unto  them  was  born  a  daughter,  Alice  M.,  now  the  wife  of  George 
B.  Butterfield,  a  banker  of  Norfolk,  Nebraska.  The  death  of  Mrs.  Doe  occurred 
in  March,  1905,  and  was  the  occasion  of  deep  regret  to  many  friends,  for  her 
estimable  qualities  had  endeared  her  to  those  with  whom  she  was  associated. 

Mr.  Doe  is  well  known  in  Masonic  circles,  having  joined  the  local  lodge  at 
Bethlehem,  Maine,  in  1858,  since  which  time  he  has  been  an  exemplary  rep- 
resentative of  the  fraternity.  He  has  filled  the  chairs  in  the  blue  lodge  and  chap- 
ter at  Davenport  and  has  taken  the  degrees  of  the  Knight  Templar  commandery 
and  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  While  his'  business  interests  have  been  of  considerable 
extent  and  importance,  he  has  always  found  time  and  opportunity  for  coopera- 
tion in  public  measures,  has  done  effective  service  for  the  city  as  a  progressive 
member  of  the  council,  has  several  times  served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board 
and  was  president  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Orphans  Home  for  ten  years. 
If  one  were  to  attempt  to  characterize  the  life  of  A.  P.  Doe  outside  of  his  bus- 
iness connection  it  might  perhaps  be  best  done  in  saying  that  he  is  a  lover  of 
children  and  the  practical  manifestation  of  this  has  been  found  in  many  specific 
instances,  but  none  of  greater  magnitude  than  his  work  with  the  Orphans  Home, 
which  he  was  instrumental  in  establishing.  He  was  a  member  of  the  legislature 
at  the  time  the  matter  was  brought  up  before  the  general  assembly  and  from  the 
inception  of  the  home  to  the  present  he  has  been  one  of  the  most  active  factors 
in  its  upbuilding.  At  the  beginning  a  single  room  constituted  the  home  and  at 
times  light  and  heat  were  scarce,  but  through  the  unflagging  energy  of  Mr.  Doe 
and  his  associates  the  immense  establishment  known  as  the  Orphans  Home 
has  been  developed  to  what  it  now  is.  He  is  particularly  interested  in  the 
manual  training  department,  which  is  being  developed  along  lines  that  point  to 


282  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

perfection.  His  great  love  for  the  child  and  his  recognition  of  its  possibilities 
have  permitted  him  to  do  service  that  is  of  inestimable  value  to  the  state,  as 
well  as  to  the  city,  in  surrounding  the  young  with  such  environment  as  shall 
develop  honorable  manhood  and  womanhood  and  thus  reclaim  them  from  lives 
of  wrongdoing,  into  which  want  or  idleness  and  lack  of  education  might  have 
driven  them. 

Mr.  Doe  was  elected  to  the  legislature,  in  which  he  served  with  the  same  spirit 
of  loyalty  that  has  ever  characterized  his  performance  of  the  duties  devolving 
upon  him.  He  does  not  court  notoriety  but  manifests  a  justifiable  pride  in 
Davenport  and  its  stability,  feeling  that  no  city  can  boast  of  more  solid  financial 
conditions  and,  although  he  disclaims  special  credit  therefor,  it  is  but  just  to  say 
that  this  condition  is  due  in  no  small  measure  to  his  efforts.  Such  in  brief  is 
the  history  of  Mr.  Doe.  While  he  has  made  a  success  in  business,  there  has 
come  to  him  no  greater  satisfaction  than  that  which  has  arrived  out  of  the  work 
that  he  has  done  for  the  Orphans  Home. 


ERNEST  S.  CARL. 


From  a  long  line  of  German  architects  and  builders  there  came  to  Daven- 
port a  man,  who  was  to  be  a  builder  of  sound  institutions  and  of  enduring  busi- 
ness confidence.  For  more  than  forty  years  and  particularly  during  the  quarter 
century  that  he  acted  as  cashier  of  the  Citizens  National  Bank,  E.  S.  Carl  was 
acknowledged  one  of  the  leading  representatives  of  that  fine  integrity  which  was 
preparing  the  city  for  a  permanent  greatness. 

Ernest  S.  Carl  was  born  January  4,  1842,  in  Coburg,  Germany,  where  he 
received  a  thorough,  practical  education.  At  the  age  of  sixteen,  in  1858,  after 
the  death  of  his  mother,  he  sailed  for  New  York,  remaining  there  only  a  few 
months  before  he  came  straight  to  Davenport.  In  i860,  after  some  months' 
employment  in  the  general  store  of  his  brother-in-law,  August  Steffen,  he 
started  for  California  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  but  on  the  steamer 
met  John  E.  Lovejoy,  United  States  consul  to  Callao,  Peru,  with  whom  he 
engaged  as  assistant  secretary.  A  few  months  later  he  became  assistant  to 
Dr.  Charles  F.  Winslow,  of  Boston,  the  American  consul  to  Paita,  Peru,  where 
he  remained  two  years  till  Dr.  Winslow's  resignation.  These  years  in  South 
America,  during  which  Mr.  Carl  not  only  learned  Spanish,  but  completely  mas- 
tered the  English  language  so  that  ever  after  he  seemed  as  much  an  American 
as  any  of  his  fellow  citizens,  were  a  broadening  influence  in  his  whole  life. 

In  1863  Mr.  Carl  returned  to  Davenport,  erected  a  warehouse  at  224  West 
Front  street  and  entered  the  grain  business.  In  1868  he  accepted  the  position 
of  teller  in  the  Davenport  National  Bank,  where  he  demonstrated  his  true  talent 
for  banking.  In  1870  he  became  assistant  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank, 
and  finally,  in  1875,  ^t  the  age  of  thirty- three,  he  was  appointed  cashier  of  the 
Citizens  National  Bank.  It  was  in  this  last  position,  which  he  held  till  failing 
health  compelled  him  to  retire  in  1899,  that  Mr.  Carl  became  known  not  only 
as  one  of  the  ablest  bankers  in  the  state  but  as  a  helpful  public  servant,  whose 
kindly  aid  was  bestowed  without  reserve  upon  all  who  sought.  His  adminis- 
trative qualities  won  the  bank  fame  for  its  sound  and  rapid  progress,  and  his 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  283 

broad  human  qualities  brought  a  varied  and  enthusiastic  patronage.  He  inau- 
gurated the  system  of  currency  distribution  by  which  Davenport  has  become  a 
financial  center  for  the  smaller  country  banks  that  formerly  looked  to  Chicago; 
and,  during  his  term  of  office,  the  Citizens  National  Bank  became  the  leading 
banking  institution  in  Iowa. 

In  1861  Mr.  Carl  married  Miss  Sarah  Marckley,  who  had  removed  in  1851 
with  her  parents,  William  H.  and  Harriet  (Allison)  Marckley,  from  their  home 
in  Alexandria,  Virginia,  to  Davenport.  Mr.  Marckley  was  a  contractor  and 
builder,  whose  work  became  a  substantial  improvement  to  the  city  in  the  early 
days.  Mrs.  Carl,  like  her  husband,  was  a  person  of  generous  instincts  and  an 
agreeable,  social  nature.  Her  incessant  charities,  quietly  performed,  made  her 
known  to  rich  and  poor  alike ;  and  her  unbounded  hospitality,  together  with  Mr. 
Carl's,  in  the  beautiful  residence  at  Sixth  and  Perry  streets,  has  left  happy 
memories  throughout  the  city. 

After  a  year  spent  in  Colorado  seeking  health,  Mr.  Carl  returned  to  Daven- 
port for  a  short  visit,  and  on  October  15,  1900,  was  stricken  dead  in  the  very 
bank  where  he  had  spent  the  best  years  of  his  life.  Five  months  later,  on  the 
24th  of  March,  1901,  Mrs.  Carl  answered  the  same  call.  There  are  left  only 
the  daughter,  Mrs.  Rosa  Oberholtzer,  and  her  son,  Ernest  Carl  Oberholtzer. 

Mr.  Carl's  activities  were  by  no  means  confined  to  banking.  He  was  a  pub- 
lic-spirited citizen,  believing  in  Davenport  and  its  people  and  supporting  all 
measures  for  its  best  progress.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Phoenix 
Milling  Company  and  of  many  other  successful  enterprises,  an  ardent  and  effec- 
tive promoter  of  the  Hennepin  canal,  a  friend  of  the  Davenport  Academy  of 
Sciences,  .a  director  of  the  Oakdale  cemetery,  and  though  a  member  of  no 
church  yet  a  supporter  of  many.  He  was  a  Turner,  an  Odd  Fellow,  a  Mason  and 
a  member  of  several  intimately  social  clubs.  Next  to  his  home  and  friends, 
which  were  his  chief  delight  throughout  life,  his  greatest  pleasure  was  music, 
of  which  he  was  always  a  lover  and  patron.  Mr.  Carl,  in  brief,  was  not  only 
one  of  the  most  trusted  but  one  of  the  most  beloved  men  in  Davenport. 


J.  P.  OBERLEITNER. 


In  the  years,  amounting  to  almost  a  quarter  of  a  century,  that  J.  P.  Ober- 
leitner  has  been  connected  with  the  life  of  Liberty  township,  he  has  proved  him- 
self a  public-spirited  and  valuable  citizen.  As  manager  of  the  H.  O.  Seiffert 
Lumber  Company's  branch  here,  he  has  been  instrumental  in  advancing  the 
business  activity  of  the  recently  established  village  of  New  Liberty  in  whose 
welfare  he  has  taken  an  active  interest.  This  man  of  industry,  energy  and 
enterprise  was  born  in  Kaltenkirchen,  Holstein,  Germany,  August  17,  i86g, 
and  is  a  son  of  Christian  H.  and  EHzabeth  (Schmidt)  Oberleitner,  both  natives 
of  the  same  province  as  their  son.  In  1876  they  came  to  the  United  States, 
coming  directly  to  Davenport  which  remained  their  home  until  they  moved  to 
New  Liberty.  Here  the  mother  passed  away,  in  January,  1902,  when  she  was 
seventy-five  years  old,  and  here  the  father  still  lives,  pursuing  the  carpenter's 
trade,  to  which  his  whole  life  has  been  devoted.  A  daughter,  Catherine,  was 
born  to  him  and  his  wife,  and  she  has  passed  away. 


284  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

J.   P.  Oberleitner,  the  only  son,  was  about  seven  years  of  age  when  his 
parents  settled  in  Davenport,  where  he  attended  the  public  schools,  in  which  he 
received  a  good  education,  and  in  that  city  also  learned  the  carpenter's  trade. 
About  twenty-three  years  ago  he  came  to  Liberty  township,  which  has  since 
been  his  home  and  the  scene  of  his  labors.    He  was  accounted  a  good  workman, 
and  a  good  man  of  business,  who  had  developed  the  power  to  guide  others 
during  the  years  in  which  he  had  worked  here.    These  were  the  very  qualities 
for  which  the  H.  O.  Seiffert  Company  sought  when  they  opened  a  branch  of 
their  Davenport  house  here.     The  company  are  extensive  dealers  in  lumber, 
coal,  builders'  hardware,  bricks,  tile  and  sun-proof  paints,  so  that  a  wide  field 
of  operations   demanded  a  manager  of  pronounced  ability.     Such  a  one  they 
believed  they  had  discovered  in  Mr.  Oberleitner,  and  in  the  last  seven  years, 
during  which  he  has  filled  that  position,  there  has  never  been  any  indication  that 
their  judgment  was  at  fault.    Mr.  Oberleitner  has  proved  that  he  was  the  man 
for  the  place,  and  has  conducted  the  interests  of  his  employers  here  with  profit. 
At  the  same  time  he  has   advanced  the  welfare  of  the   little  community  in 
which  he  lives,  for  when  the  establishment  of  a  bank  here  was  agitated  he  be- 
came one  of  the  organizers  and  is  still  one  of  the  directors  of  the  German 
Savings  Bank  of  New  Liberty. 

On  the  8th  of  July,  1893,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Oberleitner 
and  Miss  Lizzie  Arp,  who  was  born  in  Davenport,  July  23,  1870.  Her  parents, 
Heinrich  and  Trina  (Bock)  Arp,  were  natives  of  Probstei,  but  after  coming  to 
this  country  settled  in  Davenport,  whence  they  moved  to  New  Liberty,  which 
is  now  their  home.  Mr.  Oberleitner  is  a  democrat  in  his  political  affiliations, 
and  upon  that  party's  ticket  was  elected  to  the  position  of  township  clerk,  in 
which  capacity  he  is  now  serving  his  second  term.  When  the  village  of  New 
Liberty  was  organized  in  August,  1909,  he  was  also  elected  its  clerk,  as  the 
record  of  his  work  in  the  township  warranted  the  placing  of  additional  respon- 
sibilities upon  his  shoulders. 


JOHN  T.  NOEL. 


John  T.  Noel  possesses  the  distinction  of  being  the  oldest  living  man  born 
in  Scott  county,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Davenport  on  the  27th  of  November, 
1837.  His  father,  Adam  Noel,  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  who,  upon  coming 
to  the  west,  lived  for  a  short  time  in  Rock  Island,  and  then  in  1835  removed  to 
Davenport.  The  mother,  who  before  her  marriage  was  Susanna  Lindsey,  was 
also  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  is  still  living  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety- 
four  years.  Upon  coming  to  Davenport  Adam  Noel  bought  the  property  upon 
which  Mercy  Hospital  now  stands  and  also  entered  a  tract  of  land  where  Central 
park  is  now  located,  which  is  known  as  Noel's  addition  to  the  city.  He  was  a 
progressive,  public-spirited  man,  prominent  in  the  life  of  the  budding  city,  and 
first  in  every  movement  which  had  to  do  with  its  advancement.  This  good 
citizen  passed  on  to  his  reward  in  1872. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  285 

John  T.  Noel  was  educated  in  the  subscription  schools,  which  were  an  in- 
stitution of  the  early  days.  He  did  not  remain  in  Davenport  but  desiring  to 
engage  in  agricultural  pursuits  took  possession  of  a  tract  of  land  in  Winfield 
township  in  1856,  which  his  father  had  purchased  in  1855.  Ninety  acres  of  this 
was  broken  ground  and  the  remainder  Mr.  Noel  proceeded  to  put  under  culti- 
vation by  means  of  ox-teams.  From  that  day  to  this  he  has  continually  im- 
proved his  farm  and  has  added  to  it  from  time  to  time  until  he  now  possesses 
five  hundred  and  seventeen  acres  of  most  desirable  property.  He  engaged 
throughout  his  active  years  in  general  farming  but  a  few  years  ago  retired  for 
the  enjoyment  of  a  well  earned  leisure.  It  is  a  comment  on  the  progress  ot  the 
county  that  until  1861  Mr.  Noel  conveyed  all  his  crops  to  the  Davenport  mattcet 
by  team. 

In  i860  in  Winfield  township,  Mr.  Noel  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  McGuire,  a  native  of  the  state  of  New  York.  To  this  marriage  eleven 
children  were  bom,  nine  of  whom  are  living.  They  are  Joseph,  of  Winfield 
township;  Celia,  now  Mrs.  Navin,  of  Seattle,  Washington;  Stella,  the  wife  of 
Mickel  Wright;  John  T.,  of  Butler  township;  WilHam,  of  Winfield  township; 
Rosalie,  now  Mrs.  Doyle,  of  Davenport;  Naomi  and  Elmer,  both  of  whom  are 
located  in  Sea;ttle;  and  Edward,  on  the  home  farm.  Mr.  Noel  has  twenty-three 
grandchildren. 

The  household  are  devoted  members  of  St.  Ann's  Catholic  church,  whose 
edifice  Mr.  Noel  assisted  in  building.  He  is  a  stanch  adherent  of  the  democratic 
party,  to  which  he  has  given  a  long  and  unfaltering  loyalty.  He  has  filled  several 
public  trusts  among  them  that  of  township  trustee.  Noel's  Statiorj,  the  junction 
of  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  and  Pacific  Railway  and  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee 
and  St.  Paul  was  named  in  compliment  to  him.  Like  his  father  he  is  a  man 
designed  by  nature  to  play  a  prominent  part  among  his  fellowmen,  and  he 
enjoys  the  respect  of  the  community  to  whose  prosperity  he  has  materially 
contributed. 


IRA  BURCH. 


Though  more  than  two  decades  have  passed  since  Ira  Burch  was  called  to 
his  final  rest,  he  is  still  remembered  by  many  of  Scott  county's  older  residents 
as  a  prominent  agriculturist  and  extensive  landowner  as  well  as  a  man  of  genu- 
ine personal  worth.  His  birth  occurred  in  Rensselaer  county.  New  York,  on  the 
28th  of  January,  1819,  his  parents  being  James  and  Aurelia  Burch,  who  were 
farming  people  of  that  county.  He  obtained  his  education  in  the  district  schools 
of  his  home  locality  and  after  putting  aside  his  tex:t-books  assisted  his  father  in 
the  work  of  the  fields,  thus  early  becoming  familiar  with  the  duties  and  labors 
that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  About  the  year  1855  he  journeyed  west- 
ward in  company  with  his  wife,  locating  in  Hickory  Grove  township,  Scott 
county,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  some  partly  improved  land.  The  work  of 
farming  claimed  his  attention  throughout  his  entire  business  career  and  as  he 
prospered  in  his  undertakings  he  added    to    his    landholdings    by    additional 


286  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

purchase  from  time  to  time  until  he  had  accumulated  considerable  property  in 
Scott  and  other  counties.  His  demise  occurred  on  the  loth  of  February,  1889, 
and  thus  the  community  lost  one  of  its  most  substantial,  enterprising  and  re- 
spected citizens. 

Mr.  Burch  was  married  twice.  By  his  first  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name 
of  Katherine  Deyoe,  he  had  five  children,  as  follows :  Esther,  the  deceased  wife 
of  John  E.  Dempster,  by  whom  she  had  three  children — Emma,  Mary  and  John; 
LeRoy,  who  is  likewise  deceased  and  who  wedded  Miss  JuHa  Roberts,  by  whom 
he  had  three  children — Nellie,  Leslie  and  Essie ;  Daniel  D.,  who  is  a  resident  of 
California;  and  Abbie  and  Mary,  both  of  whom  have  passed  away.  On  the 
19th  of  February,  1873,  Mr.  Burch  was  again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with  Miss  Cynthia  C.  Curtis,  a  native  of  Rensselaer  county,  New  York.  Unto 
them  were  born  four  children,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy,  Robert  and  Irene. 
Ira  C,  who  makes  his  home  in  Davenport,  wedded  Miss  Laura  Klein  and  has 
two  children,  Ira  W.  and  Beatrice  C.  Hettie  May  gave  her  hand  in  marriage 
to  Edward  U.  Meyer,  of  Davenport  and  is  now  the  mother  of  three  children, 
namely:    Irene  C,  Robert  B.  and  Shelton  E. 

Mrs.  Burch  has  won  a  host  of  warm  friends  during  the  long  period  of  her 
residence  in  this  county  and  now  resides  at  No.  744  East  Thirteenth  street  in 
Davenport. 


JOSEPH  FRANKLIN  PORTER. 

Few  of  the  citizens  of  Davenport  represent  larger  business  interests  nor  have 
devoted  a  greater  number  of  years  to  developing  resources  of  communities,  than 
Joseph  Franklin  Porter,  who  is  the  president  of  several  of  the  public  service 
companies  in  this  city.  He  was  born  in  Harrison  county,  Iowa,  June  27,  1863, 
and  is  a  son  of  F.  J.  and  Lucy  (Francis)  Porter,  the  former  a  native  of  New 
York,  the  later  of  Ohio.  F.  J.  Porter  came  to  Iowa  in  1857,  devoting  himself 
assiduously  to  agricultural  pursuits  for  a  number  of  years.  He  has  now  retired 
from  active  farm  life,  however,  and,  with  his  wife,  lives  in  the  enjoyment  of 
many  comforts  in  the  village  of  Woodbine.  He  has  identified  himself  closely 
with  the  interests  of  his  community  and  is  president  of  the  Peoples  Savings 
Bank  of  that  town.  Eleven  children  were  born  to  him  and  his  wife.  Ten  of 
these  grew  to  maturity  and  nine  are  still  living. 

J.  F.  Porter  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  received  his  first  introduction  into 
the  world  of  letters  while  a  pupil  at  the  district  school  at  Biggler's  Grove,  Har- 
rison county,  Iowa.  Later  he  attended  the  high  school  at  Logan,  going  from 
there  to  the  State  College  at  Ames,  from  which  institution  he  was  graduated 
as  a  civil  engineer  in  the  class  of  1884.  For  some  time  after  the  completion  of 
his  college  course,  Mr.  Porter  engaged  as  cashier  of  a  bank  at  Woodbine.  In 
1885  he  decided  to  engage  in  engineering  pursuits  and  went  to  Des  Moines, 
Iowa,  where  he  became  interested  in  electricity  and  its  application  to  the  needs 
of  man,  and  where  he  acquired  some  practical  experience  in   electric  lighting. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  289 

During  his  stay  in  Des  Moines  he  held  the  position  of  oiler  and  general  utility 
man,  starting  with  a  salary  of  twenty  dollars  per  month.  After  six  months 
experience  in  the  Des  Moines  station,  he  went  to  Appleton,  Wisconsin,  where 
he  worked  on  the  installation  of  an  electric  lighting  plant.  In  the  spring  of  1886 
he  went  to  Chicago  in  the  employ  of  the  representatives  of  the  Edison  interests, 
and  from  there  went  to  Abeline,  Kansas,  where  he  spent  the  winter  of  1886-7. 
In  the  spring  of  1887  he  removed  to  St.  Louis  as  foreman  for  a  contractor  for 
the  Edison  Company,  which  remained  in  business  until  the  fall  of  1887,  when 
it  moved  its  headquarters  to  Kansas  City.  When  the  company  for  which  he 
was  employed  moved  to  Kansas  City,  Mr.  Porter  decided  to  engage  in  the  elec- 
tric construction  business  for  himself,  in  which  business  he  continued  until  the 
fall  of  1889,  when  he  sold  his  construction  company  to  the  Edison  Company 
and  went  to  New  York  to  enter  the  employ  of  the  Edison  Company  as  depart- 
ment manager. 

In  the  summer  of  1890  Mr.  Porter  was  sent  to  Salem,  Mississippi,  as  su- 
perintendent of  construction  of  the  Naumnkeag  Street  Railway,  the  construction 
of  which  was  one  of  the  largest  contracts  which  the  Edison  Company  had  at 
that  time.  On  the  completion  of  his  contract  with  the  Edison  Company,  Mr. 
Porter  returned  to  New  York  to  enter  in  the  street  railway  supply  business  in 
partnership  with  J.  G.  White.  After  operating  the  New  York  office  for  some 
time  it  was  decided  to  move  to  the  manufacturing  plant  at  Allegheny,  Penn- 
sylvania, where  the  business  is  now  conducted  as  a  Westinghouse  interest.  In 
the  fall  of  1892  Mr.  Porter,  together  with  Mr.  White,  secured  a  contract  for 
the  equipment  of  the  Kansas  City  Elevated  Railroad,  which  road  at  that  time 
was  independent  of  the  other  railways  of  Kansas  City  and  operated  between  the 
business  district  of  Kansas  City  and  the  smaller  cities  on  the  Kansas  side.  After 
completing  the  contract  on  the  Kansas  City  elevated,  Mr.  Porter  moved  to 
Alton,  Illinois,  for  the  purpose  of  developing  the  street  railway,  gas,  electric 
light  and  power  business  of  that  locality,  which  property,  in  1893,  consisted  of 
a  small  horse  and  dummy  line  and  an  inefificient  gas  and  electric  plant.  The 
work  of  developing  these  properties  occupied  Mr.  Porter's  attention  for  thir- 
teen years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  had  a  street  railway  of  sixty-three  miles 
reaching  from  Alton  to  Edwardsville,  Granite  City,  Madison,  Venice,  East  St. 
Louis  and  intermediate  points  and  an  efficient  gas  and  electric  plant.  As  evi- 
dence of  the  fact,  it  was  taken  over  by  the  East  St.  Louis  &  Suburban  system 
at  five  million  dollars. 

On  the  1st  of  May,  1906,  Mr.  Porter  removed  to  Davenport  as  president  of 
the  Tri-City  Railway  &  Light  Company  and  its  subsidiary  companies,  which 
are  the  Peoples  Light  Company,  Davenport  Gas  &  Electric  Company,  Tri-City 
Railway  Company,  Peoples  Power  Company  of  Rock  Island  and  Moline,  and 
the  Moline,  East  Moline  &  Watertown  Railway  Company.  Since  the  spring  of 
igo6  the  above  mentioned  properties  have  been  extensively  developed,  because 
of  the  confidence  which  the  bankers  have  in  the  community,  as  proven  by  the 
increase  of  earnings  under  the  existing  management.  His  has  been  the  kind  of 
enterprise  which  has  been  the  making  of  the  west  and  which  is  still  active 
in  obtaining  illimitable  resources  from  the  fields,  the  mountains  and  the  air. 
He  has  never  hesitated  before  obstacles  but  has  regarded  disappointment  and 


290  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

discouragements  as  merely  stepping-stones  to  larger  opportunity  to  exert  his 
talents. 

In  1888  Mr.  Porter  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jennie  R.  Henderson, 
a  daughter  of  Robert  and  Polly  Henderson,  of  Monticello,  Iowa.  Of  the  six 
children  born  to  the  couple,  five  are  living,  namely:  Clyde  H.,  Dugald  G.,  Mar- 
gory,  Joseph  F.  and  Ralph  E.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Congregational 
church. 

Mr.  Porter  gives  his  support  to  the  republican  party.  He  has  had  little  time 
to  devote  to  public  concerns  but  is  a  member  of  several  organizations  of  a  fra- 
ternal and  social  nature  and  others  which  are  calculated  to  advance  his  interests 
in  a  business  way.  He  is  a  member  of  Fraternal  Lodge,  No.  221,  A.  F.  &  A.  M., 
and  is  a  thirty-second  degree  Mason  and  member  of  Kaaba  Temple,  Nobles  of 
the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  is  also  a  member. of  Davenport  Lodge,  No.  293,  B.  P. 
O.  E.,  and  local  camp  of  Mo.dern  Woodmen.  Of  the  semi-professional  asso- 
ciations he  belongs  to  the  Engineering  Club  of  St.  Louis  and  American  In- 
stitute of  Electrical  Engineers.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Rock  Island  Ar- 
senal Golf  Club,  Davenport  Commercial  Club,  Rock  Island  Qub,  Moline  Club, 
Automobile  Club  of  America  and  the  American  Academy  of  Political  and  Social 
Sciences.  The  number  and  varied  character  of  these  organizations  exhibit  the 
extent  of  his  interests  and  the  manner  in  which  he  keeps  abreast  of  the  times 
and  the  questions  that  occupy  the  minds  and  attention  of  his  fellow  citizens. 


JOHN  F.  ROTH. 


John  F.  Roth  is  one  of  Scott  county's  native  sons  and  has  always  been  loyal 
to  her  interests  and  her  welfare.  He  is  a  prominent  farmer  of  Rockingham  town- 
ship, where  he  owns  one  hundred  acres  of  rich  and  well  cultivated  land.  His 
birth  occurred  in  Buffalo  township,  September  14,  1862,  his  parents  being  Peter 
and  Julia  (Fischer)  Roth,  who  were  early  settlers  of  this  part  of  the  state. 
The  father  came  to  Scott  county  when  a  boy  of  fourteen  years  and  he  and  his 
wife  lived  here  until  called  to  their  final  rest,  Mr.  Roth  passing  away  when  about 
seventy-three  years  of  age.  In  their  family  were  seven  children:  Frank,  of 
Muscatine  county;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Charles- Winn,  of  Muscatine  county;  Mary, 
the  widow  of  Mr.  Comstock,  of  Cambridge,  Illinois ;  John  F.,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch;  Ferdinand,  a  resident  of  Rock  Island;  Edward,  living  in  Bufifalo  town- 
ship; and  Minnie,  who  lives  in  Illinois. 

John  F.  Roth,  who  has  been  a  lifelong  resident  of  Scott  county,  acquired  his 
education  in  the  district  schools  and  afterward  learned  the  trade  of  a  stationary 
engineer.  Later  he  removed  to  Davenport,  where  he  lived  for  several  years, 
following  that  line  of  business.  In  1897,  however,  he  resolved  to  make  a  change 
and  bought  his  present  homestead,  upon  which  he  has  made  numerous  im- 
provements. Here  he  carries  on  general  agricultural  pursuits  with  good  results. 
His  fields  bring  forth  rich  harvests  as  the  reward  of  his  energy  and  labor  and 
the  place  presents  a  neat  and  attractive  appearance,  which  is  the  result  of  the 
earnest  efforts  and  unfaltering  diligence  of  the  owner. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  291 

On  the  2ist  of  February,  1888,  Mr.  Roth  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Lucinda  Garner,  a  daughter  of  PhilHp  and  Susan  Garner,  who  previously  lived 
upon  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Roth.  Her  father  was  born  in  Huntingdon 
county,  Pennsylvania,  May  15,  1829,  and  was  there  reared.  On  coming  to 
Scott  county  in  1865  he  settled  in  Lincoln  township,  where  he  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land.  His  time  and  energies  were  devoted  to  the 
further  improvement  of  that  place  during  the  eight  years  in  which  he  resided 
thereon.  Later  he  removed  to  Rockingham  township,  where  he  bought  an  im- 
proved tract  of  land  of  two  hundred  acres,  making  his  home  there  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  on  the  nth  of  November,  1897.  In  early  life  he  had 
learned  and  followed  the  carpenter's  trade,  but  after  coming  to  Scott  county 
devoted  his  attention  to  general  farming  and  was  very  careful  in  the  manage- 
ment of  his  place  and  won  substantial  results  as  the  reward  of  his  industry.  In 
Blair  county,  Pennsylvania,  he  married  Miss  Susan  Acker,  who  was  bom  in 
that  county,  April  5,  1832,  and  died  on  the  ist  of  August,  1895.  In  his  political 
views  Mr.  Garner  was  an  earnest  republican  but  never  held  or  desired  public 
office,  preferring  to  concentrate  his  energies  upon  his  business  affairs.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  held  membership  in  the  Reformed  church  while  in  Pennsylvania 
and  after  coming  to  Scott  county  joined  the  Lutheran  church.  In  their  family 
were  six  children,  of  whom  four  are  yet  living:  Annetta,  the  wife  of  John 
Jacobs,  a  resident  of  Rockingham  township;  Belle,  who  is  the  widow  of  R.  S. 
Garner  and  lives  in  Rockingham  township;  Mrs.  Roth;  and  Harry,  who  makes 
his  home  with  his  sister,  Mrs.  Roth.  The  two  children  of  the  family  now  de- 
ceased are  Frank,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  and  Arilla,  who  passed 
away  at  the  age  of  eight  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roth  have  no  children  of  their 
own  but  have  reared  an  adopted  daughter,  May.  Their  home  is  a  most  hospit- 
able one,  ever  open  for  the  reception  of  their  many  friends.  Both  have  long 
been  residents  of  the  county,  for  Mrs.  Roth  arrived  here  in  her  girlhood  days 
and  Mr.  Roth  has  always  resided  within  the  borders  of  the  county.  In  business 
he  is  reliable  and  is  developing  his  place  along  lines  of  modern  scientific  farming 
and  practicing  the  rotation  of  crops  and  other  methods  which  have  produced 
substantial  results  in  the  agricultural  development  of  the  county. 


AUGUST  H.  LAMP. 


August  H.  Lamp,  a  prominent  agriculturist  and  leading  citizen  of  Sheridan 
township,  there  owns  and  resides  upon  a  valuable  farm  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres,  which  has  remained  his  place  of  abode  from  his  birth  to  the  present 
time.  He  was  born  on  the  28th  of  June,  1863,  and  is  a  representative  of  one  of 
the  old  and  prominent  German-American  families  of  Scott  county,  his  parents 
being  Asmus  H.  and  Whipke  (Kindt)  Lamp.  A  sketch  of  the  father,  who  is 
now  Hving  retired  in  Davenport,  appears  on  another  page  of  this  volume. 

In  bis  youthful  days  August  H.  Lamp  attended  the  district  schools  in  the 
acquirement  of  an  education  and  subsequently  pursued  a  course  at  Duncan's 
.Business  College  of  Davenport.    He  early  became  familiar  with  the  duties  and 


292  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist  and  has  devoted  his  time  and  ener- 
gies to  the  work  of  farming  throughout  his  entire  business  career,  now  owning 
a  tract  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  well  improved  and  productive  land  in 
Sheridan  township.  In  addition  to  raising  the  cereals  best  adapted  to  soil  and 
climate,  he  is  also  engaged  in  feeding  stock  and  both  branches  of  his  business 
return  to  him  a  gratifying  annual  income.  A  man  of  enterprise  and  excellent 
executive  ability,  he  has  likewise  put  forth  his  energies  in  other  directions  and 
is  now  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Eldridge  Savings  Bank  and  the  president  of 
the  Farmers  Elevator  Company.  The  latter  concern  has  ninety-seven  local 
stockholders  and  was  organized  about  a  year  ago  with  a  capital  stock  of  ten 
thousand  dollars.  Its  officers  are  as  follows:  August  H.  Lamp,  president;  Gus 
Schneckloth,  vice  president;  Julius  Weise,  secretary;  and  Joseph  McDowell, 
treasurer.  Mr.  Lamp  also  acts  as  appraiser  for  the  German  Insurance  Company 
of  Scott  county  and  is  widely  recognized  as  one  of  the  prosperous,  progressive 
and  influential  citizens  of  his  community. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  1888,  Mr.  Lamp  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss 
Mary  Fellener,  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Margaret  (Gertz)  Fellener,  who  were 
early  settlers  of  this  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lamp  now  have  four  children, 
namely :  Henry,  Hilda,  Frank  and  Francis,  all  of  whom  are  still  under  the  parental 
roof.     They  have  been  provided  with  liberal  educational  advantages. 

Since  age  conferred  upon  him  the  right  of  franchise  Mr.  Lamp  has  sup- 
ported the  men  and  measures  of  the  republican  party,  believing  that  its  principles 
are  most  conductive  to  good  government.  His  fellow  townsmen,  recognizing 
his  worth  and  ability,  have  called  him  to  various  positions  of  public  trust  and 
he  is  now  serving  as  a  trustee  of  Sheridan  township  and  likewise  as  president 
of  the  school  board.  He  has  also  acted  as  the  efficient  incumbent  in  the  office 
of  road  supervisor.  Fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
belonging  to  lodge  No.  118  at  Eldridge,  Iowa.  His  entire  life  has  been  passed 
here  and  he  is  widely  recognized  as  a  straightforward  and  reliable  business  man 
and  an  enterprising,  progressive  citizen,  who  well  merits  the  esteem  that  is 
universally  accorded  him. 


ALONZO  BRYSON. 


Alonzo  Bryson,  who  since  March,  1903,  has  served  in  the  office  of  postmaster 
at  Davenport,  was  born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  on  the  23d  of  July,  1840,  his  parents 
being  Isaac  and  Jane  (Kerr)  Bryson,  who  were  natives  of  Washington  county, 
Pennsylvania,  and  Ohio  respectively.  When  a  youth  the  father  removed  to 
Ohio  with  his  parents  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  that  state  and  in 
Kentucky.  Throughout  his  entire  business  career  he  was  actively  engaged  as 
a  captain  and  pilot.  His  demise  occurred  in  Lawrence  county,  Ohio,  in  1899, 
when  he  had  attained  the  age  of  seventy-five  years. 

Alonzo  Bryson  obtained  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  and  Newport,  Kentucky,  likewise  attended  a  private  institution  of  learn- 
ing and  later  pursued  a  course  of  study  in  a  commercial  school.    In  1856  he 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  293 

became  identified  with  river  pursuits,  and  with  the  exception  of  a  period  of  two 
or  three  years,  followed  steamboating  continuously  until  1876.  In  that  year 
he  came  to  Davenport  as  agent  of  the  St.  Louis  Sz;  St.  Paul  Packet  Company, 
acting  in  that  capacity  until  1890,  when  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  coal  and 
grain  business.  He  was  thus  successfully  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  until 
1897,  when  he  was  elected  county  recorder  and  for  a  period  of  six  years  capably 
discharged  the  duties  devolving  upon  him  in  that  connection.  In  March,  1903, 
he  was  appointed  postmaster  and  in  this  office  has  likewise  made  a  most  credit- 
able record,  his  efficiency  and  trustworthiness  being  widely  acknowledged. 

In  October,  1861,  Mr.  Bryson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Valeria  M. 
Wright,  a  native  of  Ohio.  Their  children  are  four  in  number,  as  follows :  Elmer 
E.,  who  is  a  resident  of  Omaha,  Nebraska ;  Robert  H.,  who  makes  his  home  in 
Indianapolis,  and  is  serving  as  postmaster  there;  May  V.,  the  wife  of  James  J. 
Duffy,  of  St.  Louis;  and  Pearl  M.,  at  home. 

Mr.  Bryson  is  a  valued  member  of  the  Commercial  and  other  clubs,  and  in 
1903  served  as  president  of  the  Business  Association  of  Davenport.  The  period 
of  his  residence  in  Davenport  now  covers  a  third  of  a  century  and  he  is  a 
most  public-spirited  and  loyal  citizen,  giving  his  cooperation  to  every  movement 
or  measure  which  tends  to  promote  the  general  welfare.  In  manner  courteous 
and  genial,  he  wins  good  will  and  kindly  regard  wherever  he  goes,  and  the  circle 
of  his  friends  is  almost  coextensive  with  the  circle  of  his  acquaintances. 


L.  G.  EGGER. 


L.  G.  Egger,  a  button  manufacturer  of  Buffalo,  his  native  city,  is  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  largest  manufacturing  plant  in  Buffalo  township  and  occupies  an 
important  place  in  industrial  circles  of  the  community.  His  natal  day  was  the 
28th  of  February,  1884,  his  parents  being  M.  and  Mary  (Willi)  Egger,  both 
natives  of  Switzerland,  where  the  latter  was  born  in  1845.  The  father  came  to 
Buffalo  in  1877  and  here  engaged  in  the  cooperage  business  for  some  time.  In 
his  family  were  seven  sons  and  four  daughters,  of  whom  one  brother  of  our 
subject  is  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  in  Minnesota  and  another  is  a  farmer 
residing  in  Colorado.  The  sisters  are:  Elizabeth,  the  deceased  wife  of  Frank 
Moss,  of  Davenport;  Anna,  who  married  C.  E.  Reed,  of  Rock  Island;  Mary,, 
residing  in  Buffalo;  and  Bessie,  deceased. 

Reared  to  manhood  in  the  city  of  his  nativity,  L.  G.  Egger  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  in  the  acquirement  of  his  education,  gaining  a  good  knowledge  of 
the  various  branches  of  English  learning.  The  period  of  his  boyhood  was  de- 
voted to  the  duties  of  the  school-room,  the  pleasures  of  the  playground,  and 
the  tasks  assigned  to  him  by  parental  authority.  Upon  the  completion  of  his- 
education  in  1903,  he  entered  the  button  manufacturing  business  in  connection 
with  his  father,  and  in  this  line  of  activity  has  been  most  successful.  With 
the  passing  of  the  years  this  enterprise  has  flourished,  its  business  steadily  but 
rapidly  increasing  in  volume  and  importance  until  today  it  is  the  largest  manu- 
facturing industry  in  Buffalo.    The  plant  which  is  owned  by  Mr.  Egger  is  the 


294  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUiMTY 

largest  in  the  township,  twenty-two  machines  being  in  operation,  and  it  is  the 
only  finishing  plant  in  Buffalo.  The  factory  turns  out  two  hundred  gross  of 
finished  and  four  hundred  gross  of  unfinished  product  per  day,  the  latter  being 
taken  to  Muscatine  for  the  finishing  process.  Most  of  the  mussel  shells  from 
which  the  buttons  are  made  are  secured  in  the  Illinois  river,  although  a  large 
number  are  found  in  the  Mississippi  near  Buffalo.  A  man  of  keen  discrimina- 
tion and  sound  judgment,  Mr.  Egger's  excellent  business  ability  and  good  man- 
agement have  brought  to  the  concern  of  which  he  is  the  head  a  large  degree  of 
success,  and  he  is  today  recognized  as  one  of  the  enterprising,  progressive  and 
representative  business  men  of  the  township. 

The  religious  views  of  Mr.  Egger  are  indicated  in  his  membership  in  the 
Buffalo  parish  Catholic  church,  while  politically  he  casts  his  ballot  in  behalf  of 
the  best  candidate  of  either  party  at  the  polls,  although  he  has  never  desired  nor 
sought  to  take  any  active  part  in  politics.  Having  passed  his  entire  life  in  Buf- 
falo, covering  a  period  of  twenty-five  years,  he  has  become  widely  known 
throughout  the  community,  where  his  circle  of  friends  is  almost  coextensive 
with  the  circle  of  his  acquaintances.  A  young  man,  he  possesses  the  enterprising 
spirit  of  the  west,  which  has  been  the  dominant  factor  in  producing  the  wonder- 
ful development  of  this  section  of  the  country.  Brooking  no  obstacles  that 
honest  effort  can  overcome,  he  has  steadily  worked  his  way  upward  in  the  busi- 
ness world  until,  having  left  the  ranks  of  the  many,  he  has  already  won  a  place 
among  the  successful  few. 


DAVID  N.  RICHARDSON. 

David  N.  Richardson  was  born  in  Orange,  Vermont,  March  19,  1832.  He 
was  reared  on  a  farm  and  completed  his  education  by  two  terms  at  an  academy. 
He  taught  school  when  eighteen  years  of  age  and  later  entered  a  printing  office 
in  Illinois,  where  he  learned  the  trade.  In  1854  he  came  to  Davenport,  Iowa, 
where,  in  company  with  James  T.  Hildreth  and  George  R.  West,  he  purchased 
the  democratic  newspaper  establishment  and  began  the  publication  of  the  Daily 
Iowa  State  Democrat.  Here  for  nearly  forty  years  Mr.  Richardson  was  en- 
gaged in  conducting  one  of  the  foremost  newspapers  of  Iowa.  He  was  for 
many  years  a  regent  of  the  State  University  and  was  untiring  in  his  efforts  to 
make  that  the  foremost  educational  institution  in  the  state.  He  was  also  one  of 
the  original  members  of  the  state  commission  to  plan  and  erect  the  Iowa  Sol- 
diers' Monument,  serving  until  the  work  was  completed.  During  the  period  of 
eighteen  years,  in  which  Mr.  Richardson  was  a  regent  of  the  State  Univer- 
sity, he  was  one  of  its  most  intelligent  and  effective  promoters.  It  was  an  often 
expressed  desire  of  his  to  live  to  see  our  State  University  equal  to  any  in 
America.  That  institution  never  had  a  more  devoted  friend  or  more  useful 
officer. 

Mr.  Richardson  was  a  graceful  and  accomplished  writer  and  one  of  the  ablest 
of  Iowa  editors.  He  became  an  extensive  traveler  in  foreign  countries  and  his 
letters  descriptive  of  the  lands  and  cities  visited  were  of  absorbing  interest.     His 


X^.Tt^C^LC/ia^S. 


u 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  297 

acquaintance  with  the  public  men  of  Iowa  was  very  wide,  and  although  he  was  a 
life-long  democrat  and  an  active  and  influential  leader  in  his  party  for  more  than 
forty  years,  he  won  and  retained  the  confidence  and  personal  friendship  of  his 
political  opponents  everywhere.     He  died  on  the  4th  of  July,  1898. 


CHRISTINA  WIESE. 


The  student  of  history  doesn't  carry  his  investigation  far  into  the  records 
of  Scott  county  without  learning  that  the  German  element  in  its  citizenship  has 
played  a  most  important  part  in  its  upbuilding  and  progress.  One  of  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Teutonic  race,  Fritz  Wiese  long  resided  in  Davenport,  where 
for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  was  connected  with  the  livery  business. 
He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  June  17,  1838,  a  son  of  Max  and  Lucy 
Wiese.  At  the  usual  age  he  entered  school  in  his  native  country  and  when 
fourteen  years  of  age  came  to  the  United  States  with  his  parents,  who  settled 
in  Moline,  Illinois.  From  that  time  forth  Fritz  Wiese  was  dependent  upon  his 
own  resources.  He  secured  employment  with  the  Deere  works  as  a  blacksmith, 
being  one  of  the  first  engaged  for  the  shop.  In  time  the  business  was  developed 
into  the  great  enterprise  known  as  the  Deere  Plow  Works.  Mr.  Wiese  con- 
tinued to  live  at  Moline  for  about  three  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  his 
parents  purchased  a  farm  in  Rock  Island  county  and  he  took  up  his  abode  there. 
His  parents  remained  occupants  of  the  old  home  place  until  called  to  their 
final  rest. 

On  the  2d  of  January,  1863,  Mr.  Wiese  was  married  and  continued  to  live 
on  the  old  farm  in  Illinois  for  about  five  years,  after  which  he  made  his  home  in 
the  vicinity  of  Rock  Island  until  1868.  He  then  purchased  a  farm  near  Mount 
Joy,  where  he  made  his  home  for  seven  years,  and  on  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  rented  his  land  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Mount  Joy.  He  turned  his 
attention  to  the  cattle  business  at  Davenport  and  later  engaged  in  the  livery 
business,  which  he  continued  for  about  thirty  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time 
he  retired,  turning  over  the  business  to  his  son.  His  remaining  days  were 
spent  in  the  enjo)mient  of  well  earned  rest,  his  death  occurring  February  17, 
1898. 

It  was  on  the  2d  of  January,  1863,  that  Mr.  Wiese  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Christina  Schnack.  She  was  born  near  Kiel,  Germany,  June  24,  1840,  a 
daughter  of  James  and  Christina  Schnack.  Mrs.  Wiese  came  to  the  United 
States  with  her  brother  John  and  an  aunt  in  i860,  landing  in  New  York,  after 
which  she  made  her  way  westward  to  Davenport.  Here  she  was  married  and 
became  the  mother  of  five  children.  Lewis,  of  Davenport,  who  is  now  conduct- 
ing the  livery  business  and  is  serving  as  alderman  from  the  fourth  ward,  mar- 
ried Bertha  Springmier  and  has  three  children:  Fred  and  Henry,  twins;  and 
Lillie.  Laura  is  the  widow  of  Frank  Peto  and  has  two  children,  Ellis  and  Cam- 
ello;  with  whom  she  resides  in  Davenport.  Emil,  of  this  city,  wedded  Bertha 
Ruge,  who  died,  leaving  one  child,  Thelma.  Alvina  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Bey,  of 
Davenport,  and  has  five  children:  Alvin,  Clarence,  Frank,  Lawrence  and  Ray- 


298  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

mond.    Anna  is  the  widow  of  William  Brandt  and  has  three  children:  Lucile, 
Lillie  and  Isabelle. 

Mr.  Wiese  was  a  member  of  the  Turner  Society  and  the  German  Shooting 
Society.  He  was  a  man  of  liberal  and  generous  spirit  who  gave  freely  of  his 
means  to  advance  worthy  public  movements  and  at  the  same  time  rendered  aid 
in  many  individual  cases.  His  good  qualities  were  numerous  and  won  for  him  a 
circle  of  friends  almost  coextensive  with  the  circle  of  his  acquaintances. 


LOUIS  GOLLNITZ. 


Louis  GoUnitz,  a  well  known  farmer  of  Liberty  township,  was  born  in  Meck- 
lenburg, Germany,  July  16,  1868,  a  son  of  Fritz  and  Sophia  (Frunt)  GoUnitz. 
They  spent  their  entire  lives  in  the  land  of  their  birth  and  died  when  their  son 
Louis  was  about  twelve  years  of  age.  Six  children  were  born  to  them.  One 
died  in  infancy  and  the  other  five  came  to  America  about  1882.  They  were: 
Ricka,  who  became  the  wife  of  Fritz  Benning  of  Davenport ;  Fritz,  who  died  in 
Davenport  in  February,  1909,  at  the  age  of  fifty-nine  years,  leaving  two  sons 
and  two  daughters;  Chris,  a  resident  of  Davenport;  Louis,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch ;  and  Ida,  who  became  the  wife  of  Ernest  Loraine,  of  Davenport. 

Louis  GoUnitz,  who  was  about  twelve  years  of  age  when  he  was  left  an 
orphan,  remained  for  two  more  years  in  the  fatherland,  where  he  received  his 
education.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  and  his  brothers  and  sisters  embarked 
upon  their  journey  to  America.  They  came  directly  to  Scott  county,  where 
Louis  GoUnitz  obtained  work  upon  a  farm.  After  he  had  worked  for  others  for 
about  nine  years,  gaining  experience  in  agriculture  and  familiarity  with  the 
customs  and  language  of  this  country,  he  married  and  came  to  live  upon  the 
land  where  he  now  resides.  It  is  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  be- 
longing to  his  wife  and  is  situated  on  section  31,  Liberty  township.  Here  he 
pursues  general  farming,  winning  a  well  deserved  success  from  his  labors.  H'e 
has  brought  his  farm  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  has  instituted  many  subr 
stantial  improvements. 

On  the  24th  of  February,  1894,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  GoU- 
nitz and  Miss  Meta  Arp,  who  was  born  in  Davenport  township,  Scott  county, 
October  15,  1871,  her  parents  being  Claus  and  Doris  (Sienknecht)  Arp.  Her 
father  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  August  23,  1827,  while  her  mother  was 
born  near  the  city  of  Kiel,  September  2,  1832.  They  came  to  this  country  about 
fifty  years  ago,  settling  in  Davenport,  where  they  were  married  April  14,  1868. 
Mr.  Arp  bought  a  large  amount  of  land,  which  was  procured  at  a  low  price  in 
those  days,  owning  at  one  time  five  good  farms,  which  amounted  to  seven  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres.  This  property  was  the  result  of  his  own  labors,  for  he 
came  to  America  a  poor  boy,  and  it  indicates  with  what  success  he  operated  his 
farm  in  the  vicinity  of  Davenport.  About  fifteen  years  ago  he  felt  he  was 
justified  in  retiring  from  active  life  and,  accordingly,  took  up  his  residence  in 
Davenport,  which  is  still  his  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arp  are  the  parents  of  seven 
children:  Theodore,  who  lives  in  Colorado;  Hannes,  who  lives  near  West  Lib- 
erty; Minnie,  the  wife  of  Julius  Kuelper,  of  Walcott;  Herman,  who  resides 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  299 

in  Stockton,  Muscatine  county,  Iowa;  Meta,  now  Mrs.  Gollnitz;  Otto,  who  re- 
sides on  the  homestead  near  Davenport;  and  Delia,  who  lives  with  her  parents. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gollnitz  have  been  born  two  children,  Ray  and  Edna. 

The  early  life  of  Mr.  Gollnitz  was  one  of  many  hardships  and  privations, 
but  from  his  struggles  he  learned  the  lesson  of  industry  and  making  the  best 
use  of  his  opportunities.  In  consequence  he  has  attained  a  well  earned  suc- 
cess in  his  field  of  occupation  and  one  of  which  he  may  be  pardonably  proud. 
Indeed,  he  deserves  to  be  numbered  among  the  numerous  citizens  of  this  land 
who  wear  with  distinction  the  title  of  a  self-made  man. 


ZEBULON  HENRY  WICKS. 

Zebulon  Henry  Wicks,  whose  identification  with  the  Davenport  Woolen 
Mills  as  traveling  representative  brought  him  a  wide  acquaintance,  was  highly 
esteemed  wherever  known  for  the  possession  of  those  sterling  traits  of  charac- 
ter which  constitute  the  chief  forces  in  honorable  manhood.  He  was  born  in 
Bristol,  England,  September  22,  1828.  His  father,  Dr.  Zebulon  Wicks,  gave 
his  attention  to  the  practice  of  medicine  and  after  the  arrival  of  his  son  and 
namesake  in  this  country,  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  established  his  home  at 
Morristown,  Ohio.  His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Letitia  Lashley, 
was  also  a  native  of  England. 

Reared  in  a  home  surrounded  by  culture  and  affluence,  Zebulon  H.  Wicks 
was  afforded  liberal  educational  advantages,  supplementing  his  early  instruction 
by  study  at  St.  Mellow,  France.  He  took  a  very  active  part  in  politics  in  his 
native  land  and  assisted  in  putting  Charles  Reed  in  parliament.  He  was  pre- 
eminently a  man  of  affairs  and  one  who  wielded  a  wide  influence.  His  interest 
in  America  led  him  to  come  to  the  new  world  on  a  visit  in  1873,  and  he  was  so 
pleased  with  the  country  that  he  decided  to  remain  and  established  his  home 
in  Davenport.  He  immediately  became  connected  with  the  Davenport  Woolen 
Mills,  first  as  bookkeeper  and  later  as  traveling  salesman.  In  that  connection  he 
did  valuable  service  for  the  enterprise  throughout  his  remaining  days.  He  was 
not  only  a  business  man  of  keen  discernment  and  undaunted  enterprise,  but 
possessed  genial,  friendly  qualities  which  made  him  very,  popular  with  the  many 
patrons  whom  he  secured. 

At  St.  Catherine's,  Hampshire,  England,  in  1853,  Mr.  Wicks  was  married 
to  Miss  Theresa  Burden,  a  daughter  of  Robert  and  Nancy  (Hartnell)  Burden, 
of  Hampshire.  Her  father  was  a  landowner  and  was  also  a  Methodist  preacher, 
proclaiming  the  gospel  in  a  small  chapel,  of  which  he  was  the  owner.  In  the 
family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wicks  were  ten  children,  of  whom  five  are  now  living: 
Mrs.  Theresa  L.  Godwin;  Alfred  H.,  a  resident  of  Detroit;  Sidney  H.,  who  is 
living  in  St.  Paul,  Minnesota;  Archibald,  a  resident  of  Murphysboro,  Illinois; 
and  Clarence  H.,  who  is  employed  on  Government  Island  here. 

Mr.  Wicks'  study  of  the  political  issues,  situation  and  conditions  of  the  coun- 
try led  him  to  give  stalwart  allegiance  to  the  republican  party.  He  was  an 
active  and  devoted  member  of  the  Baptist  church,  a  public-spirited  citizen,  and 


300  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

a  patron  of  various  benevolent  institutions  which  Davenport  maintains.  Fra- 
ternally he  was  connected  with  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and  the 
Royal  Arch  Masons.  A  man  of  broad  and  liberal  culture,  he  placed  correct 
valuation  upon  life  and  its  opportunities.  His  career  was  marked  by  continuous 
progress  and  characterized  by  the  esteem  which  was  uniformly  tendered  him 
to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  February  17,  1896. 


MILTON  R.  PARKHURST. 

Milton  R.  Parkhurst,  in  former  years  a  merchant  of  Davenport,  belongs  to 
that  class  of  prominent,  enterprising  and  far-sighted  business  men  to  whom  the 
commercial  upbuilding  of  the  city  is  rightly  attributed.  Throughout  his  entire 
life  he  has  been  identified  with  manufacturing  and  mercantile  interests  in  this 
county. 

He  was  bom  at  Le  Claire,  Iowa,  a  son  of  Waldo-  and  Liddie  Emeline  (Rus- 
sell) Parkhurst,  who  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  that  place.     The  father 
was  born  at  Milford,  Massachusetts,  September  28,   1812,  attended  the  school 
there  but  at  an  early  age  was  compelled  to  put  aside  his  text-books  because  of 
his  father's  death,  whereby  there  devolved  upon  him  the  necessity  of  aiding  in 
support  of  the  family.     He  went  to  New  York  city  when  very  young  and  there 
secured  a  situation  as  clerk  in  a  dry-goods  store,  which  constituted  his  business 
training.     In  1838  he  came  to  the  middle  west,  making  his  way  to  the  territory 
of  Iowa,  and  after  looking  over  the  field  to  some  extent  settled  at  Le  Qaire, 
where  he  opened  a  general  store.     He  there  conducted  a  successful  mercantile 
enterprise  for  over  forty  years  and  in  early  days  he  did  quite  a  business  in  killing 
hogs  and  shipping  the  pork  down  the  Mississippi  river  by  steamer  to  St.  Louis. 
He  was,  moreover,  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  town,  active  and  efficient  in 
promoting  the  various  interests  which  were  of  vital  significance  to  the  commu- 
nity.    He  held  a  number  of  offices,  serving  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  several 
years,  acting  as  postmaster  during  the  '503  and  serving  as  a  member  and  trustee 
of  the  school  board  for  a  number  of  years.     He  belonged  to  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  to  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Le  Claire  and  thus 
sought  to  promote  the  fraternal  and  Christian  spirit  of  the  community.     In  1881 
he  retired  from  active  business  life  and  removed  to  Davenport,  where  he  made 
his  home  with  his  two  children  until  his  death,  on  the  21st  of  March,  1881.    His 
wife  was  born  at  Sodus  Point,  New  York,  in  1820.     Her  father,  Nehemiah  Rus- 
sell, came  west  about  1840  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  just 
across  the  line  from  Scott  county.     The  parents  of  Milton  R.  Parkhurst  were 
married  in  Qinton  county  in  1841.     Mrs.  Parkhurst  had  been  one  of  the  early 
school  teachers  of  Scott  county,  having  taught  first  in  Pleasant  Valley  township 
and  later  at  Le  Claire.     She  was  a  lady  of  strong  intellectual  development  and 
of  many  attractive  characteristics.     She  died  December  14,  1890,  and  is  still  sur- 
vived by  her  two  children,  Milton  R.  and  Mary  E.,  both  of  whom  are  now  resi- 
dents of  Davenport. 


yi£iU>f  fu^^^y^u/6  i a/m4t^fAAA/) 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  303 

Milton  R.  Parkhurst  attended  school  at  Le  Claire  and  later  continued  his 
studies  in  Cornell  College  at  Mount  Vernon,  Iowa.  He  then  returned  to  Le 
Claire  and  taught  school  for  a  number  of  years.  Later  he  was  employed  as 
bookkeeper  by  a  Le  Claire  firm  but,  embracing  every  opportunity  for  advance- 
ment in  business  lines,  he  subsequently  became  a  stockholder  and  secretary  of  the 
Le  Claire  Milling  &  Manufacturing  Company.  He  was  also  engaged  in  the  river 
business  for  a  number  of  years  and  then,  seeking  the  broader  field  of  labor 
offered  by  the  city,  he  came  to  Davenport  in  1874.  In  East  Davenport  he  estab- 
lished a  retail  grocery  business,  which  he  conducted  successfully  for  about  thirty 
years,  after  which  he  was  in  the  same  line  of  business  on  Brady  street  for  two 
years  and  then  sold  out.  The  passing  years  had  chronicled  his  success,  which 
increasing  as  time  passed  on,  had  made  him  one  of  the  men  of  affluence  of  the 
community.  He  has  made  several  trips  to  Seattle,  Washington,  where  he  has 
business  interests.  His  judgment  is  sound,  his  insight  keen,  and  the  success 
which  has  attended  his  efforts  has  been  the  logical  result  of  intelligently  directed 
thrift  and  enterprise. 

Mr.  Parkhurst  aside  from  commercial  connections  has  been  prominent  in  the 
community.  He  was  four  times  elected  alderman  from  the  sixth  ward  on  the 
republican  ticket  and  supported  many  reforms  and  progressive  measures  while  a 
member  of  the  council.  He  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  in  which  he  has 
taken  the  degrees  of  the  lodge,  chapter,  commandery  and  Mystic  Shrine.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church,  in  which  he  has  held  a  number  of 
offices,  including  that  of  deacon,  trustee  and  member  of  the  board. 

His  sister,  Mary  E.  Parkhurst,  also  a  native  of  Le  Qaire,  attended  school 
there  and  afterward  engaged  successfully  in  teaching  for  a  number  of  years  at 
school  No.  I  in  Le  Claire  township,  at  Princeton  and  in  the  town  of  Le  Claire. 
She  came  to  Davenport  in  1880  and  was  of  great  assistance  to  her  brother  in  his 
business.  She  also  had  charge  of  the  Blue  Grass,  Downey,  Lone  Tree  and  Zion 
Baptist  churches  as  pastor  and  was  also  assistant  pastor  of  the  Temple  Baptist 
church  of  Seattle,  Washington,  from  October,  1908,  until  April,  1909,  Rev. 
George  Robert  Cairns  being  pastor.  At  present  she  is  assistant  pastor  of  the 
Calvary  Baptist  church  of  Davenport,  Iowa.  She  is  also  an  interesting  writer 
both  in  prose  and  poetry  and  has  contributed  many  articles  to  the  local  papers 
regarding  church  work  and  eastern  travels,  and  was  also  the  author  of  the  sketch 
of  Le  Claire,  which  was  recently  published  in  the  Davenport  Democrat  for  the 
Half  Century  Democrat. 


FERDINAND  HAAK. 


If  the  prosperity  of  the  city  be  measured  by  the  enterprise  of  some  of  its 
more  important  manufacturing  concerns  Davenport  owes  no  little  of  its  reputa- 
tion as  being  the  home  of  successful  business  men  to  Ferdinand  Haak,  who  is 
president  of  one  of  the  largest  cigar  factories  west  of  the  Mississippi.  The 
enviable  position  he  holds  has  been  entirely  the  work  of  his  own  hands  and 
brain,  being  a  patent  example  of  the  value  of  industry,  economy  and  wise  fore- 


304  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

sight.  He  was  born  in  1845  at  Elmshorn,  about  four  miles  from  Hamburg, 
Germany,  a  son  of  Carsten  and  Lesette  (Oldendorf )  Haak.  The  father  brought 
his  family  to  America  in  1857  and  selected  Scott  county,  Iowa,  as  a  place  of 
residence.  He  bought  considerable  land  here  and  farmed  with  profit  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1888. 

Ferdinand  Haak  was  about  twelve  years  of  age  when  his  family  came  to  the 
United  States.  He  h3.d  attended  the  schools  of  his  native  land  and  after  he 
came  to  Scott  county  was  enrolled  as  a  pupil  in  the  public  schools  of  Davenport. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  worked  upon  the  home  farm  and  then  decided  to  start 
in  life  for  himself  as  a  cigarmaker.  He  served  an  apprenticeship  for  about  four 
years,  in  that  time  becoming  a  most  efficient  workman,  and  then  secured  a  posi- 
tion as  foreman  in  a  factory,  but  although  he  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  his  em- 
ployers he  was  not  satisfied  for  he  was  ambitious  to  make  a  name  for  himself. 
Accordingly;  in  1870,  he  opened  a  factory  of  his  own,  and  although  he  began 
business  in  a  small  way,  through  concentration  of  his  powers,  business  acumen 
and  determination  to  succeed  he  has  built  it  up  so  that  now  it  is  one  of  the 
largest  in  the  west.    He  has  won  from  it  a  most  gratifying  income. 

In  1867  Mr.  Haak  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Caroline  Kohrdt,  and  of 
their  union  have  been  born  seven  children:  Minnie,  now  the  wife  of  Charles 
Meyer;  Pauline,  who  became  the  wife  of  Gene  Gruenewald  and  has  one  child; 
John,  who  is  in  business  with  his  father,  and  is  married  and  has  three  children, 
John,  Ferdinand  and  Minna;  Richard,  who  is  also  in  business  with  his  father, 
and  has  two  daughters,  Irma  and  Elsie ;  Edna  and  Elsie,  who  are  living  at  home ; 
and  Theckla,  who  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Hetzl,  of  Sioux  City,  Iowa.  Mr.  Haak 
belongs  to  the  Turners  and  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Iowa  National  Bank. 
Shortly  after  his  arrival  in  this  country  he  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Eighth  Iowa 
Infantry,  but  saw  only  one  year's  service  on  the  field  of  battle.  It,  however, 
was  sufficient  to  attach  him  closely  to  the  government,  so  that  he  is  an  interested 
spectator  of  all  national  interests.  His  home  is  at  824  West  Vine  street,  where 
he  and  his  wife  extend  a  gracious  hospitality  to  all  guests. 


CLAUS  J.  B.  HANSEN. 


The  strong  characteristics  of  the  German  race,  industry,  frugality  and  per- 
serverance,  are  conspicuous  in  the  life  history  of  Claus  J.  B.  Hansen,  a  farmer 
of  Winfield  township.  He  was  born  in  Detmarchen,  Germany,  August  3,  1864, 
and  is  a  son  of  Peter  and  Margaretta  Hansen.  The  father  was  a  laborer  in  the 
old  country,  but  after  Claus  Hansen  had  come  to  America,  he  and  another  of 
his  sons  came  here  and  for  many  years  he  was  actively  engaged  in  farming  in 
Scott  county,  Iowa. 

Claus  J.  B.  Hansen  attended  the  public  schools  of  Germany  in  his  boyhood, 
thereby  obtaining  a  fair  education  in  his  native  tongue,  and  when  he  put  aside 
his  text-books  he  worked  by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand.  Stories  of  the  oppor- 
tunities that  awaited  the  ambitious  and  industrious  young  man  in  America  had 
reached  him,  however,  and  by   1881  he  could  no  longer  resist  the  call  of  the 


HISTORY  DF  SCOTT  COUNTY  305 

new  world,  so  he  joined  a  party  of  friends  and  embarked  upon  the  voyage  to 
the  United  States.  He  landed  at  New  York,  April  6,  1881,  and  coming  direct  to 
Scott  county,  Iowa,  reached  Davenport  April  9. 

Although  he  could  not  speak  English  Mr.  Hansen  lost  no  time  in  securing 
employment,  but  the  day  after  his  arrival,  at  3  p.  m.,  he  started  to  work  as  a 
farm  hand  near  Donahue.  He  was  employed  at  that  kind  of  labor  for  six  years, 
at  the  end  of  which  tithe  he  joined  his  father  and  brother  Fred,  who  had  come 
to  the  county  and  had  rented  land  on  the  banks  of  the  Wapsipinicon.  They  re- 
mained at  that  location  for  five  years  and  then  removed  to  a  farm  near  Eld- 
ridge,  which  they  also  rented  and  on  which  they  lived  for  four  years.  Another 
change  was  then  made  to  a  place  near  Donahue,  where  Claus  Hansen  lived  for 
two  years,  or  until  he  was  married,  when  he  engaged  in  farming  for  himself. 
For  one  year  he  lived  on  a  rented  farm  near  Donahue  and  then  for  two  years 
lived  on  another  place  in  the  same  locality,  after  which,  as  the  result  of  his 
well  directed  economy,  he  bought  the  land  on  which  he  now  lives  from  Bartley 
Schwackle.  It  is  a  tract  of  eighty-four*  and  twenty-seven  hundredth  acres, 
which  Mr.  Hansen  has  greatly  improved,  tiling  the  fields,  erecting  new  buildings 
and  in  other  ways  making  it  thoroughly  modern  and  in  keeping  with  the  pro- 
gressive spirit  of  the  times.  He  carries  on  general  farming,  in  which  he  has  met 
with  success,  for  he  brings  to  his  work  intense  energy  intelligently  directed. 

It  was  on  the  15th  of  February,  1898,  Mr.  Hansen  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Emily  Holland,  a  daughter  of  Adolph  Holland,  of  Davenport,  a  sketch  of 
whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Four  children  have  been  born  to  the 
couple,  namely:  Adolph,  Edna,  Nonie  and  Lester,  all  of  whom  are  at  home. 

Mr.  Hansen  belongs  to  the  Court  of  Honor  of  Long  Grove,  in  which  organi- 
zation he  has  a  large  number  of  friends,  although  these  are  not  limited  to  its 
membership,  for  he  possesses  those  sterling  traits  of  character  which  command 
respect  in  every  part  of  the  world.  His  principles  in  life  and  business  are  wise 
and  well  worthy  of  emulation,  for  what  he  now  owns  he  has  gained  through 
his  own  labor  and  by  honorable  and  straightforward  methods. 


WILLIAM  S.  COLLINS. 

William  Sheridan  Collins  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  from  New  York, 
in  August,  1838.  He  was  born  February  15,  1806,  at  Litchfield,  Connecticut, 
a  son  of  David  and  Jerusha  (Wright)  Collins.  David  Collins  became  a  mer- 
chant of  New  York  and  at  one  time  a  member  of  congress.  In  1826  William 
S.  Collins  went  from  Connecticut  to  Albany,  New  York,  where  he  learned  and 
followed  the  carpenter's  trade.  He  was  married  there  in  1831  to  Miss  Orphia 
Jackson  and  unto  them  were  born  two  children,  Miles  A.  and  Orphia  L.  The 
latter  became  the  wife  of  Newton  J.  Field  arid  had  one  son  Newton  Miles 
Field,  who  was  killed  in  a  railway  accident. 

Orphia  Jackson,  the  first  wife  of  William  S.  Collins  died  in  1836  and  Mr. 
Collins  was  influenced  to  come  to  Iowa  by  the  fact  that  his  brother  Lucius  Col- 
lins was  a  farmer  of  this  state,  living  near  the  Summit.    William  S.  Collins  was 


306  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

a  contractor  and  carpenter  in  Davenport  and  erected  a  large  number  of  busi- 
ness blocks,  including  the  former  McManus  building  at  Second  and  Main  streets, 
the  Perry  and  Mcintosh  blocks,  the  old  Baptist  church  at  Sixth  and  Main,  and 
the  brick  residence  at  Fifth  and  Rock  Island  streets.  A  number  of  the  struc- 
tures which  show  forth  his  handiwork  are  still  standing.  He  became  recognized 
as  one  of  the  leading  contractors  and  builders  of  this  part  of  the  state  and  did 
much  in  promoting  the  substantial  improvements  of  this  district.  In  1842  he 
married  Eliza  Dillion,  and  they  had  three  children,  of  whom  two  died  in  in- 
fancy, while  the  other,  Chester  Worthington  Collins  is  a  banker  of  Brooklyn, 
New  York.  The  mother,  who  was  born  in  the  Empire  state  in  1823,  passed  away 
in  1846.  For  his  third  wife  Mr.  Collins  chose  Mrs.  Eleanor  Bird,  who  was 
born  in  New  York  city  in  181 5  and  was  the  widow  of  William  Bird.  There  were 
two  children  of  this  marriage  namely:  Sarah  Ella,  now  the  widow  of  Watson 
Graham,  who  died  in  Davenport;  and  McManus  W.,  of  Denver,  Colorado.  The 
third  wife  of  William  S.  Collins  has  also  passed  away. 

William  S.  Collins  was  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  Edwards  Con- 
gregational church  and  its  first  clerk.  He  donated  money  for  the  erection  of 
the  church  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  organization  of  the  first  Sunday  school. 
His  political  allegiance  was  given  to  the  whig  party  until  its  dissolution,  when 
he  joined  the  ranks  of  the  new  republican  party.  He  served  as  alderman  of 
Davenport  from  the  third  ward  from  1846  to  1849,  and  from  the  iifth  ward  in 
1859.  He  also  was  trustee  of  the  poor.  He  was  a  very  earnest  and  zealous 
worker  in  the  organization  known  as  the  Sons  of  Temperance  for  twenty  years, 
and  from  1848  until  his  death  on  August  9,  1887,  he  was  an  exemplary  repre- 
sentative of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 


MILES  A.  COLLINS. 


One  of  Scott  county's  pioneer  farmers  was  Miles  Augustus  Collins,  who 
lead  an  industrious  and  prosperous  life  in  the  live  stock  business.  Mr.  Collins 
was  born  in  Albany,  New  York,  September  i,  1832.  When  but  four  years  old 
his  mother,  Orphia  (Jackson)  Collins,  died,  and  he  went  to  live  with  his  grand- 
father, David  Collins,  upon  a  farm  at  Blanford,  Massachusetts,  and  was  there 
reared,  early  becoming  familiar  with  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of 
the  agriculturist.  Following  his  grandfather's  death  he  took  charge  of  the  home 
farm  at  Blanford,  Massachusetts,  there  remaining  until  1854,  when  he  sought  a 
home  in  the  middle  west  and  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  he  worked  at 
the  carpenter's  trade  with  his  father  for  a  year.  He  then  engaged  in  farming. 
He  also  established  one  of  the  first  cheese  factories  in  Scott  county.  His  life 
was  a  busy  and  useful  one.  At  diflferent  times  he  owned  several  farms  in  Scott 
county  and  was  quite  successful  in  his  dealings  in  real  estate.  In  i860  he  pur- 
chased the  farm  just  north  of  town  upon  which  he  spent  his  remaining  days,  his 
death  there  occurring  June  5,  1908.  He  was  diligent  and  enterprising,  making 
good  use  of  his  opportunities,  and  as  time  passed  on  he  won  a  creditable  measure 
of  prosperity. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  307 

It  was  on  the  isth  of  June,  1870,  that  Mr.  Collins  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mrs.  Amy  George  Wilson,  the  widow  of  George  Wilson  and  the  daughter  of 
William  George  and  Nancy  (Reed)  George.  William  George  was  a  native  of, 
and  formerly  lived  in  Columbiana  county,  Ohio,  whence  he  removed  with  his 
family  in  1853  to  Scott  county  and  settled  near  Big  Rock,  Iowa. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Collins  became  the  parents  of  six  children:  Mina  Rusha,  who 
is  now  a  teacher  of  English  in  the  high  school  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri ;  Vera  Elva, 
who  is  the  wife  of  Fred  A.  Garrison,  field  secretary  of  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association  for  Arkansas  and  Oklahoma;  Eleanor  Harriet,  at  home;  Miles 
William ;  Amy  George,  the  wife  of  William  C.  Rowse,  a  professor  of  engineering 
in  the  State  University  at  Madison,  Wisconsin;  and  Ruth  Elizabeth,  who  is  a 
pupil  in  the  Grinnell  Iowa  College.  .  All  of  the  children  are  graduates  of  that 
college,  and  Miles  is  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Chicago  law  department, 
having  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws.  Mina  was  also  a  student  of  the 
University  of  Chicago,  where  she  pursued  post-graduate  work  in  English. 


DETLEF  PETERSEN. 


Detlef  Petersen,  the  owner  of  a  well  improved  and  valuable  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Sheridan  township,  is  numbered  among  the  worthy 
pioneer  settlers  of  Scott  county,  having  made  his  home  within  its  borders  for 
more  than  a  half  century.  His  birth  occurred  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the 
19th  of  September,  1834,  his  parents  being  Henry  and  Margaret  Petersen.  The 
father  passed  away  in  that  country  but  the  mother  later  took  up  her  abode  in 
the  United  States  and  spent  her  remaining  days  in  this  county. 

Detlef  Petersen  spent  the  first  twenty-three  years  of  his  life  in  the  land  of 
his  nativity  and  in  1857  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States,  wishing  to 
test  the  truth  of  the  many  favorable  reports  which  he  had  heard  concerning 
the  advantages  of  the  new  world.  After  landing  in  New  York  he  made  his 
way  direct  to  Davenport,  Scott  county,  Iowa,  having  friends  here.  He  first 
worked  in  this  county  as  a  farm  laborer  but  later  rented  land  and  about  1870 
had  accumulated  sufficient  capital  to  enable  him  to  purchase  a  farm  of  his  own, 
coming  into  possession  of  eighty  acres  of  his  present  home  place  in  Sheridan 
township.  He  has  erected  all  of  the  buildings  and  made  all  of  the  improve- 
ments which  are  now  seen  upon  the  property  and  likewise  planted  the  trees, 
of  which  he  has  many  fine  specimens.  The  one  tree  which  was  on  the  property 
when  he  first  located  thereon  is  still  standing.  Wishing  to  extend  the'  boun- 
daries of  his  farm,  he  bought  an  adjoining  tract  of  eighty  acres,  so  that  his 
holdings  now  embrace  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  rich  and  arable  land.  His 
labors  as  an  agriculturist  are  capably  conducted  and  the  fields  annually  yield 
golden  harvests  in  return  for  the  care  which  he  bestows  upon  them. 

Mr.  Petersen  has  been  twice  married.  In  1862  he  wedded  Miss  Louise  Har- 
man,  who  passed  away  twenty  years  later.  Their  children  were  five  in  number, 
namely:  Henry  and  William,  both  of  whom  are  at  home;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of 
Carl  Koch,  of  Eldridge,  Iowa;  and  Laura  and  Emma,  who  are  also  at  home. 


308  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

On  the  27th  of  June,  1886,  Mr.  Petersen  was  again  married,  his  second  union 
being  with  Miss  Hannah  Johnson,  by  whom  he  has  one  child,  Walborg,  at 
home. 

At  the  polls  Mr.  Petersen  casts  his  ballot  in  support  of  the  men  and  meas- 
ures of  the  democratic  party  and  has  capably  served  his  fellow  townsmen  as  a 
school  director  and  also  in  the  position  of  road  supervisor.  He  has  never  had 
occasion  to  regret  his  determination  to  come  to  America,  for  in  this  country 
he  has  found  the  opportunities  which  he  sought  and  through  their  utilization  has 
worked  his  way  upward,  his  life  indicating  what  may  be  accomplished  by  de- 
termination and  well  directed  energy.  He  has  now  passed  the  seventy-fifth  mile- 
stone on  life's  journey  and  receives  the  respect  and  veneration  which  should 
always  be  accorded  one  who  has  traveled  thus  far  on  this  earthly  pilgrimage  and 
whose  career  has  ever  been  upright  and  honorable. 


J.  SIEWERT  WEBER,  M.  D.,  PH.  G. 

Dr.  J.  Siewert  Weber,  one  of  the  builders,  promoters  and  owners  of  the  Dav- 
enport Hospital,  whose  skill  in  surgery  as  well  as  in  the  general  practice  of  med- 
icine has  brought  him  more  than  local  fame,  was  born  in  Fond  du  Lac,  Wiscon- 
sin, April  II,  1877.  His  father,  John  G.  Weber,  was  a  native  of  Germany  and 
when  a  young  man  came  to  the  United  States.  After  two  years  spent  in  New 
York  he  removed  westward  to  Fond  du  Lac,  Wisconsin,  in  1848,  and  there  con- 
tinued his  residence  until  called  to  his  final  rest  in  1906  when  sixty-six  years  of 
age.  He  married  Agnes  Carstensen,  a  native  of  Heligoland,  who  passed  away 
in  1878. 

Dr.  Weber  was  only  three  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  mother's  death  but 
it  was  his  good  fortune  to  be  entrusted  to  the  guidance  of  his  aunt,  Miss  Catha- 
rine Carstensen,  in  whom  he  found  the  sympathy  of  a  foster  mother.  His 
youthful  days  were  spent  in  his  native  city,  where  he  acquired  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools,  while  his  collegiate  course  was  pursued  in  Drake  Uni- 
versity and  from  that  institution  he  was  graduated  on  the  completion  of  a  phar- 
maceutical course.  He  then  took  up  the  study  of  medicine  in  Rush  Medical  Col- 
lege, of  the  University  of  Chicago,  and  was  graduated  in  1901,  after  which  he 
spent  six  months  in  original  research  along  the  lines  of  bacteriology  and  path- 
ology before  he  engaged  in  active  practice.  He  afterward  became  associate  sur- 
geon at  the  hospital  of  the  Illinos  Steel  Works  at  Joliet,  Illinois,  and  this  brought 
him  broad  experience  in  surgical  practice. 

In  1902  Dr.  Weber  came  to  Davenport,  opening  an  office  for  general  practice. 
He  has,  however,  made  surgery  his  specialty,  has  devoted  much  study  to  it  and 
has  had  much  success  in  difficult  and  unusual  cases.  He  is  thoroughly  conver- 
sant with  the  subject  of  anatomy  and  the  component  parts  of  the  human  body 
and  the  onslaughts  made  upon  it  by  disease.  Moreover,  his  touch  is  characterized 
by  tenderness  as  well  as  precision,  and,  calm  and  well  poised,  he  is  thoroughly 
qualified  for  the  difficult  work  which  he  undertakes.  His  office  is  of  a  most 
modern  character,  supplied  with  all  the  latest  improved  appliances  and  instru- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  311 

ments  necessary  for  the  work  which  he  has  undertaken.  In  connection  with  Dr. 
C.  E.  Glynn  he  organized  and  built  the  Davenport  Hospital  that  he  might  better 
handle  and  care  for  surgical  and  medical  cases,  giving  to  them  the  best  attention 
possible  in  an  establishment  especially  equipped  therefor,  and  he  is  now  surgeon 
in  that  hospital.  He  belongs  to  the  County,  State  and  National  Medical  Asso- 
ciations and  the  Second  District  Medical  Society,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the 
University  Alliance.  Dr.  Weber  is  a  member  of  the  Bureau  of  Medical  Legis- 
lation of  the  American  Medical  Association. 

In  1903  Dr.  Weber  was  married  to  Miss  Rhoda  Mae  Thomas,  a  native  of  Des 
Moines  who  at  the  time  of  her  marriage  was  a  student  of  the  Iowa  State  Normal 
College  at  Cedar  Falls,  Iowa.  They  have  two  daughters,  Kathryn  Lucile  and 
Florence  Elizabeth. 

Dr.  Weber  is  connected  with  several  fraternal  organizations  and  those  who 
meet  him  socially  find  him  a  pleasant,  genial  gentleman,  while  those  who  come 
in  contact  with  him  professionally  know  him  as  a  sympathetic,  capable  practi- 
tioner, able  and  conscientious  in  the  performance  of  his  duty  and  at  the  same 
time  closely  conforming  in  his  practice  to  the  highest  standard  of  professional 
ethics. 


THOMAS  MARTINDALE. 

In  the  death  of  Thomas  Martindale,  Long  Grove  and  Scott  county  lost  one 
of  the  pioneer  settlers.  While  he  never  sought  to  figure  prominently  in  public 
life,  his  neighbors  and  friends  knew  him  as  a  man  of  worth,  industrious  and 
enterprising,  and  at  all  times  reliable.  He  was  born  in  Hutton,  Yorkshire,  Eng- 
land, December  16,  1832,  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Jane  Martindale,  who  spent 
their  entire  lives  in  England,  as  did  all  their  children  with  the  exception  of 
Thomas  and  Matthew  E.  The  latter  came  to  the  new  world  and  died  in 
Canada. 

Thomas  Martindale  acquired  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Hutton  and 
there  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  under  the  direction  of  his  father.  He  left 
England  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years  in  company  with  his  brother  Matthew 
and  they  sailed  on  the  same  ship  on  which  his  future  wife  was  a  pas-enger. 
Landing  at  New  York,  they  made  their  way  to  Oswego,  New  York,  in  which 
locality  Thomas  Martindale  remained  for  about  three  weeks  but  could  not  se- 
cure work  and  therefore  went  to  Canada  to  join  his  brother,  who  was  a  shoe- 
maker. He  remained  in  the  Dominion  for  about  two  years,  after  which  he  came 
to  Davenport  and  secured  employment  with  John  Suiter,  an  Englishman,  who 
was  conducting  a  blacksmith  shop.  For  a  year  Mr.  Martindale  remained  in  his 
employ,  after  which  he  was  married  and  removed  to  a  farm  at  Slopertown, 
about  seven  miles  from  Davenport.  He  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  only 
partially  improved  but  at  once  started  to  break  the  prairie  with  ox-teams  and 
soon  the  track  of  the  plow  was  seen  across  his  fields,  indicating  that  the  work 
of  improvement  had  been  begun.  Later  they  removed  to  a  farm  of  eighty  acres, 
which  they  rented  about  three  miles  from  Davenport,  and  subsequently  took  up 


312  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

their  abode  in  the  city,  where  Mr.  Martindale  secured  work  at  his. trade.  In 
1863  they  removed  to  Long  Grove  and  purchased  the  tract  of  land  of  four 
acres  upon  which  Mrs.  Martindale  now  resides.  There  was  an  old  black- 
smith shop  on  the  place  and  a  house  had  also  been  built  but  it  has  since  been 
greatly  enlarged  and  improved,  Mr.  Martindale  at  once  began  work  in  the 
shop  and  continued  to  work  at  his  trade  for  about  thirty-eight  years.  In  1900 
he  built  a  new  shop  and  he  continued  actively  in  business  until  1902,  after  which 
he  practically  retired.  He  secured  the  diploma  and  first  prize  at  the  Mount 
Joy  fair  in  1900  for  having  the  best  shod  horse.  He  was  always  regarded  as  an 
expert  workman  in  his  line  and  because  of  this  and  his  honorable  business 
methods  he  was  accorded  a  liberal  patronage  and  made  a  good  living. 

On  the  26th  of  March,  1857,  Mr.  Martindale  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Mary  A.  Barnby,  who  survives  him.  They  became  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  namely;  Mary  Jane,  the  eldest,  is  the  wife  of  David  Hardie,  of  Pier- 
son,  Woodbury  county,  Iowa.  They  have  three  children,  Clara,  Ethel  and 
Jeneva.  Anna  Elizabeth  became  the  wife  of  Samuel  Dennett  and  died  leaving 
one  son,  LeRoy.  Minnie  M.  is  the  wife  of  George  Curtis,  of  Long  Grove,  who 
is  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  work.  They  have  seven  children,  Raymond,  Bes- 
sie, LeRoy,  Edith,  Harold,  Margaret  and  Robert.  John  W.  died  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  months.  Thomas  is  also  deceased.  Albert  W.  is  a  resident  of  An- 
ders, Nebraska.  He  wedded  Libbie  Riley  and  they  have  seven  children,  Melvin, 
Lester,  Esther,  Ruth,  Thomas,  Aline  and  Alice,  the  last  two  being  twins.  Ira 
George  Martindale  is  still  at  home. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Martindale,  which  occurred  February  8,  19 10,  was  occa- 
sioned by  a  paralytic  stroke,  and  he  was  laid  to  rest  in  Long  Grove  cemetery. 
His  residence  in  the  county,  covering  more  than  a  half  century,  made  him  famil- 
iar with  the  records  and  events  which  are  to  others  a  matter  of  history  but  were 
to  him  matters  of  personal  knowledge  or  experience.  He  could  relate  many 
interesting  incidents  of  the  early  days  and  his  reminiscences  often  had  to  do 
with  events  that  figured  in  the  history  of  the  county.  He  was  widely  known 
and  respected  and  there  was  much  that  was  commendable  in  his  active  and  well 
spent  life. 


C.  R.  SPINK. 


Prominent  among  Davenport's  builders  is  C.  R.  Spink,  who  occupies  a  posi- 
tion of  distinction  as  one  of  the  leading  architects  of  the  city.  Prompted  by 
laudable  ambition,  his  enterprise  augmented  by  thorough  practical  training,  he 
has  so  utilized  his  talents  and  directed  his  efforts  that  success  has  followed  and 
at  the  same  time  the  public  has  been  a  large  indirect  beneficiary,  in  that  his 
labors  have  added  much  to  the  improvement  and  adornment  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Spink  was  born  in  Davenport,  August  8,  1869.  His  father,  Henry  Spink, 
was  a  native  of  Hull,  England,  and  crossing  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States 
in  1849,  established  his  home  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  where  he  lived  for  two 
years.     In  1851  he  removed  to  Davenport,  where  he  made  his  home  until  1897. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  313 

He  was  a  painter  by  trade  and  although  a  man  who  never  sought  to  figure  promi- 
nently in  public  life,  yet  commanded  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  friends 
and  neighbors  by  fidelity  to  honorable,  upright  principles.  His  wife,  who  bore 
the  maiden  name  of  Emily  Rebecca  Godwin,  was  a  native  of  London,  England. 

C.  R.  Spink  at  the  usual  age  entered  the  public  schools  and  when  his  more 
specifically  literary  course  was  completed  he  studied  architecture  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Illinois,  from  which  institution  he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of 
1901.  After  spending  a  year  in  the  offices  of  leading  architects  in  Chicago,  he 
returned  to  his  native  city  and  entered  upon  the  active  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion. He  thoroughly  qualified  for  this  business  by  learning  the  carpenter's 
and  machinist's  trades,  acquainting  himself  with  both  the  theory  and  practice 
His  ability  is  pronounced  and  has  won  for  him  a  success  which  is  most  de- 
sirable and  practical.  He  has  erected  many  of  the  most  beautiful  homes  of  Dav- 
enport, including  the  palatial  residence  of  W.  P.  Bettendorf.  His  handiwork 
is  seen  in  many  buildings  of  a  public  character  and  as  an  architect  and  builder 
he  occupies  a  prominent  position. 

On  the  26th  of  December,  1906,  Mr.  Spink  was  married  to  Miss  Harriet 
Dennis,  a  native  of  Princeton,  Scott  county,  Iowa,  and  a  daughter  of  J.  D.  Den- 
nis of  that  place.  They  now  have  one  child,  Harriet  Elizabeth,  who  was  born 
December  8,   1908. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Spink  is  an  Odd  Fellow  and  is  also  connected 
with  the  Woodmen  of  the  World.  He  enjoys  the  companionship  of  a  large 
circle  of  friends  but  allows  no  outside  interest  to  interfere  with  the  faithful  exe- 
cution of  his  contracts  in  the  conduct  of  a  business  which  has  constantly  de- 
veloped in  extent  and  importance. 


JOHN  G.  DUTCHER. 


John  G.  Dutcher  is  a  worthy  representative  of  one  of  the  oldest  and  most 
prominent  families  of  Scott  county  and  has  been  identified  with  its  farming  in- 
terests throughout  a  long  period.  The  family  originated  in  Holland,  whence 
the  first  of  the  name  emigrated  to  New  York  in  1632.  There  are  still  many  of 
the  name  living  in  and  near  Otsego  county,  that  state,  and  a  number  are  promi- 
nent representatives  of  the  various  professions.  There  is  in  possession  of  the 
Dutcher  family  a  will  signed  by  Ruloof  Dutcher,  bearing  date  January  17,  1736, 
and  also  copies  of  land  transfers  as  far  back  as  the  year  1757. 

John  G.  Dutcher  of  this  review  was  born  in  Otsego  county.  New  York, 
in  1846,  a  son  of  D.  C.  and  Laney  E.  (Wagner)  Dutcher,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  the  same  place,  the  former  born  in  November,  1830,  and  the  latter 
in  August,  1832.  The  parents  journeyed  west  in  December,  1854,  first  settling 
in  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  where  they  spent  a  few  years,  while  in  April,  1858,  they 
continued  their  journey  just  across  the  state  line  into  Scott  county,  Iowa.  Here 
the  father  purchased  a  tract  of  land,  which  is  now  owned  by  two  of  his 
sons. 


314  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

John  G.  Dutcher  was  a  little  lad  of  eight  years  when  he  was  brought  from 
his  native  state  to  the  west  and  was  twelve  3'ears  of  age  when  the  family  home 
was  established  in  Scott  county.  He  was  educated  in  the  distiict  schools  of  Buf- 
falo township  and  completed  his  studies  in  a  business  college  of  Davenport.  Dur- 
ing the  periods  of  vacation  he  was  trained  in  the  duties  that  usually  fall  to  the 
farm  lad  and  thus  as  his  age  and  strength  increased  he  became  more  and  more 
familiar  with  the  methods  of  agriculture.  After  putting  aside  his  text-books  he 
took  entire  charge  of  the  home  farm  for  his  father,  who  was  an  invalid,  and  the 
place  is  now  owned  by  himself  and  his  brother  J.  E.  They  likewise  own  large 
tracts  of  timber  land  in  Arkansas  and  farm  lands  in  various  other  sections. 
For  many  years  Mr.  Dutcher  was  busily  employed  at  farm  labor  but  is  now 
leaving  the  active  work  to  others,  while  he  merely  superintends  his  invested  in- 
terests. His  excellent  business  ability  has  been  manifest  in  many  ways  and 
today  he  is  classed  with  the  representative  and  substantial  residents  of  Scott 
county.  In  addition  to  his  landed  possessions  he  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the 
Savings  Bank  at  Buffalo,  of  which  he  is  acting  as  vice  president. 

Mr.  Dutcher  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Josephine  Marsdorph,  who  still 
survives.  He  is  a  democrat  in  his  political  views  and  in  1892  was  elected  .to 
the  board  of  county  supervisors,  serving  six  years,  while  in  1906  he  was  once 
more  elected  and  is  now  serving  his  second  term.  He  is  a  Mason,  belonging  to 
lodge  No.  37,  at  Davenport;  to  Banner  Lodge,  No.  16,  Knights  of  Pythias  at 
Buffalo;  Davenport  Lodge,  No.  7,  I.  O.  O.  F. ;  and  to  the  Woodmen  of  the 
World. 

J.  E.  Dutcher,  the  brother,  makes  his  home  on  the  same  farm  and  together 
they  are  managing  their  extensive  interests.  He  wedded  Miss  Mary  Mitch,  a 
daughter  of  Frederick  Mitch,  of  Peoria,  Illinois.  Their  union  has  been  blessed 
with  one  son  and  two  daughters:  Charles  E.,  who  operates  the  farm  for  his 
father  and  uncle;  Nancy,  the  wife  of  Richard  Tarbit,  of  Syracuse,  New  York; 
and  Laney,  at  home. 


AUGUST  F.  MARTZAHN. 

August  F.  Martzahn,  the  president  and  manager  of  the  Davenport  Slaughter 
&  Rendering  Company,  is  one  of  the  prosperous  citizens  of  this  city,  which  was 
his  birthplace  and  has  since  been  his  home.  His  father,  Fred  Martzahn,  was 
born  in  Mecklenburg,  Germany,  and  with  his  parents  came  to  this  country 
when  a  young  man.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  after  landing  at  New 
Orleans  made  his  way  slowly  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  Scott  county,  where 
the  family  were  numbered  among  the  early  German  settlers.  Fred  Martzahn 
took  an  active  part  in  local  affairs  of  Scott  county  and,  feeling  in  sympathy  with 
the  views  advocated  by  Lincoln  and  having  come  under  the  spell  of  his  per- 
sonality, exerted  great  influence  in  the  campaign  preceding  the  election  of  the 
martyred  president.  He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Beyer  and  of  their  union  were 
born  six  children:  Emma,  August  F.,  Amelia,  Frank,  Ella  and  Dora.  Amelia 
has  passed  away  and  Frank  is  a  dairyman  in  Davenport. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  315 

It  was  on  the  26th  of  January,  1861,  that  August  F.  Martzahn  was  born. 
He  attended  the  common  schools  of  Davenport  and  also  received  a  good  busi- 
ness training.  After  his  school  days  were  over  he  learned  the  butcher's  trade, 
to  which  he  has  since  devoted  his  energies  for  the  last  thirty-three  years.  He 
was  but  eighteen  years  of  age  when  he  opened  his  first  shop  at  1701  West  Third 
street.  It  was  very  small  and  Mr.  Martzahn  himself  waited  upon  his  custo- 
mers. Later  as  he  attained  success  and  saw  opportunity,  he  organized  the  pres- 
ent company,  being  the  sole  owner  at  the  beginning,  but  later  he  made  it  a  stock 
concern,  himself  holding  the  position  of  president  and  general  manager.  It 
is  the  only  firm  of  its  kind  in  the  city  of  Davenport  and  is  one  of  the  large 
houses  in  this  section  of  the  state.  The  plant  has  a  capacity  of  twenty-five  head 
of  cattle,  thirty  hogs  and  ten  calves,  the  company  makes  a  specialty  of  rendering 
and  dealing  in  hides.  In  the  ten  years  of  its  existence  it  has  become  one  of  the 
substantial  and  profitable  business  houses  here  for  it  has  been  operated  upon 
sound  principles  and  the  quality  of  their  goods  has  secured  the  trade  of  a  large 
percentage  of  the  population. 

On  the  i6th  of  October,  1884,  Mr.  Martzahn  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Minnie  Schmidt,  a  daughter  of  Carl  and  Sophia  (Moeller)  Schmidt.  One 
son,  Carl,  has  been  born  to  them.  He  completed  the  course  of  study  in  the 
grammar  schools,  was  graduated  from  the  high  school  and  then  attended  Brown 
College.  He  is  now  a  bookkeeper  in  the  employ  of  the  government,  working  at 
the  Arsenal.  Mr.  Martzahn  belongs  to  several  of  the  Masonic  bodies  here  and 
is  also  a  member  of  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles.  He  occupies  a  comfortable 
home  at  1620  West  Third  street,  where  he  is  most  hospitable  in  entertaining  his 
many ,  friends. 


JOHN  SCHLICHTING. 


John  Schlichting,  who  with  good  results  has  tilled  his  farm  in  Liberty  town- 
ship, was  born  thereon  December  i,  1874,  a  son  of  John  and  Anna  (Stark) 
Schlichting,  who  were  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  the  former  February  14, 
1830,  and  the  latter  August  i,  1833.  They  came  to  the  United  States  in  June, 
1865  and  made  their  way  to  Scott  county  and  were  married  in  Davenport.  For 
the  first  year  after  his  arrival  Mr.  Schlichting  worked  as  a  laborer  in  the  city, 
but  the  following  spring  engaged  in  farming  for  himself  near  Plainview.  Later 
he  came  to  Liberty  township,  where  he  bought  the  place  on  which  his  son  John 
is  now  residing.  It  remained  his  home  until  the  spring  of  1894,  when,  having 
reaped  large  harvests  and  secured  a  generous  income,  he  retired  from  active 
life  and  moved  to  New  Liberty.  There  his  death  occurred  December  30,  1901. 
His  wife  survived  him  several  years,  or  until  February  20,  1907,  when  she  also 
passed  away.  Mr.  Schlichting  had  come  here  a  poor  man,  but  through  indus- 
try and  frugality  had  secured  not  only  the  farm  previously  mentioned  but  an- 
other tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  just  north  of  the  village  of  New 
Liberty,  and  a  third  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Cedar  county. 
Three  children  were  born  to  him  and  his  wife:     Mrs.  Ida  Hensen,  who  is  a 


316  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

widow  living  in  Walcott;  Dora,  who  is  the  wife  of  Gus  Lamp,  of  New  Liberty; 
and  John,  who  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

John  Schlichting  was  reared  upon  the  farm  he  now  occupies,  and  here  has 
always  made  his  home.  He  attended  the  district  schools  of  Liberty  township, 
in  which  he  derived  a  fair  training  in  the  rudimentary  branches  of  English  edu- 
cation. From  his  childhood  days  he  did  his  full  share  of  the  chores  and  work 
upon  the  farm  and  as  soon  as  he  was  able  assisted  in  the  tilling  of  the  fields. 
When  his  father  desired  to  retire  from  active  life  he  was  entrusted  with  the 
operation  of  the  home  place,  which  is  a  tract  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres 
lying  upon  section  30.  Mr.  Schlichting,  Sr.,  had  already  put  in  the  greater 
number  of  improvements,  but  these  have  been  increased  in  the  years  of  his 
son's  occupation,  and  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  has  also  been  improved,  so  that 
the  place  is  one  of  the  valuable  farm  properties  in  Liberty  township. 

It  was  November  20,  1901,  that  Mr.  Schlichting  was  married  to  Miss  Ma- 
tilda Misfeldt,  who  was  born  in  Butler  township,  Scott  county.  May  12,  1882, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Fred  and  Catherine  (Koch)  Misfeldt,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Holstein,  Germany.  They  came  to  America  in  1865,  taking  up  their 
residence  in  this  county,  where  Mr.  Misfeldt  engaged  in  farming.  He  won  a 
well  deserved  success  and  passed  away  September  19,  1908,  at  sixty-eight  years 
of  age,  for  he  was  born  January  22,  1840.  His  widow  now  resides  in  New  Lib- 
erty. Three  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  Schlichting  and  his  wife,  Ella  Anna 
Catherine,  Elmer  Fredrich,  Johann  and  Lawrence  John  Henry.  Mr.  Schlich- 
ting is  one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  his  locality,  winning  a  large  return  in  his 
cultivation  of  the  fields  and  enjoying  the  respect  of  his  fellow  citizens. 


CHRIS  TOERRING. 


Chris  Toerring,  now  deceased,  well  deserves  mention  among  those  whose 
labors  have  constituted  a  source  of  the  city's  pride  and  improvement,  for  as  one 
of  the  park  commissioners  he  did  for  Davenport  a  work  the  value  of  which  can- 
not be  overestimated.  He  stood  at  all  times  for  that  which  is  best  in  civic  af- 
fairs and  was  one  of  the  most  efficient  officers  that  Davenport  has  ever  had. 
As  the  name  indicates,  he  was  a  representative  of  the  Danish  race,  which  has 
furnished  to  Iowa  a  proportion  of  its  worthy  residents.  He  was  a  native  of 
Denmark  and  when  he  had  acquired  a  good  practical  education  in  the  schools 
of  his  native  country  he  obtained  business  experience  along  mercantile  lines  there. 
In  the  year  1861  he  came  to  America,  attracted  by  the  broader  opportunities 
offered  on  this  side  the  Atlantic.  The  tales  which  he  heard  proved  so  enticing 
that  he  resolved  that  he  would  benefit  by  the  advantages  here  offered  and  yet 
he  was  not  deceived  by  any  false  hope  of  gaining  wealth  without  labor.  He 
accepted  a  position  with  the  Jens  Lorenzen  Crockery  Company,  with  which  he 
remained  for  four  years,  and  then  became  connected  with  the  dry-goods  busi- 
ness as  a  salesman  in  the  employ  of  the  firm  of  Herzberg  &  Company.  In  1867 
he  purchased  the  store  of  Otto  Klug,  Sr.,  an  establishment  that  stood  on  the 
present  site  of  the  store  occupied  by  Silberstein  Brothers. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  319 

In  the  same  year  Mr.  Toerring  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Dorothea 
Burmeister,  of  this  city,  who  still  survives  him.  They  never  had  any  children  of 
their  own  but  adopted  two  nephews,  sons-of  his  brother,  and  to  these  two  boys, 
Frederick,  of  St.  Louis,  and  Chris,  of  Philadelphia,  they  gave  all  the  care,  love 
and  attention  that  would  have  been  bestowed  upon  children  of  their  own. 

Mr.  Toerring  was  a  prominent  Mason,  his  membership  being  in  Fraternal 
Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  which  he  was  honored  with  all  of  the  offices,  includ- 
ing that  of  master.  He  likewise  belonged  to  the  Davenport  Turngemeinde  and 
for  a  number  of  years  held  the  office  of  first  speaker  of  that  soci^ety.  He  was 
also  a  member  of  the  Schuetzen  Society  of  Davenport.  It  was  in  his  connection 
with  municipal  affairs,  however,  that  he  was  most  prominently  known  and  his 
course  was  characterized  by  such  loyalty  and  practical  service  that  it  won  for 
him  the  honor  and  respect  of  all.  From  1871  until  1875  he  held  the  office  of 
city  treasurer.  On  the  organization  of  the  park  commission  he  became  one  of 
its  members  and  it  was  in  this  connection  that  he  did  his  greatest  work  for 
Davenport,  devoting  much  of  his  time  to  the  establishment  and  beautifying  of 
the  public  parks.  He  saw  what  might  be  accomplished  along  those  lines  and 
with  high  ideals  labored  to  improve  the  park  system  in  such  a  manner  that  it 
would  remain  for  years  to  come  as  the  most  attractive  feature  of  the  municipal 
life.  The  death  of  Mr.  Toerring  occurred  in  1898.  He  had  never  had  occasion 
to  regret  his  determination  to  seek  a  home  in  the  new  world,  for  here  he  had 
not  only  found  improved  and  good  business  opportunities  but  had  also  gained  a 
large  circle  of  warm  friends  that  made  his  residence  here  of  a  most  pleasant 
character. 


JOHN  GRANT  ROBERTSON. 

The  student  of  history  cannot  carry  his  investigations  far  into  the  records  of 
Scott  county  without  learning  that  the  Robertsons  have  long  been  a  well  known 
and  honored  family  here.  In  1844  a  colony  of  Scotchmen,  headed  by  Mrs. 
Robertson,  a  grandmother  of  him  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  left  their 
old  homes  on  the  banks  of  the  Clyde  and  started  for  America.  In  the  party 
were  four  families,  the  Robertsons,  John  Pollock  and  his  family,  John  Grieve 
and  his  family,  and  H.  M.  Thomson  and  his  family.  Mrs.  Robertson  was  ac- 
companied by  her  son  John,  the  father  of  our  subject,  and  four  daughters,  who 
were  respectively  the  wives  of  the  three  gentlemen  mentioned  above.  It  was  the 
custom  then  in  Scotland  to  bind  the  younger  members  of  the  family  out  as  ap- 
prentices, and  in  order  to  keep  her  children  all  together  Mrs.  Robertson  planned 
the  emigration  to  the  new  world.  They  sailed  for  New  Orleans,  thence  made 
their  way  up  the  Mississippi  river  and  landed  at  Long  Grove,  Scott  county, 
Iowa,  where  each  family  took  up  forty  acres  of  prairie  land  that  up  to  that  time 
had  always  been  in  possession  of  the  government.  This  was  two  years  before 
the  admission  of  the  state  into  the  Union. 

John  Robertson,  the  father  of  John  Grant  Robertson,  lived  with  Mr.  Pol- 
lock until  he  was  married,  on  the  22d  of  December,  1849,  to  Miss  Mary  Ann 
Neal.     He  and  his  bride  then  took  up  their  abode  in  the  house  which  he  had 


320  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

built  and  he  added  to  his  original  forty  acres,  buying  other  land  as  his  financial 
resources  afforded  until  he  became  the  owner  of  a  good  farm,  well  improved. 
Within  the  boundaries  of  the  place  were  comprised  one  hundred  and  forty  acres, 
to  the  further  cultivation  of  which  he  earnestly  devoted  his  efforts  so  that  rich 
crops  were  annually  gathered.  The  farm  is  still  the  property  of  his  widow  and 
is  now  being  operated  by  his  son  and  namesake.  John  Robertson  was  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Scotland.  On  coming  to  this  county  they  found 
that  there  was  no  congregation  of  the  denomination  in  their  neighborhood  and 
he  was  one  of  those  who  organized  a  little  church  which  held  its  services  in  the 
schoolhouse  or  in  different  private  homes.  He  always  remained  loyal  to  his 
belief,  and  it  was  characteristic  of  Mr.  Robertson  that  he  was  ever  a  firm  de- 
fender of  the  right  as  he  understood  it.  He  served  as  school  director  and  in 
other  local  offices,  but  his  time  and  energies  were  mostly  given  to  general  farm- 
ing. His  wife  was  born  about  seven  miles  from  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  April 
4,  1824,  and  was  a  daughter  of  William  and  Elizabeth  Neal.  Her  father  was  a 
stone-mason  by  trade  and  followed  that  pursuit  in  Scotland  until  1832,  when 
with  his  family  he  sailed  for  the  new  world,  landing  at  Montreal,  Canada.  They 
lived  in  several  places  in  that  country  but  the  father  died  soon  after  coming  to 
the  new  world.  Her  brother,  who  was  also  a  stone-mason  by  trade,  then  took 
charge  of  the  family  and  in  1847  they  came  to  Long  Grove,  Iowa,  where  Mrs. 
Robertson  has  since  made  her  home.  She  is  now  living  with  her  son  William 
M.,  a  prosperous  farmer  and  stockman  of  Winfield  township.  She  is  the  mother 
of  eight  children:  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Robert  Johnson,  of  Long  Grove,  by 
whom  she  has  two  children,  Anna  and  Grant ;  Jennie,  who  is  the  wife  of  Andrew 
Thompson,  of  Nebraska,  and  has  three  children,  Mary,  Myrtle  and  John;  John, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  two  years;  James,  of  Davenport,  who  married  Eliza- 
beth Gilmore  and  has  five  children.  Bertha,  Ollie,  Mary,  Harry  and  Daisy ;  Anna, 
who  lives  with  her  mother  and  is  the  wife  of  Frank  O'Conner,  their  children 
being  four  in  number,  Frank,  John,  Charles  and  Roderic ;  WilHam  M.,  a  farmer 
and  stockman,  of  Winfield  township,  who  owns  and  cultivates  one  hundred  and 
ten  acres  of  fine  farm  land  and  makes  a  specialty  of  raising  Poland  China  hogs ; 
John  Grant,  of  this  review;  and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 

The  birth  of  John  Grant  Robertson  occurred  January  19,  1870,  on  the  old 
homestead  farm  on  which  he  yet  makes  his  home.  He  is  indebted  to  the  public- 
school  system  of  the  county  for  the  educational  privileges  which  he  enjoyed 
and  to  a  business  college  of  Davenport,  so  that  he  was  thus  well  qualified  for  the 
practical  and  responsible  duties  which  have  devolved  upon  him  since  starting 
in  business.  Since  putting  aside  his  text-books  he  has  continuously  engaged  in 
farming  and,  following  the  father's  retirement,  he  and  his  brother  William  took 
charge  of  the  old  homestead,  which  they  continued  to  cultivate  together  until 
1902,  when  his  brother  William  purchased  his  present  farm,  and  John  G.  Rob- 
ertson has  since  managed  the  home  place  alone:  He  carries  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  makes  a  specialty  of  the  raising  of  shorthorn  cattle  and 
Poland  China  hogs.  He  is  diligent  and  persevering  in  business,  allowing  no 
obstacle  to  bar  his  path  if  it  can  be  overcome  by  earnest  and  persistent  effort. 

On  the  2d  of  April,  1896,  Mr.  Robertson  was  married  to  Miss  Alma  Klop- 
penburg,  a  daughter  of  Herman  and  Elizabeth  Kloppenburg,  who  were  early 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  321 

settlers  of  Butler  township  and  are  now  living  at  Long  Grove.  Upon  their 
former  farm  in  Butler  township  Mrs.  Robertson  was  born  and  reared.  She  has 
become  the  mother  of  three  children :  Winnie,  Earl  and  Lucille,  all  at  home. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robertson  are  consistent  members  of  the  Christian 
church  of  Long  Grove  and  take  an  active  and  helpful  part  in  its  work.  Mr.  Rob- 
ertson has  served  as  deacon  and  was  also  church  treasurer.  He  filled  the  office 
of  school  director  for  a  number  of  years  and  the  cause  of  education  finds  in 
him  a  stalwart  champion.  He  belongs  to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, his  membership  being  in  the  lodge  at  Long  Grove,  of  which  he  has  served 
as  secretary  and  in  other  offices.  He  also  belongs  to  Grove  Camp,  No.  6197, 
M.  W.  A.,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Court  of  Honor  of 
Long  Grove.  They  are  highly  esteemed  in  these  different  organizations  and 
have  an  extensive  circle  of  friends  throughout  the  county,  winning  the  regard 
which  is  ever  accorded  in  recognition  of  sterling  worth  and  upright  principles. 


JOHN  LENSCH. 


It  seems  to  have  been  the  fate  of  Holstein,  Germany  to  have  lost  more  than 
her  share  of  good  citizens  to  the  United  States  and  among  this  number  is  John 
Lensch,  one  of  Scott  county's  pioneers.  He  was  born  January  29,  1835,  his 
parents  being  Claus  and  Magdalina  Lensch,  both  of  whom  lived  and  died  in 
the  fatherland.  His,  school  days  were  passed  in  Germany  and  even  before  he 
severed  home  ties  he  had  some  practical  training  as  a  farmer. 

In  1857  when  a  very  little  past  his  majority  Mr.  Lensch  became  imbued 
with  the  prevalent  idea  that  greater  opportunity  awaited  him  across  the  water 
and  he  took  passage  for  America,  landing  in  New  York  and  coming  from  that 
city  to  Davenport.  His  first  employment  was  in  a  brickyard,  but  country  life, 
which  he  had  previously  enjoyed,  appealing  to  him,  he  secured  work  on  a  farm 
and  subsequently  rented  land  in  Lincoln  township  which  he  managed  on  his 
own  account.  In  1862  he  became  one  of  Scott  county's  property  holders  through 
the  purchase  of  eighty  acres  of  improved  land.  After  about  two  years  he  sold 
that  place  and  bought  another  eighty  acres  in  Lincoln  township,  upon  which  he 
made  his  home  for  ten  years.  Again  Mr.  Lensch  disposed  of  his  land  and  be- 
came the  proprietor  of  a  larger  tract  of  two  hundred  acres  in  Sheridan  town- 
ship, near  the  town  of  Eldridge.  There  he  and  his  family  made  their  home  for 
the  twenty  years  between  1876  and  1896,  but  at  the  end  of  this  time  he  decided 
to  give  up  active  life  and  retire  to  enjoy  a  greater  leisure  than  the  preceding 
years  had  permitted  him.  He  was  then  among  Scott  county's  considerable  prop- 
erty holders,  owning  four  hundred  acres  of  splendid  land. 

The  joyous  Christmas-tide  has  an  unusual  significance  for  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lensch  for  it  was  upon  that  day  in  1865  that  they  united  their  hands  and  for- 
tunes in  marriage.  Mrs.  Lensch  was  before  her  marriage  Miss  Dora  Schnor, 
a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  Schnor,  German  citizens  who  lived  through- 
out life  in  their  native  country.  Mrs.  Lensch  who  was  born  September  20, 
1832,  came  to  America  alone  in  1865 — the  year  of  her  marriage.    The  following 


322  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

six  children  were  born  of  this  union:  Mollie,  Laura,  Matie  and  Hattie,  all  de- 
ceased; Gustav,  of  Sheridan  township,  who  married  Meta  Misfeldt  and  is  the 
father  of  four  children,  Nora,  Lettie,  Anna,  and  John;  and  John,  a  resident  of 
Sheridan  township,  who  married  Clara  Brockmann  and  has  five  children,  Mar- 
tha, Amiel,  Leona,  Raymond  and  Edna.  It  is  thus  apparent  that  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lensch  are  abundantly  entitled  to  the  pleasant  roles  of  grandfather  and  grand- 
mother. 

The  fact  that  Mr.  Lensch  has  abandoned  the  strenuous  life  of  an  active  agri- 
culturist is  by  no  means  indicative  that  he  is  no  longer  a  real  factor  in  the  life 
of  his  community.  Taking  a  keen  and  intelligent  interest  in  public  affairs  and  a 
student  of  those  questions  which  pertain  to  the  acquisition  of  the  greatest  good 
for  the  greatest  number,  he  constitutes  in  himself  an  admirable  citizen,  as  well 
as  one  to  whom  consideration  is  due  for  his  past  progressive  agricultural  achieve- 
ments. 


LORENZO  SCHRICKER. 

In  a  review  of  Davenport's  history  it  becomes  evident  that  Lorenzo  Schricker 
deserves  mention  among  those  who  were  her  builders  and  promoters.  Taking 
advantage  of  the  natural  resources  offered  by  the  country,  he  planned  and  pro- 
moted business  enterprises  of  far-reaching  effect  and  benefit.  With  keen  in- 
sight he  foresaw  the  possibilities  of  trade,  utilized  the  opportunities  which  were 
afforded  by  existing  conditions  and  as  the  years  passed  on  developed  and  ex- 
panded his  commercial  and  manufacturing  interests  until  he  occupied  a  conspic- 
uous place  among  the  leading  lumbermen  of  the  middle  west  and  also  in  finan- 
cial and  other  business  circles  into  which  he  directed  his  energies.  Many  impor- 
tant  public  and  private  concerns  were  stimulated  by  his  activities  and  he  stood 
as  a  high  type  of  the  business  man  whose  record  is  conclusive  proof  of  the  fact 
that  success  and  an  honored  name  may  be  won  simultaneously. 

From  the  days  of  his  early  manhood  the  life  of  Lorenzo  Schricker  was  one 
of  hard  work,  of  close  application  and  of  intense  energy.  He  was  born  Novem- 
ber 12,  1825,  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  a  son  of  Christian  and  Eva  Schricker.  He 
attended  school  at  Weisdorf,  later  the  polytechnic  school  of  Nuremberg  and 
completed  his  education  in  the  School  of  Agriculture  and  Industry  at  Hof.  He 
afterward  served  a  four  years'  apprenticeship  in  a  dry-goods  store  and  later  was 
engaged  as  bookkeeper  by  a  railroad  company  at  a  salary  of  twelve  dollars  per 
month.  When  he  was  but  nineteen  years  of  age  he  took  a  contract  to  build  a 
railroad  and  thus  in  early  manhood  he  gave  proof  of  the  elemental  strength  of 
his  character,  which  was  to  carry  him  into  important  relations  in  later  years. 

America — the  land  of  promise — attracted  him.  Hearing  and  heeding  the 
call  of  the  western  world,  he  sailed  for  the  United  States  in  the  spring  of  1848 
and,  settling  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  there  engaged  in  the  confectionery  business 
until  the  succeeding  fall,  when  he  removed  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  the  dry-goods  trade  until  the  fall  of  1849.  He  then  returned  to  Germany  and 
upon  again  coming  to  America  was  accompanied  by  his  mother,  three  sisters  and 
a  brother,  his  father  having  previously  joined  him  in  St.  Louis.    The  year  1850 


iP^'^''  y^ 


^^i,^  if^^e^l^^^ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  325 

witnessed  the  arrival  of  Lorenzo  Schricker  in  Davenport.  He  became  con- 
nected with  the  commercial  interests  of  the  city  as  the  senior  partner  of  the  firm 
of  Schricker  &  Uibeleisen,  proprietors  of  a  general  store.  The  following  year 
he  entered  into  partnership  in  the  same  line  of  business  with  his  brother-in-law, 
John  Schmidt,  and  when  that  association  was  dissolved  he  established  a  store  of 
his  own  and  also  entered  the  field  of  banking.  Every  undertaking  was  crowned 
with  success,  for  he  appHed  himself  with  untiring  energy  to  the  management  and 
control  of  his  business  interests  and  won  public  confidence  and  patronage 
through  the  most  honorable  business  methods.  His  fellow  townsmen  in  1858 
elected  him  city  treasurer — the  only  public  office  he  ever  held — and  after  two 
years'  service  he  retired  from  the  position.  In  1864  he  formed  a  partnership 
with  L.  C.  Dessaint  in  the  business  of  lumber  manufacturing,  the  firm  purchas- 
ing the  mill  at  the  foot  of  Scott  street.  In  1868  Mr.  Dessaint  was  succeeded  by 
Christian  Mueller  and  the  firm  of  Schricker  &  Mueller  was  in  existence  until 
the  death  of  the  senior  partner.  Mr.  Schricker  became  widely  known  as  a  rep- 
resentative of  the  lumber  industry  of  the  middle  west.  Noting  and  utilizing 
opportunities  which  others  passed  by  heedlessly,  his  trade  interests  expanded  to 
mammoth  proportions  and  he  came  to  be  recognized  as  an  authority  upon  ques- 
tions of  moment  to  lumbermen.  He  was  the  originator  of  the  lumber  manufac- 
turers' combinations  in  the  logging  business  on  the  Mississippi  river.  Previous 
to  1870  the  manufacturers  bought  their  log  supplies  as  best  they  could — every 
man  for  himself — at  the  mouths  of  the  Black,  Wisconsin,  Chippewa  and  St. 
Croix  rivers.  Mr.  Schricker,  in  company  with  Mr.  Weyerhauser,  of  Rock  Is- 
land, spent  two  years  in  conjointly  purchasing  extensive  supplies  and  found  their 
cooperation  so  profitable  that  they  easily  induced  other  sawmill  proprietors  in 
the  three  cities  to  unite  with  them.  The  result  was  the  organization  of  the 
Upper  Mississippi  Logging  Company  in  1871,  at  a  meeting  of  the  manufacturers 
held  at  the  old  Burtis  House  in  Davenport,  with  Mr.  Schricker  as  president  of 
the  company.  The  great  logging  works  at  Beef  Slough  were  built  by  this  asso- 
ciation. Lumber  interests  received  added  stimulus  and  impetus  from  this  organ- 
ization, with  which  Mr.  Schricker  continued  until  1874,  when  he  withdrew  in 
order  to  devote  his  undivided  time  and  attention  to  the  extensive  tracts  of  pine 
lands  in  Wisconsin,  which  he  had  purchased,  and  to  his  manufacturing  and  finan- 
cial interests  in  Davenport.  In  1864  he  had  become  an  active  factor  in  banking 
circles  in  this  city,  being  a  stockholder  and  director  in  several  banks  and  also 
vice  president  of  the  First  National  Bank  for  years.  The  most  of  his  time  for 
six  years  previous  to  his  death  was  spent  in  the  pineries  of  Wisconsin  and  there 
was  one  period  of  two  years  in  which  he  did  not  pass  a  fortnight  altogether  in 
his  home  at  Davenport.  His  business  methods  were  in  some  respects  unique 
and  peculiar.  He  kept  no  books  but  carried  notes,  agreements,  data  and  every- 
thing pertaining  to  his  private  affairs  in  a  large  wallet  in  his  coat  pocket  and 
thus  at  any  time  he  could  make  immediate  reference  to  a  paper  for  information 
or  if  any  business  matter  was  under  discussion.  One  day,  in  the  heart  of  the 
Chippewa  pineries,  a  prominent  lumberman  met  him  and  as  they  were  traveling 
through  the  woods  the  man  said:  "Mr.  Schricker,  that  note  of  mine  is  a  little 
overdue,  but  I  will  attend  to  it  as  soon  as  I  get  home.  Just  send  me  the  whole 
amount  of  interest  due  when  you  are  back  in  Davenport  and  I  will  pay  the 


326  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

interest  and  principal."  Mr.  Schricker  replied:  "O,  I  can  fix  that  right  here," 
and,  seating  himself  on  a  log,  he  took  out  his  wallet,  selected  the  note,  calculated 
the  interest  to  the  very  day  and  then  and  there  received  the  cEeck  for  the  amount, 
which  the  next  day  was  presented  to  and  paid  at  the  bank  of  Eau  Claire. 

Mr.  Schricker  was  three  times  married.  He  first  wedded  Mary  Hansen. 
Their  children  were:  August,  deceased;  William  E.,  a  banker  at  La  Conner, 
Washington;  Ottilie,  whose  first  husband  was  Major  Steflfen,  later  Steffen 
Pascha,  adjutant  general  to  the  sultan.  He  died  in  Constantinople  and  his 
widow  became  the  wife  of  Admiral  Von  Pietruski,  who  died  in  Pola,  Austria. 
For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Schricker  chose  Sophia  Kahl,  and  their  children  were : 
Richard,  now  in  Davenport;  Laelius,  deceased;  and  Harriet,  whose  husband  was 
a  naval  oflScer,  Korvettenkapitan  Frank  Dvorak,  who  until  recently  resided  in 
Pola,  Austria,  but  is  at  present  living  at  Hietzing,  Vienna,  Austria.  For  his 
third  wife  Mr.  Schricker  chose  Johanna  Matthes.  There  was  only  one  child, 
Selma,  by  that  marriage.  The  mother,  who  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  in 
1841,  died  April  2,  1898.  For  many  years  Mr.  Schricker  resided  with  his  family 
at  No.  714  Farnam  street,  but  for  two  years  previous  to  his  death  he  occupied 
a  palatial  home  on  the  Heights,  just  west  of  the  junction  of  De  Soto  and  Mar- 
quette streets.  He  passed  away  on  the  12th  of  July,  1883,  leaving  a  handsome 
estate,  consisting  of  bank  stock,  notes,  mortgages,  Wisconsin  pine  lands  and  coal 
lands  in  Clearfield  and  Cambria  counties,  Pennsylvania.  Resolutions  of  respect 
and  sympathy  were  passed  by  various  companies  with  which  he  was  connected, 
all  expressive  of  the  deep  regret  felt  at  the  passing  of  Mr.  Schricker.  For  a 
third  of  a  century  he  had  been  a  resident  of  Davenport.  Coming  to  the  city 
during  its  formative  period,  he  introduced  into  its  business  circles  a  progressive 
element  that  bore  fruit  not  only  in  the  attainment  of  personal  success  but  also 
in  the  stimulus  given  to  business  interests  throughout  the  city.  Strong  in  his 
ability  to  plan  and  perform,  strong  in  his  honor  and  good  name,  his  worth  was 
widely  acknowledged.  In  the  contests  which  are  invariably  a  feature  of  business 
life  men  often  bear  the  marks  and  scars  of  the  battle,  but  Mr.  Schricker  stood  in 
his  later  years,  as  he  did  in  his  early  manhood,  for  all  that  was  loyal  in  citizen- 
ship, progressive  and  honorable  in  business  and  straightforward  in  every  trans- 
action. He  was  a  man  of  marked  individuality  and  notable  force  of  character, 
his  strongly  marked  traits  being  such  as  awakened  for  him  the  respect  and  admir- 
ation of  all  and  gained  for  him  the  friendship  of  many. 


MRS.  MARIA  SCHMIDT. 

Among  Davenport's  prominent  citizens  must  be  numbered  Mrs.  Maria 
Schmidt,  who  represents  one  of  the  oldest  and  best  known  German  families  in 
the  city,  and  in  fact  throughout  Scott  county.  She  was  born  in  Germany,  De- 
cember 30,  1847,  her  parents  being  Frederick  and  Elsie  (Brandt)  Weiss,  the 
former  of  whom  was  the  proprietor  of  a  paint  shop  in  that  country.  In  1850 
Mr.  Weiss  brought  his  family  to  America,  landing  at  New  Orleans  and  making 
the  rest  of  the  journey  to  Davenport  up  the  broad  waters  of  the  Mississippi. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  327 

As  soon  as  possible  he  established  himself  in  his  old  business,  his  location  being 
upon  Second  street,  and  he  continued  thus  actively  engaged  until  January  21, 
1879,  when  he  passed  away,  his  wife  having  preceded  him  in  1853.  They  were 
the  parents  of  three  children.  Katherine  is  the  widow  of  Theodore  Petersen 
and  makes  her  home  in  Davenport.  Henry,  the  third  in  order  of  birth,  met  his 
death  while  hunting  in  Scott  county.  May  17,  1867. 

Mrs.  Schmidt  received  her  education  in  the  Davenport  schools  and  grew  to 
womanhood  here.  When  about  twenty-six  years  of  age  she  went  to  California 
and  it  was  while  in  the  west  that  her  marriage  took  place.  The  man  to  whom 
she  gave  her  hand  was  Carl  Theodore  Marx  Schmidt,  their  union  being  cele- 
brated September  20,  1883,  at  Paradise  Valley,  Humboldt  county,  Nevada.  Mr. 
Schmidt  was  a  native  of  Germany,  born  in  Mecklenburg,  August  31,  1844,  and 
he  came  to  the  United  States  after  having  served  the  usual  time  in  the  Ger- 
man army.  After  some  experience  as  a  sailor,  he  went  to  California  in  1865 
and  for  twenty  years  was  employed  in  the  gold  and  silver  mines  of  California 
and  Nevada. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schmidt  continued  to  reside  in  the  far  west  for  a  number  of 
years  after  their  marriage,  but  in  October,  1892,  they  located  in  Davenport  and 
for  about  five  years  he  had  charge  of  the  Davenport  Outing  Club.  He  subse- 
quently had  charge  of  various  buildings  in  the  city,  among  them  being  the  Peter- 
sen. Mr.  Schmidt  was  Lutheran  in  faith  and  fraternally  was  identified  with  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  died  May  18,  1903,  and  was  interred 
in  Fairmont  cemetery. 

Mrs.  Schmidt  is  the  mother  of  two  children.  The  elder,  Carl  F.,  was  born 
in  1884  and  is  now  a  prominent  plumber,  his  business  being  located  at  the  corner 
of  Twenty-Second  and  Brown  streets.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna 
Deher,  and  they  have  a  daughter,  Louise  Marie.  The  younger  son,  Theodore 
George,  was  born  February  5,  1888,  and  lives  at  home.  The  brothers  are  well 
known  and  popular  members  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  belong- 
ing to  Davenport  Lodge,  No.  7.  Not  only  is  Mrs.  Schmidt  a  valuable  member 
of  society,  but  she  has  accomplished  the  even  finer  service  of  motherhood  and 
has  reared  her  sons  to  good  citizenship. 


PETER  STOLTENBERG. 

The  agricultural  interests  of  Scott  county  find  a  worthy  and  successful  repre- 
sentative in  Peter  Stoltenberg,  who  owns  and  operates  a  fine  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  in  Sheridan  township.  His  birth  occurred  in  Holstein, 
Germany,  on  the  12th  of  November,  1854,  his  parents  being  Martin  and  Cather- 
ine Stoltenberg.  About  1863  the  father  embarked  on  the  voyage  to  the  new 
world  with  his  wife  and  children  and  after  landing  at  New  York  made  his  way 
to  Illinois,  where  he  was  actively  engaged  in  the  operation  of  a  rented  farm 
of  eighty  acres  for  about  ten  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  came 
to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  and  here  also  became  identified  with  general  agricultural 
pursuits  as  a  renter.    He  has  continuously  made  his  home  in  this  county  to  the 


328  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

present  time  and  is  now  a  well  known  and  respected  resident  of  Eldridge.  His 
wife  was  called  to  her  final  rest  in  1907,  when  she  had  attained  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-six years.  Their  children  were  five  in  number,  namely:  Lena,  the  widow 
of  Hans  Schneckloth;  Peter,  of  this  review;  Henry,  living  in  Eldridge,  Iowa; 
George,  who  is  a  resident  of  Davenport;  and  Theodore,  of  Sheridan  township. 

Peter  Stoltenberg  began  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land  and 
afterward  continued  his  studies  in  Illinois,  being  a  lad  of  but  nine  years  when 
he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  emigration  to  the  United  States.  After 
putting  aside  his  text-books  he  turned  his  attention  to  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits and  has  since  been  successfully  identified  with  farming  interests,  being 
now  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  rich  and  productive  land  in 
Sheridan  township,  Scott  county,  Iowa.  He  has  a  handsome  and  commodious 
residence  and  the  neat  and  thrifty  appearance  of  his  farm  indicates  the  super- 
vision of  a  practical  and  progressive  owner. 

On  the  7th  of  February,  1885,  Mr.  Stoltenberg  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Emma  Meier,  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Lena  (Weise)  Meier,  who  were 
early  settlers  of  Scott  county.  They  were  natives  of  Hanover  and  Holstein, 
Germany,  respectively.  Henry  Meier,  who  was  brought  to  this  country  by  his 
parents  when  about  ten  years  of  age,  was  the  owner  of  the  present  home  farm 
of  our  subject  before  it  came  into  the  latter's  possession.  He  was  also  promi- 
nent in  public  affairs  and  held  a  number  of  official  positions-  in  Sheridan  town- 
ship, including  that  of  school  director.  He  passed  away  in  1884  when  fifty- 
nine  years  of  age,  while  the  demise  of  his  wife  occurred  in  1906,  when  she 
was  sixty-one  years  old.  They  reared  a  family  of  four  children,  as  follows: 
Mrs.  Stoltenberg;  Henry,  who  resides  at  Long  Grove;  Augusta,  the  wife  of 
August  Lefrantz,  of  Eldridge;  and  Edward,  living  in  Sheridan  township.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Stoltenberg  are  likewise  the  parents  of  four  children,  namely:  Ma- 
linda,  who  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Hinze,  of  Sheridan  township,  and  has  a  son, 
Harold;  and  Viola,  Albert  and  Henry,  all  at  home.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stol- 
tenberg have  a  wide  and  favorable  acquaintance  throughout  the  community,  hav- 
ing ever  displayed  those  sterling  traits  of  character  which  in  every  land  and 
clime  awaken  admiration  and  regard. 


WALTER  M.  BALLUFF. 

Among  the  younger  representatives  of  Davenport's  legal  fraternity  is  num- 
bered Walter  M.  Balluff,  who,  however,  in  the  years  of  his  connection  with  the 
bar  in  this  city  has  made  substantial  progress,  augmenting  his  ability  by  thor- 
ough study  and  research,  and  working  his  way  upward  by  merit.  He  was  born 
in  Scott  county,  September  18,  1880,  a  son  of  August  A.  and  Josephine  E. 
Ballufif,  the  former  a  native  of  this  county  and  the  latter  of  Muscatine  county, 
Iowa. 

Spending  his  boyhood  days  under  the  parental  roof,  Walter  M.  Balluff  pur- 
sued his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Davenport,  continuing  his  studies 
through  consecutive  grades  until  he  was  graduated  from  the  high  school  with 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  329 

the  class  of  1899.  Reflection  concerning  the  business  world  and  the  various  op- 
portunities therein  offered  along  many  lines  of  industrial,  commercial  and  pro- 
fessional activities,  led  him  to  the  determination  to  make  the  practice  of  law 
his  life  work  and  to  this  end  he  entered  the  State  University,  wherein  he  com- 
pleted the  law  course  in  1901.  Following  his  graduation  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  and  for  practical. experience  entered  the  ofBce  of  Cook  &  Dodge,  with 
whom  he  remained  as  assistant  until  1906,  when  he  was  admitted  to  the  firm. 
Since  the  ist  of  June,  1909,  the  firm  has  been  Cook  &  Balluff.  In  no  profes- 
sion does  advancement  depend  more  largely  upon  individual  merit  and  with  the 
realization  of  the  fact  that  his  labor  must  constitute  the  foundation  upon  which 
to  build  success,  he  devotes  himself  with  great  earnestness  to  the  preparation 
of  his  cases  and  in  their  presentation  leaves  no  point  undefended  that  he  can 
fortify  by  the  citation  of  precedent  or  law  principle. 

Mr.  Balluff  in  his  political  allegiance  is  a  democrat,  and  his  social  relations 
are  with  the  Elks  and  the  Knights  of  Columbus. 


WILLIAM  I.  VANDERVEER,  M.  D. 

Dr.  William  I.  Vanderveer,  a  well  known  and  efficient  practitioner  of  Blue 
Grass,  also  figures  prominently  in  the  financial  circles  of  the  city  as  president 
of  the  Blue  Grass  Savings  Bank,  in  which  position  he  has  been  incumbent  since 
its  inception.  His  birth  occurred  in  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois,  on  the  nth  of 
July,  1859,  his  parents  being  John  and  Delilah  (Aikens)  Vanderveer,  both  na- 
tives of  Darke  county,  Ohio,  where  the  former  was  born  in  1823  and  the  latter 
in  1824.  They  came  west  to  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois,  some  time  during  the 
'50s,  locating  on  a  farm  where  they  made  their  home  during  the  remainder  of 
their  Hves. 

In  the  district  schools  of  his  native  county  Dr.  Vanderveer  acquired  a  good 
knowledge  of  the  various  branches  of  English  learffing  and  during  the  periods 
of  vacation  assisted  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm.  Occasionally  he 
was  employed  in  a  store  at  Andalusia,  Illinois,  and  later  benefited  by  study  at 
the  Iowa  State  University,  attending  that  institution  during  the  school  year  of 
1891-92.  The  following  year  he  went  to  St.  Louis  and  entered  the  Homeopathic 
Medical  College  of  Missouri,  from  which  he  was  graduated  on  the  23d  of  March, 
1893.  His  father  had  passed  away  in  November,  1892,  and  therefore,  upon 
leaving  school,  he  returned  home  to  care  for  his  mother.  In  the  fall  of  1894, 
however,  he  came  to  Blue  Grass,  where  he  opened  an  office  for  the  practice  of 
his  profession  and  has  been  thus  engaged  to  the  present  time.  He  is  naturally 
well  fitted  for  his  chosen  life  work,  possessing  those  traits  of  personality  so  nec- 
essary to  the  successful  physician,  while  his  training  has  been  thorough  and 
comprehensive,  and  he  is  ever  extending  his  knowledge  by  broad  reading,  re- 
search and  experience.  He  keeps  in  close  touch  with  what  is  going  on  in  the 
medical  world  and  is  thorough  and  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his  professional 
duties,  fully  realizing  the  obUgations  and  responsibilities  that  rest  upon  him  in 
his  chosen  calling. 


330  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Although  Dr.  Vanderveer  gives  the  greater  portion  of  his  attention  to  his 
profession,  nevertheless  he  has  found  time  to  devote  to  other  Hnes  of  activity 
and  was  the  prime  mover  in  the  organization  of  the  Blue  Grass  Savings  Bank, 
being  elected  its  first  president  in  190 1.  He  has  since  continued  in  that  office, 
in  which  capacity  he  has  manifested  excellent  administrative  ability  and  execu- 
tive control.  The  safe  conservative  policy  which  he  has  inaugurated  commends 
itself  to  the  judgment  of  all  and  has  secured  to  the  bank  with  which  he  is  con- 
nected a  very  extensive  and  representative  patronage  and  has  placed  it  among 
the  reliable  moneyed  institutions  of  the  community. 

It  was  in  1895  that  Dr.  Vanderveer  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Agnes 
Jakeman,  a  daughter  of  Frank  Jakeman,  of  Blue  Grass  township,  and  unto 
this  union  has  been  born  one  son,  Raymond,  whose  birth  occurred  on  the  21st 
of  November,  1901.  Mrs.  Vanderveer  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
and  a  most  estimable  lady,  being  held  in  high  regard  and  esteem  throughout  the 
community. 

The  Doctor  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  republican  party  in  all  na- 
tional matters,  but  where  local  issues  are  at  stake  casts  his  ballot  in  behalf  of 
the  best  man  regardless  of  party  ties.  He  has  never  been  an  aspirant  for  public 
office,  preferring  to  devote  himself  entirely  to  the  conduct  of  business  and  the 
performance  of  professional  duties,  with  the  result  that  today  he  stands  high  in 
the  financial  and  medical  circles  of  the  county,  his  success  being  due  entirely  to 
his  own  unaided  efforts  and  well  directed  energies. 


DIEDRICH  BUSCH. 


Investigation  into  the  history  of  Davenport  indicates  that  the  Teutonic  race 
has  constituted  an  important  element  in  her  citizenship  and  among  the  promi- 
nent representatives  of  the  fatherland  was  Diedrich  Busch,  whose  life  of  well 
directed  labor  and  honesty  in  all  business  connections  won  him  the  unqualified 
respect  and  confidence  of  his  fellowmen.  He  was  born  in  Hamminkeln,  Des- 
seldorf,  Prussia,  February  i,  1827,  and  was  reared  in  a  household  where  the 
parents  realized  that  the  best  thing  they  could  give  their  children  was  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  value  of  industry,  perseverance  and  economy.  He  was  therefore 
taught  to  work  when  a  member  of  his  father's  household  and  was  apprenticed 
to  the  shoemaker's  trade,  which  he  followed  during  the  greater  part  of  his  ac- 
tive life.  He  learned  the  trade  well,  closely  applied  himself  to  the  conduct  of 
the  business,  and  in  turn  it  rendered  him  independent  of  labor  in  his  later  years. 
The  business  opportunities  of  the  fatherland  did  not  appeal  to  his  ambitious 
nature  for  he  believed  that  better  advantages  could  be  found  on  this  side  the 
Atlantic,  and  therefore  in  1853  he  made  arrangements  to  seek  a  home  in  America, 
landing  at  New  York  on  the  3d  of  July.  Soon  afterward  he  made  his  way 
westward  to  Davenport  and  later  returned  to  Germany  in  order  to  bring  his 
parents  to  the  new  world,  for  whom  he  carefully  provided  throughout  the  re- 
mainder of  their  days.    He  again  visited  his  native  land  in  1873. 


^t^' 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  333 

Mr.  Busch  was  married  in  this  country  in  early  manhood  but  his  first  wife 
died  over  forty-six  years  ago,  leaving  a  daughter,  Louise,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  twenty-two  years.  She  was  an  accomplished  artist,  who  painted  largely  in 
oil.  Following  the  demise  of  his  first  wife,  Mr.  Busch  wedded  Miss  Emma 
Balcke,  on  the  19th  of  January,  1866.  She  is  a  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Henry 
Balcke,  at  one  time  a  prominent  minister  of  the  German  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  In  his  later  years  he  retired  from  the  work  of  the  ministry  and  for  a 
long  period  made  his  home  with  Mrs.  Busch,  passing  away  at  the  venerable  age 
of  eighty-eight  years. 

In  1883  Mr.  Busch  retired  from  active  life,  giving  up  all  business  interests 
aside  from  those  necessary  for  the  management  of  his  property.  He  had  in- 
vested quite  extensively  in  East  Davenport  real  estate  through  the  days  of  his 
early  residence  here  and  had  engaged  largely  in  the  building  of  residences  and 
stores.  In  this  and  other  ways  he  assisted  materially  in  work  which  promoted 
the  development  of  that  section  of  the  city.  His  own  home  was  a  fine  resi- 
dence on  Eddy  street  which  he  erected  and  which  is  still  occupied  by  Mrs.  Busch. 
She  is  an  active  member  of  the  German  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Mr.  Busch  was  a  kind-hearted,  liberal  man  and  his  attitude  toward  the  public 
was  that  of  a  benefactor  for  his  labors  were  an  effective  element  in  promoting 
many  interests  that  largely  benefited  the  city.  His  history,  too,  is  an  indication 
of  what  can  be  accomplished  when  one  has  the  will  to  dare  and  to  do.  He 
recognized  the  fact  that  in  America  labor  is  king  and,  bending  his  energies 
toward  the  task  of  earning  a  living  and  providing  for  a  future,  he  at  length 
became  possessed  of  a  handsome  competence  that  enabled  him  at  his  death  to 
leave  his  widow  in  comfortable,  financial  circumstances.  He  passed  away  on 
the  13th  of  September,  1893. 


MRS.  KATHRYN  DIEDRICH. 

For  fifteen  years  Mrs.  Kathryn  Diedrich  operated  a  large  tract  of  fine,  arable 
land  in  Sheridan  township,  continuing  the  work  begun  by  her  husband,  the  late 
Frederick  Diedrich.  She  was  born  in  Props  ter,  Holstein,  Germany,  November 
6,  1840.  Her  parents,  Peter  and  Margaret  Dettmer,  were  also  natives  of  the 
fatherland  and  spent  all  their  lives  in  the  old  country.  A  son,  Peter  Dettmer, 
and  Mrs.  Diedrich,  however,  came  to  the  United  States  in  1864.  They  landed 
in  New  York  and  shortly  afterward  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  for  they  had 
an  uncle  living  in  Davenport.  On  the  22d  of  February,  1866,  she  gave  her  hand 
in  marriage  to  Frederick  Diedrich,  who,  like  herself  was  a  native  of  Germany. 
He  had,  however,  been  a  resident  of  Scott  county,  for  a  much  longer  time,  for 
he  had  come  with  his  parents,  Frederick  and  Wilhelmina  Diedrich,  in  early 
manhood.  They  were  among  the  early  German  settlers  of  this  county,  and  after 
their  arrival  here  bought  the  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  on  which  Mrs. 
Diedrich  lived  after  her  marriage. 

This  farm  was  the  home  of  Frederick  Diedrich  throughout  the  greater  part 
of  his  life.    He  assisted  his  father  in  tilling  its  soil  and  later  assumed  the  full 


334  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

responsibilities  of  its  operation.  While  not  one  of  the  largest  in  its  vicinity,  it 
was  very  productive,  is  well  improved  and  especially  adapted  to  general  farm- 
ing, which  he  pursued.  His  death  occurred  in  1895,  when  he  was  well  advanced 
in  years,  for  his  natal  day  was  March  20,  1837. 

Twelve  children  had  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Diedrich.  William  has 
passed  away.  Minnie  is  the  wife  of  Orval  Goodwin,  of  Cass  county,  Iowa,  and 
the  children  born  to  them  are  Etta  and  Eva  deceased,  Bert,  Nettie,  Ruby,  Har- 
vey and  Leona.  Henry,  a  resident  of  Davenport,  wedded  Miss  Thressa  Klaus 
and  they  have  two  sons,  Edward  and  Lester.  Emma  became  the  wife  of  George 
Kloppenburg  and  they  have  three  children,  Mabel  E.,  Clarence  S.  and  Leroy  V. 
MoUie  is  the  wife  of  Paul  Lohrmann  of  Watertown,  Illinois,  and  they  had 
six  children — Viola;  Anna;  Katie;  Raymond,  deceased;  Bernice  and  Minnie. 
Mary  became  the  wife  of  Willis  Hopson  of  Illinois.  Louis  and  Lillian  are  at 
home,  and  Anna,  Frederick,  Adolph  and  William  have  passed  away.  Mrs.  Died- 
rich has  sold  her  farm  and  now  is  staying  with  her  daughter  Mrs.  Kloppenburg. 
In  the  many  years  that  she  managed  the  farm  interests,  she  proved  herself  to  be 
a  woman  of  no  inconsiderable  business  ability,  able  to  conserve  as  well  as  im- 
prove, the  property  entrusted  to  her  hands. 


CHARLES  BECKER. 


Charles  Becker,  who  is  engaged  in  the  retail  liquor  business  at  the  corner 
of  Fourth  and  Harrison  streets,  is  the  last  member  of  his  branch  of  this  old  Ger- 
man family  in  America.  He  was  born  September  29,  1850,  in  Kraschen,  Pro- 
vinz  Silesia,  Germany,  and  is  a  son  of  Carl  and  Anna  Rosina  (Wahnelt)  Becker. 
His  father,  a  commission  merchant,  was  a  self-made  man  and  one  who  achieved 
prosperity  and  the  confidence  of  his  neighbors.  He  had  a  family  of  seven  chil- 
dren, of  whom  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  third  in  order  of  birth. 

Charles  Becker  received  his  education  in  Germany's  excellent  public  schools 
and  when  eighteen  years  of  age  followed  the  example  set  by  so  many  of  his 
associates  and  came  across  the  sea.  He  landed  in  New  York  and  in  a  short 
time  went  to  Detroit,  where  he  secured  a  business  footing  in  the  cigar  trade. 
Ten  years  later,  in  the  spring  of  1879,  he  came  to  Davenport  and  entered  into 
business  with  his  brother  Gustav.  This  association  was  later  dissolved  and 
Mr.  Becker  removed  to  Sigourney,  Iowa,  where  he  engaged  in  the  dry-goods 
business  for  three  years  and  then  returned  to  Davenport.  He  then  secured  a 
position  as  traveling  salesman  and  was  on  the  road  for  several  years  for  a 
Davenport  dry-goods  house.  Following  this  he  and  his  brother  undertook  the 
management  of  the  Turner  Hall,  which  they  conducted  successfully  for  three 
years.  They  also  managed  the  Burtis  Opera  House,  which  was  Davenport's 
largest  theater  up  to  the  year  1896.  The  death  of  Gustav  Becker  occurred  Aug- 
ust 26,  1908.  After  his  experience  as  a  manager,  Charles  Becker  enjoyed  a 
short  retirement  and  then  went  on  the  road  again.  For  seven  years  he  remained 
in  the  capacity  of  traveling  man  but  abandoned  this  in  1903  to  open  up  the  re- 
tail liquor  store  which  he  has  ever  since  carried  on. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  335 

On  October  31,  1871,  Mr.  Becker  was  united  in  marriage  to  Christine  Mar- 
tens, and  seven  children  have  blessed  this  union :  Bertha,  who  is  employed  as  a 
dentist's  assistant;  Amelia,  at  home;  Charles,  who  died  when  eight  years  of 
age;  Fritz,  at  home;  Gustav,  who  died  when  two  years  of  age;  and  Anna  and 
Carl,  at  home.  Mr.  Becker  has  many  friends  and  enjoys  pleasant  social  affilia- 
tions as  a  Turner  and  an  Elk. 


OTTO  FORTH. 


Otto  Forth  had  had  considerable  experience  as  a  farmer  before  he  finally 
bought  his  place  in  Liberty  township,  on  which  he  has  lived  for  the  past  sixteen 
years.  As  he  has  gained  large  returns  from  its  cultivation  he  has  had  no  rea- 
son to  regret  the  purchase  of  it.  He  was  born  near  Coblenz,  Germany,  April 
15,  1854,  a  son  of  Carl  and  Elizabeth  (Bassack)  Forth,  both  natives  of  Prus- 
sia, the  father's  birth  having  occurred  in  the  city  of  Berlin.  In  the  fall  of 
1855  they  came  to  America,  settling  first  in  Hampton,  IlHnois.  They  remained 
there  for  about  five  years  and  then  came  to  Iowa,  locating  in  CHnton  county. 
There  the  father  secured  a  section  of  land  in  Olive  township,  upon  which  he 
engaged  in  farming  with  such  large  profits  that  he  was  able  to  buy  in  addi- 
tion three  quarters  of  a  section  in  Minnesota.  Shortly  before  his  death  he  re- 
tired from  active  life,  taking  up  his  residence  in  Davenport,  which  was  his 
home  during  the  remaining  years  allotted  to  him.  He  was  twice  married,  having 
by  his  first  wife,  who  was  the  mother  of  our  subject,  four  children  and  by  his 
second  eight. 

Otto  Forth,  who  was  but  a  little  over  a  year  old  when  his  parents  came  to 
this  country  and  about  six  years  old  when  they  removed  to  Iowa,  has  spent  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  in  this  state.  His  mother  died  when  he  was  nine  years 
of  age,  but  he  continued  to  live  upon  the  homestead  in  Clinton  county  until  he 
reached  man's  estate.  He  went  first  to  Davenport,  where  he  secured  work  as  a 
laborer  for  four  years,  and  then  removed  to  the  northwest  part  of  the  state, 
where  for  one  year  he  worked  at  his  trade  of  a  carpenter.  He  was  not  satis- 
fied with  the  prospects  there,  however,  and  returned  to  Davenport.  In  that 
city  he  secured  employment  with  an  ice  company  during  the  summer  and  during 
the  winter  in  the  packing  business  of  John  Suglers.  In  this  way  three  years 
were  spent,  at  the  end  of  which  period  he  returned  to  the  homestead  in  Clin- 
ton county,  which  he  farmed  for  two  years.  He  then  returned  to  Scott  county, 
becoming  a  tenant  on  a  farm  near  Flainview,  which  he  conducted  for  five  years. 
While  this  experience  was  not  wholly  without  profit  he  went  to  Cedar  county  and 
upon  a  tract  of  rented  land  two  miles  west  of  the  village  of  New  Liberty,  en- 
gaged in  farming  for  five  years.  Then,  in  1893,  he  purchased  the  place  which 
he  now  owns.  It  comprises  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  section  11,  Liberty 
township.  It  is  a  rich  and  arable  tract,  well  adapted  to  diversified  farming  which 
Mr.  Forth  pursues  thereon.  He  has  made  a  number  of  improvements  upon  the 
place,  has  brought  the  fertility  of  the  soil  to  its  highest  productive  power  and 


336  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

as  his  industry  is  the  measure  of  his  success  he  is  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers 
of  his  locahty. 

In  early  manhood  in  1879,  Mr.  Forth  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ernestine 
Magiber,  who  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  November  5,  i860.  At  the  age  of 
twelve  she  came  to  this  country  with  her  parents,  Fred  and  Dora  (Brady) 
Magiber,  who  settled  in  Davenport,  which  remained  their  home  until  their  death. 
Seven  girls  were  born  to  them.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Forth  have  had  fifteen  children: 
Adella,  Alfred,  Carl,  Martha,  Lizzie,  Rudolph,  Otto,  Jr.,  Rosa,  Bertha,  Leo  and 
Fred,  and  four  who  died  in  infancy.  The  eldest  is  the  wife  of  John  Smallifield, 
of  South  Dakota,  which  is  also  the  place  of  residence  of  the  third  child,  Carl. 

By  hard  work  Mr.  Forth  has  proved  his  right  to  be  numbered  among  the 
more  prosperous  farmers  of  Liberty  township  and,  in  as  much  as  his  good  for- 
tune is  the  result  of  his  own  efforts,  there  is  no  bitterness  attached  to  it  but,  in- 
stead, he  has  the  general  approbation  of  those  who  have  watched  his  progress. 


CLAUS  ARF. 


Among  the  early  German  pioneers  of  Scott  county  is  Claus  Arp,  who  has  re- 
tired from  farming,  which  he  pursued  so  profitably  in  Davenport  township  for 
upwards  of  forty  years,  and  has  taken  up  his  residence  in  the  city  of  Daven- 
port. In  that  time  he  put  to  the  test  the  fine  qualities  of  the  German  race, 
achieved  distinction  and  identified  himself  closely  with  the  local  interests,  so  that 
his  influence,  ever  exerted  for  the  betterment  of  the  conditions  surrounding  his 
fellowmen,  was  felt  throughout  the  township. 

He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  August  23,  1827,  a  son  of  Detlef  and 
Abel  Arp,  who  -died  in  the  land  of  their  birth.  There  Mr.  Arp  grew  to  man- 
hood and  attended  schools.  He  also  learned  the  weaver's  trade  and,  having  at- 
tained the  age  of  manhood,  was  enrolled  as  a  soldier  in  the  army  of  the  father- 
land. During  his  two  and  a  half  years  of  service  he  participated  in  the  war  with 
Denmark  during  1849  ^nd  1850  holding  an  ofiice  equivalent  to  that  of  sergeant  in 
the  American  army. 

In  1851  Mr.  Arp  came  to  the  United  States.  Landing  at  New  Orleans,  he 
came  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  Davenport,  which  he  reached  November  14, 
of  that  year.  A  brother  had  previously  come  here,  so  that  he  was  not  utterly 
a  stranger  in  the  new  country.  Immediately  after  his  arrival  he  began  to  work 
for  a  farmer,  receiving  one  hundred  dollars  a  year.  After  two  years'  experi- 
ence with  that  employer,  he  and  his  brother  Henry  bought  eighty  acres  of  un- 
cultivated land  in  Davenport  township.  His  sister  had  come  from  Germany 
about  that  time  so  that  it  was  a  little  family  of  three  that  took  up  their  residence 
upon  this  first  piece  of  property  Mr.  Arp  owned.  For  about  five  years  they 
operated  it  in  conjunction,  the  duties  of  housekeeping  devolving  upon  the  sister, 
and  then  divided  the  place.  Thereupon  Mr.  Arp  bought  eighty  acres  of  land 
in  Davenport  township,  which  he  traded  later  for  one  hundred  and  forty  acres 
there.  It  remained  his  home  for  the  thirty-five  years  he  was  actively  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits  and  constitutes  what  is  now  known  as  the  Arp  home- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  337 

stead.  He  had,  however,  during  that  time  bought  considerable  other  property 
in  the  township,  for  he  had  won  a  pronounced  success  in  the  cultivation  of 
the  soil,  at  one  time  owning  seven  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land  in  Scott  and 
Cedar  counties,  Iowa.  Thus  he  felt  justified  in  relinquishing  the  responsibilities 
of  life  and  in  1894  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Davenport,  where  he  owns  some 
valuable  property. 

It  was  on  the  14th  of  April,  1868,  that  Mr.  Arp  married  Dora  Sienknecht, 
a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Lena  Sienknecht.  They  have  had  seven  children. 
Theodore  is  in  Denver,  Colorado,  Hannes  married  Lena  Luders.  They  live 
in  Scott  county  and  have  two  children.  Alma  and  Theodore.  Minnie  became 
the  wife  of  Julius  Kuelper  and  they  have  three  children,  Vera,  Alice  and  Lil- 
lian. Herman  married  Theresa  Oldenburg  and  lives  in  Cleona  township.  They 
have  one  daughter,  Hulda.  Meta  became  the  wife  of  Louis  Goellnitz  of  Lib- 
erty township.  They  have  two  children,  Roy  and  Edna.  Otto  lives  in  Daven- 
port township  on  a  farm.  He  married  Mary  Hien  and  they  have  three  sons, 
Elmer,  Theodore  and  Clarence.     Adela  is  at  home. 

Having  become  a  naturalized  citizen  of  this  republic,  Mr.  Arp  identified  him- 
self closely  with  the  best  interests  of  his  community,  for  during  the  period 
in  which  he  was  a  resident  of  Davenport  he  served  as  school  director  and  treas- 
urer of  the  school  board  for  about  twenty  years  and  also  acted  as  road  super- 
visor. He  is  a  member  of  German  Lodge,  No.  37,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Davenport, 
also  of  the  Verein  Schleswig-Holstein,  which  is  composed  of  veterans  of  the 
German  war  of  1848-50,  and  the  German  Old  Settlers  Society.  Quietly  and 
unostentatiously  he  pursued  the  calling  he  chose  as  his  vocation  and  with  pa- 
tience and  hard  work  gained  a  competence  which  entitles  him  to  be  numbered 
among  the  successful  men  of  the  county. 


WILLIAM  F.  BOWSER,  M.  D. 

In  no  profession  is  there  demanded  a  more  thorough  knowledge  of  scientific 
principles  than  that  of  medicine.  The  successful  practitioner  must  also  possess  a 
kindly,  sunny  nature,  physical  endurance  and  a  clear  intellect.  Possessing  all 
these  requisites.  Dr.  William  F.  Bowser  has  in  the  few  years  in  which  he  has  been 
located  in  Blue  Grass  built  up  a  lucrative  practice  that  is  increasing  as  the  months 
and  years  go  by.  He  was  born  in  Armstrong  county,  Pennsylvania,  May  21,  1873, 
a  son  of  Frank  S.  and  Anna  (Davidson)  Bowser,  who  were  likewise  natives  of 
Armstrong  county,  the  former  born  in  1843  ^^^  the  latter  in  1852.  The  father 
is  at  present  postmaster  at  Buffalo,  Iowa. 

Like  the  majority  of  men  who  enter  professional  circles.  Dr.  Bowser  was 
reared  to  farm  life.  He  began  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  •  county 
and  being  but  a  youth  at  the  time  the  family  located  in  Muscatine  county,  Iowa, 
he  also  attended  school  in  the  latter  place,  completing  the  high-school  course  in 
Muscatine  by  graduation  with  the  class  of  1893.  He  then  entered  Parsons  College 
at  Fairfield,  Iowa,  and  after  completing  a  four  years'  course  was  graduated  from' 
that  institution  in  1898  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.    Having  decided  upon 


338  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

the  practice  of  medicine  as  a  life  work,  in  1898  he  began  teaching  in  the  schools 
of  Muscatine  county  that  he  might  earn  the  necessary  funds  to  enter  a  medical 
college.  He  was  thus  engaged  until  1905,  but  in  the  meantime,  in  the  fall  of  1899, 
he  entered  the  Iowa  State  University  and  also  read  medicine  with  several  leading 
physicians  at  and  near  his  home.  He  was  graduated  from  the  university  in  1905 
and  shortly  afterward,  on  the  30th  of  August  of  that  year,  began  practice  in  Buf- 
falo and  Blue  Grass,  but  since  1907  has  confined  his  attention  to  his  office  in  the 
latter  village.  He  is  meeting  with  merited  success  and  his  practice  is  increasing 
as  time  passes.  , 

Dr.  Bowser  was  married  November  14,  1906,  to  Miss  Mary  Lucinda  Moor- 
head,  a  daughter  of  M.  E.  Moorhead,  of  Blue  Grass  township.  The  Doctor  is  a 
republican  in  his  political  views  but  the  demands  of  his  practice  leave  him  little 
time  for  active  participation  in  public  affairs.  He  belongs  to  Banner  Lodge,  No. 
16,  Knights  of  Pythias,  to  the  Modern  Brotherhood  of  America  at  Buffalo  and  to 
the  Modern  Woodman  camp  at  Blue  Grass,  while  in  the  line  of  his  profession  he 
is  a  member  of  the  American  Medical  Association,  the  Iowa  State  Medical  Asso- 
ciation and  the  Scott  County  Medical  Association.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Blue  Grass. 


GEORGE  MENGEL. 


George  Mengel,  in  early  manhood  recognizing  the  value  of  close  application, 
unfaltering  purpose  and  indefatigable  energy,  has  utilized  those  qualities  in  the 
attainment  of  the  responsible  position  which  he  now  occupies  in  business  circles 
— a  position  that  has  made  him  one  of  the  successful  business  men  of  Daven- 
port. He  is  today  the  president  of  the  Tri-City  Plate  Ice  &  Cold  Storage  Com- 
pany and  has  been  identified  with  a  number  of  other  interests  which  have  been 
factors  in  the  city's  commercial  growth. 

He  was  born  in  Schwabsburg,  Germany,  a  country  that  for  centuries  through 
the  emigration  of  its  sons  has  planted  the  seeds  of  civilization  in  all  parts  of 
the  world.  His  natal  day  was  March  i,  1848.  His  parents  were  Jacob  and 
Anna  (Maurer)  Mengel,  the  former  a  cooper  by  trade,  who  also  controlled  a 
vineyard  and  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  grapes  for  the  purpose  of  winemak- 
ing.  He  was  a  man  of  prominence  in  his  community,  active  in  public  affairs  as 
well  as  in  business  life.  He  reared  a  large  family  and  his  five  sons  came  to  the 
new  world  while  the  five  daughters  remained  in  the  fatherland. 

George  Mengel  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Germany  and  came  to  the 
United  States  in  1865,  when  a  young  man  of  seventeen  years.  He  first  estab- 
lished his  home  in  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  where  he  was  connected  with  the  brew- 
ing business:  But  the  climate  there  did  not  agree  with  him  and  he  went  to  Wis- 
consin and  subsequently  removed  to  Chicago,  where  he  acted  as  superintendent 
of  a  malt  house  for  about  three  years,  but  on  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  went 
to  Omaha,  where  he  also  spent  three  years.  He  next  became  a  resident  of  Fort 
Dodge,  Iowa,  where  he  remained  for  two  years,  and  then  came  to  Davenport,  pur- 
chasing the  Littig  Brewery  on  West  Fifth  street  and  thus  entering  the  business  cir- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  341 

cles  of  this  city.  He  conducted  it  until  the  consoUdation  of  the  brewing  interests  of 
Davenport,  after  which  he  became  vice  president  and  general  manager  of  the 
Davenport  Malting  &  Brewing  Company,  continuing  as  the  second  executive  of- 
ficer until  about  three  years  ago.  He  was  one  of  the  prime  movers  of  the  con- 
solidation of  the  brewing  interests  of  Davenport  and  has  stood  as  a  leading 
representative  of  that  branch  of  business  in  this  city.  After  disposing  of  his 
interests  in  the  Davenport  Malting  &  Brewing  Company  he  organized  the  Tri- 
City  Plate  Ice  &  Cold  Storage  Company,  of  which  he  has  since  been  president. 
This  has  become  one  of  the  important  industrial  and  commercial  enterprises  of 
Davenport,  with  an  extensive  patronage  and  a  volume  of  business  that  places  it 
among  the  leading  trade  concerns  of  the  city.  He  was  one  of  the  originators 
of  the  Davenport  Water  Power  Company,  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
Davenport  Grain  &  Malting  Company,  and  was  one  of  the  first  directors  of  the 
Farmers  &  Mechanics  Savings  Bank. 

In  1869  Mr.  Mengel  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Buettner,  a  daughter  of  Gott- 
lieb Buettner,  who  came  from  Prussia,  Germany.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs..  Mengel 
were  bom  two  children,  George  and  Anna,  but  both  are  now  deceased. 

Mr.  Mengel  gives  his  political  support  to  the  democratic  party  and  keeps 
well  informed  on  the  questions  of  the  day.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Turner  So- 
ciety and  an  honorary  member  of  the  Schuetzen  Verein  Society.  He  is  an  Odd 
Fellow  in  his  fraternal  relations  and  is  in  hearty  sympathy  with  the  principles 
of  the  order.  He  also  belongs  to  the  German  Relief  Society  and  therein  gives 
manifestation  of  his  humanitarian  principles  which  prompt  him  to  go  to  the  as- 
sistance of  those  in  need  and  to  extend  a  helping  hand  whenever  the  occasion 
demands.  He  has  never  regretted  his  determination  to  come  to  the  new  world 
for  in  this  land  of  constantly  widening  opportunity,  where  effort  is  unham- 
pered by  caste  or  class,  he  has  made  steady  progress  until  he  has  reached  a 
gratifying  place  among  the  most  successful  business  men  of  his  adopted  city. 


HEINRICH  WIESE. 


Heinrich  Wiese,  a  well  known  and  prosperous  agriculturist  of  Davenport 
township,  is  the  owner  of  an  excellent  farm  comprising  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  rich  and  productive  land.  His  birth  occurred  in  Holstein,  Germany, 
on  the  25th  of  January,  1838,  his  parents  being  James  and  Katherine  Wiese. 
The  father  was  a  weaver  by  trade  and  followed  that  occupation  in  his  native 
land.  In  1859,  in  company  with  his  wife  and  children,  he  set  sail  for  the  United 
States  and  after  crossing  the  ocean  landed  at  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  whence 
he  made  his  way  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  arriving  here  in  the 
month  of  June.  Subsequently  he  devoted  his  attention  to  the  operation  of  rented 
land  in  Clinton  county,  this  state,  where  the  demise  of  his  wife  occurred.  Later 
he  removed  to  Carroll  county,  Iowa,  and  there  made  his  home  with  a  son  until 
called  to  his  final  rest.  Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born  three  children,  as 
follows :  Heinrich,  of  this  review ;  Claus,  living  in  Minnesota ;  and  James,  who 
is  a  resident  of  Carroll  county,  Iowa. 


342  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Heinrich  Wiese,  who  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools  of  the  fatherland, 
was  a  young  man  of  twenty-one  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  emi- 
gration to  the  new  world  in  1859,  since  which  time  he  has  been  a  resident  of 
Scott  county,  Iowa.  He  first  secured  employment  as  a  farm  hand  and  later 
rented  the  place  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Davenport  township  which 
he  now  owns  but  which  was  then  in  the  possession  of  a  Mr.  Hershel.  About  the 
year  1878  he  purchased  the  property,  erected  a  commodious  and  attractive  resi- 
dence and  has  made  many  other  substantial  improvements  on  the  place,  so  that 
it  is  now  lacking  in  none  of  the  conveniences  and  accessories  of  a  model  farm  of 
the  twentieth  century.  As  the  years  have  passed  by  he  has  won  a  gratifying  meas- 
ure of  success  in  the  conduct  of  his  agricultural  interests  and  has  long  been 
numbered  among  the  prosperous  and  respected  citizens  of  the  community. 

On  the  15th  of  March,  1865,  Mr.  Wiese  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mar- 
garet Arp,  a  native  of  Holstein,  Germany,  who  was  but  three  years  of  age  when 
brought  to  this  country  by  her  parents,  Peter  and  Dora  Arp,  the  family  home 
being  established  in  Scott  county,  Iowa.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wiese  have  been 
born  seven  children,  the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows:  Herman,  who  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Linn  county  and  wedded  Miss  Emma  Kirby,  by  whom  he  has  two  chil- 
dren. Hazel  and  Erma;  Gustaf,  likewise  of  Linn  county,  Iowa,  who  married 
Miss  Emma  Paustian  and  has  three  children,  Henry,  Arnold  and  Louisa;  Julius, 
who  makes  his  home  in  Muscatine  county,  Iowa,  and  wedded  Miss  Freda  Tah, 
by  whom  he  has  a  son,  Raymond ;  Otto,  who  is  at  home ;  Rudolph,  who  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Sheridan  township  and  has  one  son  by  his  marriage  to  Miss  Kobaugh; 
and  Dora  and  Hugo,  who  are  yet  under  the  parental  rooi. 

Mr.  Wiese  is  a  stanch  democrat  in  his  political  views  and  has  capably  served 
as  a  school  director  and  also  in  the  office  of  road  supervisor.  The  period  of  his 
residence  in  this  county  now  covers  a  half  century  and  he  is  therefore  widely 
and  favorably  known  within  its  borders.  The  hope  that  led  him  to  leave  his  na- 
tive land  and  seek  a  home  in  America  has  been  more  than  realized.  He  found 
the  opportunities  he  sought,  which,  by  the  way,  are  always  open  to  the  ambitious, 
energetic  man,  and,  making  the  best  of  these,  he  has  steadily  worked  his  way 
upward. 


HUGH  BRICELAND. 


Hugh  Briceland,  a  retired  farmer  living  at  1923  Harrison  street,  is  one  of 
Davenport's  estimable  citizens,  a  man  who  possesses  hosts  of  friends  and  the 
confidence  of  all  those  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact.  He  is  a  Scotchman 
by  birth,  having  been  born  January  26,  1834,  in  the  city  of  Glasgow,  his  par- 
ents being  Hugh  and  Anna  (Leach)  Briceland.  The  father  was  a  merchant, 
who  played  a  prominent  part  in  the  life  of  the  city  where  he  made  his  home. 
Hugh  Briceland  as  a  lad  did  not  enjoy  good  health  and  physicians  advised  a 
change  of  climate,  suggesting  America.  The  wisdom  of  their  counsel  has 
amply  proved  itself  for  he  is  living  and  enjoying  health  at  an  advanced  age.  He 
landed  at  New  Orleans  and  came  up  the  river  to  Davenport  in  1846  in  company 
with  a  friend,  Davy  Hardy,  who  became  prominent  in  this  city.     Mr.  Briceland 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  343 

secured  employment  with  the  farmers  near  Davenport,  at  first  gaining  little  re- 
muneration aside  from  his  board.  By  the  exercise  of  thrift  and  the  natural 
industry  with  which  he  was  endowed,  he  made  himself  independent  and  later 
purchased  a  farm  where  by  employing  advanced  methods  of  agriculture  he 
gained  a  signal  success.  About  twelve  years  ago  he  sold  this  property  and  went 
to  Eldridge,  where  he  lived  for  six  years.  About  four  years  ago  he  came  to 
Davenport  which  he  had  chosen  for  a  permanent  home  and  where  he  is  now  en- 
joying a  well  earned  retirement,  surrounded  by  family  and  friends. 

On  October  21,  1862,  Mr.  Briceland  was  married  to  Anna  Emeis,  a  daughter 
of  Dr.  August  Julius  and  Charlotte  (Peters)  Emeis.  Her  father  was  a  physician 
who  came  from  Germany  and  was  among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  this  county. 
Eight  children  were  born  to  this  marriage,  namely:  Mary,  who  married  George 
M.  Madden  and  died  leaving  two  children,  Bessie  and  Lottie;  Lena,  who  is  the 
wife  of  Edward  Blythe  and  has  two  daughters,  Carrie  and  Josie,  the  former 
now  Mrs.  O.  Parmell,  who  has  given  three  great-grandchildren  to  Mr,  Brice- 
land. Harry,  who  married  Miss  Nellie  Neil  and  has  four  children,  Neil  B., 
Harold,  Hugh  and  Jack;  Ella  and  Fannie,  both  deceased;  Hugo,  who  married 
Miss  Alice  Yokum;  Frank  G,  a  bookkeeper  and  real-estate  man;  and  George 
W.,  a  resident  of  Wichita,  Kansas. 

Mr.  Briceland  has  been  honored  by  election  to  the  presidency  of  the  Pioneer 
Society.  He  is  a  man  of  strong  personality  and  sterling  worth  and  his  interest- 
ing family  is  a  credit  to  him  as  well  as  to  the  community.  Starting  out  in  life 
for  himself  empty-handed,  his  success  has  been  won  through  his  own  unaided 
efforts  and  he  deserves  to  be  classed  with  the  self-made  men  of  the  city.  He  has 
lived  peaceably  with  his  fellowmen,  having  never  had  a  lawsuit,  and  he  is  honored 
and  respected  by  all  who  know  him. 


GUSTAV  ECKERMANN. 

Among  the  German  citizens  of  Davenport  perhaps  few  hold  so  prominent  a 
place  in  the  hearts  of  all  as  does  Gustav  Eckermann.  For  a  quarter  of  a  century 
he  was  connected  with  the  agricultural  interests  here,  achieving  success  in  his 
vocation  as  a  representative  of  the  best  farmers,  but  it  is  as  a  man  of  hospitable 
instincts  that  he  will  be  best  remembered  by  the  citizens  of  Davenport  township. 

He  was  born  in  Germany,  March  16,  1832,  a  son  of  Claus  Eckermann,  who 
came  to  this  country  and  died  here.  He  attended  school  in  Germany,  where  he 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade  and  then,  in  1852,  came  to  the  United  States.  He 
landed  at  New  Orleans  and  came  up  the  Mississippi  to  Davenport.  He  found 
employment  on  a  farm  across  the  river  in  Illinois  but  after  three  months'  experi- 
ence came  back  to  Davenport,  where  he  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade  for  about 
fourteen  years,  in  that  time  assisting  in  building  many  of  the  prominent  residences 
here.  As  the  result  of  his  savings,  he  was  then  able  to  buy  forty  acres  of  land  in 
Davenport  township,  on  which  he  lived  for  about  twenty-five  years.  As  he  con- 
ducted a  salon  and  dance  hall  there,  his  place  was  the  scene  of  many  social  events 
among  the  Germans  and  was  generally  regarded  as  their  place  of  meeting  in  that 


344  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

locality.  Indeed,  it  was  there  that  Mr.  Eckermann  and  his  wife  celebrated  their 
silver  wedding.  The  anniversary  was  attended  by  over  two  hundred  relatives  and 
friends  and  lasted  all  day,  with  plenty  to  eat  and  drink.  The  celebration  was  con- 
cluded by  a  dance  in  the  hall  and  everyone  present  enjoyed  a  most  delightful  day. 
While  Mr.  Eckermann  made  a  wide  reputation  for  himself  as  a  host,  he  was  not 
neglectful  of  his  private  concerns  but  in  the  course  of  years  became  the  owner  of 
ninety-two  acres  of  farm  land  in  Lincoln  township,  eighty  acres  in  Butler  town- 
ship, and,  when  he  retired  from  active  life  in  1892  and  took  up  his  residence  in 
Davenport,  he  bought  the  property  where  he  lives. 

At  Moline,  Illinois,  November  21,  1854,  was  celebrated  Mr.  Eckermann's  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Eliza  Grantz,  a  daughter  of  August  Magdalena  Grantz.  They  had 
come  from  Germany  to  Scott  county  in  1852,  but  after  remaining  a  few  years  in 
Le  Claire  township  removed  to  Moline,  lUinois,  which  remained  their  home  until 
their  death.  Of  their  family,  the  first  three  children  died  in  infancy.  The 
others  are :  Clara,  who  married  Fred  Schseffer,  lives  in  Davenport  and  is  the 
mother  of  three  children,  Eliza,  Harry  and  Minnie.  Gustav,  Jr.,  of  Lincoln  town- 
ship, married  Bertha  Weise  and  they  have  four  children,  Minnie,  Hugo,  Valentine 
and  Harold.  Laura  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Lage,  of  Pleasant  Valley  township,  and 
the  mother  of  four  children,  Clara,  Harry,  Lillie  and  Herbert.  Elizabeth  married 
Alex  Schaf  er,  of  Pleasant  Valley  township,  and  has  three  sons,  Ernest,  Waldo  and 
Leroy.  Hugo  married  Adelia  Metzen  and  they  have  two  children,  Eleanor  and 
Raymond.  They  live  on  a  farm  in  this  county.  Otto  married  Emma  Kraftmyer 
and  lives  in  Davenport,  where  he  is  rearing  two  daughters,  Clara  and  Helen.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Eckermann  celebrated  their  golden  wedding,  which,  however,  was  at- 
tended only  by  their  children,  grandchildren  and  near  relatives  as  the  death  of 
Mrs.  Eckermann's  mother  prevented  their  inviting  any  of  their  numerous  friends. 

While  Mr.  Eckermann  was  living  in  Davenport  township  he  was  elected  road 
supervisor,  serving  for  two  years.  His  life  record  and  the  long  period  during 
which  he  has  been  identified  with  the  interests  of  the  county  has  secured  his  mem- 
bership in  the  German  Pioneer  Association,  of  which  he  was  president  in  1908  and 
on  whose  board  of  directors  he  has  served  for  sometime.  An  exponent  of  the  best 
traits  of  character  belonging  distinctively  to  his  nation,  a  man  whose  citizenship 
compares  favorably  with  the  best  of  the  native  Americans,  Mr.  Eckermann  enjoys 
the  friendship  of  a  large  number  of  people  in  Davenport  and  in  the  township  where 
he  was  so  widely  known. 


HENRY  KLINDT. 


Among  the  citizens  of  Davenport  who  are  enjoying  a  well  earned  rest  after 
many  years  of  profitable  labor  is  Henry  Klindt,  one  of  the  prominent  Germans 
of  the  city.  He  came  to  this  country  with  little  money  but  with  the  determina- 
tion to  get  ahead,  grateful  at  the  outset  to  receive  work  of  any  kind.  Endowed 
with  the  characteristics  which  belong  in  sO'  high  degree  to  the  members  of  his 
nation,  he  has  won  a  pronounced  success  from  everything  he  has  attempted. 
At  present  he  is  residing  at  No.  834  Marquette  street,  Davenport. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  347 

He  was  bom  in  the  village  of  Fiefbergen,  Holstein,  Germany,  October  8, 
1839,  a  son  of  Thies  and  Wiepke  (Mundt)  Klindt.  After  he  had  received  his 
education  in  his  native  land  Henry  Klindt  came  to  this  country,  arriving  here 
in  the  spring  of  1856.  As  a  farm  boy  he  started  to  work  in  Scott  county,  but  was 
willing  to  perform  any  job  that  came  in  his  way.  In  the  winter  he  worked  in 
Dayton  but  tlien  went  back  to  the  country,  where  he  found  employment  in  a 
sawmill.    He  also  did  teaming  for  a  time  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  he  was  of  foreign  birth,  Mr.  Klindt  enlisted 
in  the  Missouri  artillery  under  Captain  Feninghouse,  becoming  a  member  of 
the  First  Missouri  Flying  Battery.  Throughout  the  course  of  the  war  he  served 
as  a  private  with  great  distinction  and  at  its  close  was  honorably  discharged. 
When  the  Union  no  longer  needed  his  support,  he  returned  to  Davenport,  where 
he  engaged  in  teaming.  Later  he  opened  a  grain  and  feed  store,  this  being  his 
first  business  venture.  He  gained  from  it  the  success  he  anticipated  and  then 
engaged  in  operating  the  Eagle  brewery,  belonging  to  J.  Lange  &  Company.  To 
it  he  devoted  his  entire  time  until  1891,  when  he  sold  his  interest  in  that  concern. 
He  is  now  president  of  the  Malt  &  Grain  Company,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the 
organizers. 

Mr.  Klindt  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Catherina  Schnoor,  May  9,  1863. 
One  son,  George,  has  been  bom  to  them.  He  married  Miss  Julia  Hahn,  and  they 
have  a  daughter.  Norma.  Mr.  Klindt  is  one  of  the  active  members  of  the  local 
lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  belongs  tO'  the  German  So- 
ciety of  Turners,  and  to  the  German  Pioneer  Society.  He  was  also  a  member 
of  the  old  fire  company  in  1858.  The  record  of  his  life  is  a  most  gratifying 
evidence  of  the  large  returns  which  may  be  gained  from  hard  work,  determina- 
tion and  unassailable  courage.  He  never  spared  himself  during  the  years  of  his 
early  life  and  now,  having  won  a  large  competence,  enjoys  a  well  deserved  rest.  The 
amiable  qualities  of  his  personality  have  also  won  recognition  and  he  is  ac- 
counted a  stanch  friend  of  many. 


CHRIS  MARTI. 


Among  the  citizens  of  Scott  county  who  have  put  aside  the  heavier  respon- 
sibilities of  life  and  are  living  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  well  deserved  rest  is  Chris 
Marti,  for  a  long  period  actively  identified  with  the  best  agricultural  interests  of 
Winfield  township,  where  he  owns  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land.  A  man 
of  conspicuous  success  in  his  private  affairs,  he  was  honored  by  the  citizens  of 
his  locality,  for  on  several  occasions  he  was  chosen  their  representative  to  the 
general  assembly  at  Des  Moines,  there  exerting  his  influence  consistently  in  be- 
half of  the  best  interests  of  his  constituents.  His  public  record  was  without 
shadow,  as  his  private  life  is  without  dishonor,  the  mere  fact  that  he  has  served 
continuously  since  1872  as  secretary  of  the  school  board  being  indicative  of  the 
esteem  in  which  he  is  held  in  his  locality. 

A  native  of  Switzerland,  Chris  Marti  was  bom  May  27,  1845,  his  parents 
being  Bartholome  and  Anna  Barbara  (Slagel)   Marti.    The  former  was  born 


348  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

in  February,  1820,  in  the  same  country  as  his  son,  and  there  learned  the  trade  of 
a  cabinetmaker,  following  that  occupation  until  he  was  called  to  serve  in  the 
army  of  1848.     In  1852  he  emigrated  with  his  family  to  America,  and  after 
landing  at  New  Orleans  ascended  the  Mississippi  to  Scott  county,  which  he  reached 
in  April.     For  the  first  two  years  after  his  arrival  he  worked  at  his  trade  and 
then  bought  one  hundred  acres  of  prairie  land  in  Winfield  township,  for  which 
he  paid  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  an  acre.    He  built  thereon  a  small  house,  prepared 
the  fields  for  cultivation  and  there  Hved  until  the  fall  of  1855,  when  he  sold  it 
and  removed  to  Davenport,  there  working  at  his  carpenter's  trade  during  the 
winter.     The  following  spring  he  resumed  farming,   purchasing  eighty  acres 
of  land  from  a  Mr.  Clawsen,  who  was  a  lawyer  of  this  county.    The  tract  was 
situated  on  section  28,  Winfield  township,  and  only  ten  acres  of  it  had  been 
broken.     With  the  assistance  of  his  son  Chris,  Mr.  Marti  broke  the  remaining 
acres,  fenced  his  fields  and  improved  the  place  which  remained  his  home  until 
1898,  when  he  came  to  live  with  his  son  on  the  farm  the  latter  now  occupies. 
In  the  meantime,  however,  he  had  invested  in  considerable  real  estate  as  his  in- 
come justified  the  purchase  of  land,  and  at  one  time  owned  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres.    The  last  two  years  of  his  life  were  passed  at  the  home  of  his  son, 
and  there  he  died  December  3,  1900.     Although  not  a  native  of  this  country, 
he  was  loyal  to  its  ideals,  ever  giving  the  best  of  his  labor  to  the  development 
of  the  state  in  which  he  lived  and  having  been  elected  to  the  office  of  school  di- 
rector on  the  republican  ticket,  served  his  township  faithfully  in  that  capacity. 
His  wife  had  preceded  him  to  the  grave  by  some  years,  for  she  passed  away  in 
1893  when  seventy-one  years  of  age.     She  was  the  mother  of  five  children,  as 
follows :  Margaret,  the  wife  of  Jacob  Engler,  a  retired  farmer  of  Minden,  Pot- 
tawattamie county,  Iowa;  Chris,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Christina,  the  wife 
of  William  Murrison,  of  Sheridan  township,  Scott  county;  Bartley,  who  died  in 
1887;  and  John  M.,  who  is  living  upon  the  old  homestead  in  Winfield  township. 
Chris  Marti  had  attended  school  in  Switzerland  for  three  months  before  the 
removal  of  the  family  to  America  and  after  arriving  in  Scott  county  was  en- 
rolled as  a  pupil  in  the  district  schools  near  his  home.     Not  all  of  his  time  was 
given  to  the  preparation  of  lessons,  however,  for  he  assisted  his  father  in  break- 
ing the  land  and  improving  the  farm  he  had  purchased  and  later  in  cultivating 
the  fields,  so  that,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years,    he    was    well    prepared   to 
engage  in  farming  on  his  own  account.    Upon  leaving  the  parental  roof,  with  the 
assistance  of  his  father  he  bought  a  tract  of  one  hundred  acres  on  section  16, 
Sheridan  township,  which  had  been  broken  but  on  which  no  buildings  had  been 
erected.     Mr.   Marti   made  whatever  improvements   were  necessary   and  lived 
thereon  until  1869,  when  he  disposed  of  that  place  and  bought  of  his  father  the 
farm  on  section  33  on  which  he  now  lives.     He  continued  the  improvements 
which  had  been  begun,  and  as  the  result  of  his  care  and  diligence  was  soon  reap- 
ing annually  large  harvests  that  netted  him  a  comfortable  income.     Later  ho 
purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  adjoining  the  homestead,  making 
a  total  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  he  owns  in  Scott  county.     He  owns 
twenty  acres  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  while  another  indication  of  his  pros- 
perity is  afforded  by  the  fact  that  he  is  a  director  of  the  Long  Grove  Bank. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  349 

He  has  now  retired  from  active  participation  in  the  cultivation  of  his  fields,  hav- 
ing rented  his  land  to  his  sons,  who  are  carrying  on  the  work. 

While  the  extent  of  these  landholdings  affords  a  palpable  evidence  of  Mr. 
Marti's  skill  as  a  farmer  and  the  good  judgment  which  has  distinguished  his 
business  operations,  an  even  greater  indication  of  his  success  in  the  world's 
work  is  seen  in  the  high  regard  in  which  he  is  held  by  the  men  in  whose  midst 
he  has  lived  and  who  were  pleased  to  bestow  upon  him  many  marks  of  their 
approval.  He  served  as  clerk  of  Winfield  township  for  four  years,  in  1872  was 
elected  secretary  of  the  school  board  of  the  independent  district  of  Winfield,  an 
oifice  he  has  filled  continuously  to  the  present,  and  in  1889  was  elected  to  the 
twenty-third  general  assembly  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  He  was  reelected  to  the 
twenty-fourth  assembly,  did  not  serve  in  the  twenty-fifth,  but  returned  to  the 
twenty-sixth.  He  also  served  in  the  call  session  summoned  by  Governor  Drake. 
In  1898  he  was  nominated  upon  the  democratic  ticket  for  state  senator  but  was 
defeated  by  W.  E.  Hayward.  He  always  remained  true  to  what  he  believed 
to  be  for  the  interests  of  his  constituent's  and  in  accord  with  his  owa  ideals  of 
honor  and  uprightness,  and  the  record  of  his  public  acts  is  one  of  which  any 
man  might  be  proud.  , 

Mr.  Marti  has  been  twice  married.  On  the  13th  of  December,  1866,  he 
wedded  Miss  Ellen  Madden,  who  was  born  in  Liverpool,  England,  August  16, 
1847,  and  was  brought  to  this  country  by  her  parents,  John  and  Ellen  Madden, 
in  1850.  Of  this  union  there  were  four  children,  George  D.,  the  eldest,  now  re- 
siding in  Austin,  Minnesota,  married  first  Miss  Emma  Clapp,  by  whom  he 
had  a  daughter.  Vera.  Mrs.  Emma  Marti  died  in  July,  1900,  and  he  later  mar- 
ried Miss  Evelyn  Williamson.  Howard  B.  lives  with  his  father.  John  S.  also 
lives  upon  part  of  his  father's  farm.  He  wedded  Miss  Mary  A.  Neil,  and  they 
have  two  daughters,  Jennie  and  Helen.  Delbert  C,  a  resident  of  Winfield 
township,  married  Miss  Dorothea  Hendricksen  and  unto  them  has  been  bom 
a  daughter.  Myrtle.  On  the  5th  of  December,  1888,  Mr.  Marti  was  called  to 
mourn  the  death  of  his  wife,  who  had  been  a  faithful  helpmate  and  companion 
for  more  than  twenty  years  and  was  laid  to  rest  at  Long  Grove.  On  October 
22,  1890,  he  married  again,  his  second  wife  having  been  Miss  Anie  B.  Thompson, 
a  daughter  of  Hugh  M.  and  Jennie  (Robinson)  Thompson,  who  had  come  to 
Long  Grove,  Scott  county,  from  England,  in  1844,  among  the  early  settlers  of 
the  state.  They  were  of  Scotch  descent.  The  father  became  closely  identified 
with  the  interests  of  his  locality  and  was  generally  known  as  the  Hon.  H.  M. 
Thompson,  for  he  served  in  the  general  assembly  at  Des  Moines  and  was  ap- 
pointed superintendent  of  the  agricultural  department  of  the  Iowa  State  College 
at  Ames.  He  passed  away  in  1887,  but  his  widow  is  still  living  at  the  venerable 
age  of  ninety-five  years  and  makes  her  home  with  Mr.  Marti.  Two  daughters 
have  been  bom  to  Mr.  Marti's  second  union,  namely:  Nellie,  who  is  attending 
the  high  school  in  Davenport,  and  Anie  T.,  who  is  at  home. 

Mr.  Marti  voted  for  Governor  Cummins  the  first  time  he  was  the  candidate 
for  state  executive  and  has  since  voted  with  the  republican  party.  Fraternally 
he  belongs  to  the  Long  Grove  Camp  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  and  to  the 
Modern  Brotherhood  of  America  at  Eldridge,  while  he  maintains  intimate  as- 
sociation with  his  fellow  agriculturists  through  his  membership  in  the  Sheridan 


350  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Grange.  His  religious  support  is  given  to  the  Christian  church  of  Long  Grove, 
of  which  he  is  trustee.  The  saUent  traits  of  his  character  are  energy,  perse- 
verance and  the  capacity  to  work,  united  with  high  ideals  of  honorable  man- 
hood and  progressive  citizenship.  He  has  been  true  to  all  trusts  imposed  upon 
him,  and  now  in  the  evening  of  life  may  well  enjoy  the  rest  he  so  well  deserves, 
assured  of  the  respect,  good  will  and  esteem  of  the  citizens  of  Winfield  town- 
ship, in  whose  midst  the  most  of  his  years  have  been  spent. 


JACOB  IRA  CROOK. 


Jacob  I.  Crook  was  connected  with  what  has  become  one  of  the  most  important 
laundry  concerns  in  Iowa,  being  associated  in  this  with  his  two  sons,  Lester  J.  and 
Rolland  W.  Crook,  who  are  the  principal  factors  in  the  business,  which  is  con- 
ducted under  the  name  of  Crook  Brothers  on  East  Third  street.  Mr.  Crook  was 
born  in  Steuben  county,  New  York,  July  ii,  1836.  He  enlisted  in  the  United 
States  army  on  the  i6th  of  August,  1861,  and  was  a  member  of  Company  A  of  the 
Forty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry.  He  served  three  years  as  private  and  was  hon- 
orably discharged  in  1864,  reentered  the  army  at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  February 
8,  1865,  in  the  capacity  of  sergeant,  and  was  honorably  discharged  after  the  close 
of  the  war,  on  the  7th  of  February,  1866. 

On  the  1st  of  November,  1864,  at  Peoria,  Illinois,  Mr.  Crook  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Louisa  H.  Stringer.  To  this  union  four  children  were  born, 
two  sons  and  two  daughters.  After  locating  with  his  family  in  Davenport,  Mr. 
Crook  was  engaged  in  various  business  pursuits.  One  of  the  daughters,  Olive  L., 
was  born  in  Peoria  county,  Illinois,  June  6,  1866,  and  on  the  27th  of  November, 
1897,  at  Dubuque,  Iowa,  was  married  to  David  N.  Albaugh.  One  son,  Jacob  Ira, 
was  born  to  this  union.  They  reside  in  Davenport.  Martha  J.,  whose  birth 
occurred  in  Atkinson,  Illinois,  February  16,  1871,  was  married  at  Davenport, 
Iowa,  on  the  30th  of  January,  1890,  to  Alonzo  S.  Collins.  They  live  in  Buffalo, 
New  York,  and  have  one  son,  Alonzo  WilUam. 

Lester  J.,  the  eldest  son,  was  born  in  Henry  county,  Illinois,  March  16,  1868. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  in  his  early  manhood  was 
employed  as  a  clerk  in  a  dry-goods  establishment.  He  then  abandoned  that  posi- 
tion and  entered  the  emplqy  of  the  firm  which  formerly  conducted  the  laundry  of 
which  he  is  now  one  of  the  proprietors.  He  was  first  employed  as  driver  on  the 
delivery  wagon  for  this  concern.  From  the  beginning  he  seemed  alert  to  every 
point  by  which  he  might  learn  more  concerning  the  laundry  business  and  this  alert- 
ness, coupled  with  his  generosity  of  service,  was  soon  noted  by  his  employers  and 
in  a  short  time  he  was  put  in  charge  as  manager  of  the  laundry.  He  was  not  long 
in  proving  himself  capable  of  handling  the  affairs  of  this  concern  in  managing  its 
financial  interests  and  in  directing  the  labors  of  the  employes  over  whom  he  had 
supervision.  Although  when  he  took  charge  the  business  was  one  of  insignifi- 
cance, Mr.  Crook  soon  built  up  the  trade  and  eventually  purchased  a  half  interest. 
Wishing  to  become  more  firmly  established  in  trade  circles,  he  then  found  a  man 
to  purchase  the  other  half  interest  in  the  concern,  the  latter  acting  as  a  silent  part- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  351 

ner.  Still  later  Mr.  Crook  induced  his  brother,  RoUand  W.,  who  was  a  photog- 
rapher, to  purchase  the  interest  of  the  silent  partner.  The  two  then  set  to  work 
to  make  theirs  an  important  industry.  They  rebuilt  the  plant  of  twenty-two  by 
seventy-five  feet  of  room  to  their  present  quarters  of  twenty  thousand  feet  of 
work  space,  using  both  floors  and  equipping  the  plant  with  modern  machinery. 
They  now  have  an  outfit  for  doing  first-class  work,  the  earning  capacity  being 
second  to  none  in  the  state.  The  business  is  located  at  No.  221  East  Third  street 
and  is  conducted  under  the  name  of  Crook  Brothers.  Their  patronage  is  not  only 
drawn  from  Davenport  but  extends  to  other  districts  within  a  radius  of  one  hun- 
dred miles,  and  their  laundry  is  now  one  of  the  largest  in  the  state. 

Lester  J.  Crook  was  married  at  Rock  Island,  on  the  29th  of  September,  1893, 
to  Miss  Katharine  C.  Scott.  One  daughter,  Louisa  K.,  was  born  to  this  union. 
Mr.  Crook  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Elks  and  the  Red  Men  and  is 
popular  with  his  brethren  in  these  various  societies. 

RoUand  W.  Crook  was  born  in  "Atkinson,  Illinois,  on  the  4th  of  October,  1873. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  when  but  a  lad  entered  the 
employ  of  Frank  Hastings,  the  photographer,  remaining  in  that  line  of  activity 
until  he  entered  the  laundry  business.  On  the  3d  of  June,  1907,  at  Davenport,  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Dorothy  K.  Eberly.  His  fraternal  relations  are  with  the 
Masons  and  the  Elks.  The  brothers  are  alert,  enterprising  men,  putting  forth 
every  endeavor  to  make  today  find  them  further  advanced  than  yesterday  and 
their  constant  progression  rapidly  brings  them  toward  the  wished  for  goal.  They 
take  an  active  part  in  the  city's  welfare  and  have  become  recognized  as  prominent 
business  men  of  Davenport. 


ED  S.  BOWMAN,  M.  D. 

Dr.  Ed  S.  Bowman,  who  established  the  county  hospital  of  Scott  county  and 
is  a  successful  general  practitioner  who  continuously  augments  his  knowledge 
and  efficiency  by  study  and  investigation  along  the  lines  of  medical  science,  was 
bom  in  Andalusia,  Illinois,  October  14,  1868.  His  father,  Ed  H.  Bowman, 
was  a  native  of  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois,  and  a  son  of  Dr.  E.  H.  Bowman, 
of  Rock  Island  county.  The  father  still  resides  in  the  place  of  his  nativity,  where 
he  is  largely  engaged  in  real-estate  business.  He  married  Ellen  Sumet,-  also 
a  native  of  Rock  Island  county. 

Passing  through  the  consecutive  grades  of  the  public  schools.  Dr.  E.  S. 
Bowman  of  this  review  eventually  became  a  high  school  student  in  Rock  Island 
and  received  his  early  business  training  in  the  office  of  his  father,  who  was  at 
that  time  clefk  of  the  circuit  court.  Subsequently  he  engaged  in  journalism  on 
the  Rock  Island  Argus  for  two  years  and  then  went  to  Bennett,  Iowa,  where  he 
clerked  in  the  drug  store  of  an  uncle.  Dr.  S.  C.  Bowman.  At  the  same  time  he 
studied  medicine  and,  becoming  convinced  that  the  practice  of  medicine  and  sur- 
gery would  prove  a  congenial  vocation,  he  entered  the  State  University  of  Iowa, 
where  he  spent  three  years  and  was  graduated  in  1893.  He  then  joined  his  uncle, 
Dr.  A.  W.  Bowman,  in  Davenport,  and  at  his  death  continued  his  practice. 


352  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

He  continually  reads  and  studies  along  those  lines  that  will  promote  his  efficiency 
and  that  his  practice  has  given  uniform  satisfaction  is  indicated  in  his  constantly 
increasing  patronage.  He  belongs  to  the  Scott  County  Medical  Society,  the 
Iowa  State  Medical  Society,  the  National  Medical  Association  and  the  Iowa 
&  Illinois  Medical  Society,  of  which  he  was  secretary  for  a  number  of  years. 

Dr.  Bowman  takes  active  interest  in  politics  and  is  a  stalwart  republican. 
The  Bowman  family  on  the  whole  have  been  interested  in  political  questions 
and  activities  and  thus  Dr.  Bowman's  record  is  in  keeping  with  that  of  others 
of  the  name.  In  1898  he  became  county  physician  of  Scott  county  and  thus 
served  until  1904,  during  which  time  he  established  the  county  hospital,  which 
has  developed  from  modest  proportions  into  an  important  institution,  doing 
excellent  work  in  conserving  the  public  health.  He  also  assisted  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Visiting  Nurses  Association,  secured  the  present  city  ambulance  and 
instituted  many  other  improvements  that  are  of  great  benefit  to  Davenport  from 
the  health  standpoint.  In  1897  he  wa:s  appointed  United  States  examiner  and 
still  holds  that  office. 

It  was  also  in  1897  that  Dr.  Bowman  was  married  to  Miss  Evelyn  Stan- 
ton, a  native  of  Rock  Island,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Beulah,  who  was 
bom  March  4,  1901.  Dr.  Bowman  is  prominent  in  Masonry,  having  attained 
the  thirty-second  degree  of  the  Scottish  Rite.  He  is  also  a  leading  representa- 
tive of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  a  charter  member  of  Columbian  Lodge  and 
brigade  surgeon  of  the  Iowa  Brigade  of  the  uniformed  rank,  Knights  of  Py- 
thias. He  likewise  holds  membership  with  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order 
of  Elks,  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and  the  Foresters.  In  his  life 
work  he  has  put  into  practice  his  belief  that  earnest  labor  and  thorough  appli- 
cation are  the  fundamentals  of  success  and  he  possesses  in  a  high  degree  the 
confidence  of  a  large  clientele. 


LOUIS  P.  BEST. 


The  promotion  which  follows  skilled  labor  and  close  application  brought 
Louis  P.  Best  to  a  position  where  upon  him  devolved  administrative  direction  and 
executive  control  in  connection  with  a  number  of  the  most  important  industrial 
and  financial  enterprises  of  Davenport.  His  abilities,  at  all  times  adequate  to 
the  demands  made  upon  him,  enabled  him  to  so  direct  interests  with  which  he 
was  concerned  as  to  win  most  substantial  results,  and  at  length  by  reason  of  the 
success  to  which  he  attained  he  was  enabled  to  put  aside  business  cares  and  is 
now  practically  retired.  He  is,  however,  still  financially  interested  in  some  en- 
terprises in  which  he  was  formerly  a  member,  with  active  voice  in  management. 
He  was  born  in  Germany  on  the  7th  of  April,  1848,  and  acquired  his  education 
largely  in  the  schools  of  Stuttgart  and  Berlin.  Coming  to  the  United  States 
in  1869  as  a  young  man  of  twenty-one  years,  he  landed  at  New  York,  where  he 
spent  five  years,  being  first  employed  as  a  chemist  with  the  Brunjes  &  Ockers- 
hausen  Sugar  Refining  Company,  while  subsequently  he  was  identified  with 
the  importing  business.     In  1874  he  made  his  way  to  Davenport,  being  called 


oc  ^  y  ■  yh'^-^^^ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  355 

to  this  city  to  take  charge  of  the  works  of  the  Glucose  Manufacturing  Company. 
He  then  bought  an  interest  in  the  business  and,  increasing  his  holdings  therein, 
was  for  a  considerable  period  one  of  the  chief  stockholders.  In  an  official  ca- 
pacity he  was  active  in  its  management  and  control,  taking  important  part  in 
formulating  the  policy  and  plans  whereby  the  business  became  one  of  the  lead- 
ing enterprises  of  eastern  Iowa.  When  he  became  connected  therewith  the 
business  was  in  its  infancy  but  was  reorganized  in  the  fall  of  1874,  Mr.  Best 
acting  as  general  manager  from  that  time  until  his  retirement,  on  the  ist  of 
January,  1898.  To  his  knowledge  and  skill  as  a  chemist  were  added  excellent 
executive  ability  and  keen  discrimination.  As  his  powers  became  recognized  Mr. 
Best's  cooperation  was  sought  along  various  other  lines  and  at  one  time  he  was 
president  of  the  Davenport  Machinery  &  Foundry  Company,  of  which  he  is 
still  a  director.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Bettendorf  'Axle  Company  and 
served  as  its  treasurer  until  obliged  to  resign  that  position  on  account  of  ill 
health,  after  which  he  traveled  in  Europe  for  two  years,  being  greatly  benefited 
by  his  sojourn  abroad.  While  connected  with  the  glucose  trade  he  built  a  new 
glucose  factory  at  Granite  City,  Illinois,  which  he  afterward  sold.  He  was  for- 
merly interested  in  the  Hawkeye  Electric  Company  and  was  a  director  of  the 
Citizens  National  Bank. 

While  Mr.  Best  established  his  place  as  one  of  the  foremost  representatives 
of  business  interests  in  Davenport,  he  did  not  fail  to  heed  the  call  of  citizenship 
and,  in  fact,  has  taken  active  part  in  furthering  many  progressive  public  projects. 
For  six  years  he  served  on  the  school  board  and  for  four  years  was  its  presi- 
dent, in  which  connection  he  was  active  in  holding  to  a  high  standard  the  sys- 
tem of  public  instruction  in  the  city,  bringing  to  bear  in  the  discharge,  of  his 
duties  the  same  businesslike  qualities  which  have  characterized  his  conduct 
of  individual  interests. 

In  1871  Mr.  Best  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Louise  Heck,  the  wedding 
being  celebrated  in  London,  England.  Their  only  child,  Rudolph,  resides  in 
Fort  Scott,  Kansas.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Best  chose  Miss  Krause  and  to  them 
have  been  born  a  son  and  daughter,  Louis  and  Margaret.  The  family  residence 
is  situated  on  Ripley  street  and  the  evidences  of  cultured  and  refined  taste,  as 
well  as  of  wealth,  make  it  most  attractive  to  the  many  friends  of  the  family. 
The  wise  use  of  time,  talents  and  opportunity  has  brought  Mr.  Best  to  his 
present  enviable  position  with  a  name  that  has  remained  untarnished  through 
all  the  years  of  his  connection  with  commercial  interests. 


JAMES  R.  THOMSON. 


Unfaltering  perseverance  and  unabating  energy  have  brought  James  R.  Thom- 
son a  gratifying  measure  of  success  and  he  is  now  classed  with  the  highly  re- 
spected and  progressive  farmers  of  Winfield  township,  where  he  owns  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  in  the  farm  upon  which  he  now  resides,  which  is  the  old 
homestead,  on  sections  25  and  26,  about  a  half  mile  northeast  of  Long  Grove. 


356  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

It  was  upon  this  farm  and  in  this  county  that  he  was  born,  March  19,  1854, 
his  parents  being  Hon.  Hugh  M.  and  Jean  (Robertson)  Thomson,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Scotland.     The  father,  who  was  born  July  4,  1812,  was  a  son 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Isaac  Thomson,  who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  the  land  of 
hills  and  heather.    Hugh  M.  Thomson  acquired  his  education  in  his  native  country 
and  in  his  early  manhood  had  the  friendship  and  patronage  of  a  nobleman  who 
took  great  interest  in  him  and  obtained  for  him  a  position  on  the  police  force 
in  Liverpool,  England.     Later  he  was  promoted  to  police  inspector,  occupying 
that  position  until  he  came  to  the  United  States  in  1844.     He  landed  at  New 
Orleans  after  a  voyage  of  nine  weeks  and  then  came  up  the  Mississippi  river 
to  Davenport,  where  he  landed  in  the  month  of  June.     He  was  accompanied  by 
his  wife  and  five  children  and  he  made  the  trip  to  the  new  world  in  order  to 
keep  the  family  together,  believing  that  he  would  receive  a  more  adequate  re- 
muneration for  his  labor  in  this  country.     Three  families  had  emigrated  to- 
gether.    Mr.  Thomson  took  up  forty  acres  of  land  as  did  each  of  the  others — 
John  Grieve,  John  Pollock  and  John  Robertson.     The  forty  acres  which  Mr. 
Thomson  secured  is  now  a  part  of  the  J.  G.  Robertson  place  in  Winfield  town- 
ship.    It  was  all  open  prairie  then  and  his  land  was  too  low  to  build  a  house  thereon, 
so  that  he   soon  afterward  entered  eighty  acres  more  in  Winfield  township. 
Upon  the  latter  tract  he  erected  a  log  cabin  and  the  families  of  John  Pollock, 
John  Robertson  and  Mr.  Thomson  all  occupied  it.     Mr.  Thomson  lived  there 
for  about  seven  years,  after  which  he  entered  the   farm  upon  which  his  son 
James  now  resides.     In  the  intervening  years  he  had  experienced  all  the  hard- 
ships and  privations  of  pioneer  life  but  now  the  country  was  beginning  to  be 
settled  and  he  was  offered  six  hundred  dollars  for  his  eighty  acre  tract,  so  that 
he  sold  it,  considering  this  a  good  price  for  the  property.    He  then  made  invest- 
ment in  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  on  sections  25  and  26,  Winfield 
township,  for  which  he  paid  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre  and  then  had  two 
hundred  dollars  remaining  from  the  sale  price  of  his  former  farm.    He  built  his 
house  and  from  time  to  time  added  to  the  improvements  upon  the  farm,  which 
under  his  careful   direction  was  transferred  into  a  productive   tract  of  land, 
annually  yielding  him  generous  harvests.     He  lived  upon  the  place  all  his  life 
but  later  sold  eighty  acres  of  the  original  tract.    He  carried  on  general  farming 
and  was  very  progressive  in  his  methods.    He  was  one  of  the  first  to  introduce 
shorthorn  cattle  into  the  county,  buying  stock  of  that  class  about  1857.    He  was 
also  prominent  in  community  affairs  and  held  nearly  all  of  the  township  offices, 
including  that  of  justice  of  the  peace,  township  trustee  and  school  director.    He 
was  also  president  of  the  school  board  at  one  time  and  still  higher  official  honors 
were  conferred  upon  him,  for  in  1863  he  was  elected  to  represent  his  district 
in  the  state  legislature  and  thus  served  until  1866.     He  was  chosen  to  the  office 
on  the  republican  ticket  and  later  he  was  appointed  superintendent  of  the  Agri- 
cultural Farm  at  Ames,  Iowa,  remaining  in  charge  for  four  years.     He  then 
returned  to  Scott  county  and  his  fellow  townsmen  desirous  of  again  benefiting 
by  his  official  service  elected  him  a  member  of  the  board  of  county  supervisors 
in  1879.    He  filled  the  position  for  about  a  year  and  a  half,  after  which  he  with- 
drew from  public  life  and  concentrated  his  energies  upon  his  farming  interests. 
Over  the  record  of  his  official  career  there  falls  no  shadow  of  wrong  or  sus- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  357 

picion  of  evil.  He  was  always  loyal  to  the  interests  entrusted  to  his  care  and 
progressive  in  his  support  of  beneficial  public  measures.  He  held  membership 
in  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge  while  in  Liverpool  but  took  no  active  part  in  lodge 
affairs  while  in  Iowa.  He  and  his  wife  held  membership  in  the  Presbyterian 
church  in  Scotland  but  as  there  was  no  congregation  of  their  denomination  near 
their  home  in  Scott  county  they  attended  the  Christian  church.  The  death  of 
Mr.  Thomson  occurred  March  i,  1887,  and  his  remains  were  interred  in  the 
Long  Grove  cemetery.  His  wife,  who  was  born  June  20,  1814,  is  still  living  in 
Scott  county. 

In  their  family  were  nine  children:  M.  L.,  of  Hewins,  Kansas;  Jean,  the 
wife  of  Gavin  Long,  of  Brooklyn,  Iowa;  John  R.,  who  is  mayor  of  Earlham, 
Iowa ;  Elizabeth,  who  became  the  wife  of  A.  W.  Brownlee,  and  is  now  deceased ; 
Agnes,  who  became  the  wife  of  Herman  Ficke,  of  Davenport,  but  died  in  1907; 
Andrew  L.,  a  resident  of  Stuart,  Nebraska;  Annie,  the  wife  of  Chris  Marti 
of  Scott  county;  Hugh  M.,  who  makes  his  home  in  Moville,  Iowa;  and  James 
R.,  of  this  review. 

James  R.  Thomson  has  always  lived  in  the  county  which  is  yet  his  home  and 
the  place  is  therefore  endeared  to  him  by  the  memories  of  boyhood  as  well  as  the 
associations  of  later  years.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  district  schools 
and  the  Agricultural  College  at  Ames,  after  which  he  returned  to  the  old  home- 
stead and  has  since  engaged  in  general  farming,  assuming  the  management  of 
the  farm  in  1885.  He  is  first  vice  president  of  the  Stockman's. Bank  of  Long 
Grove. 

On  the  30th  of  September,  1891,  Mr.  Thomson  was  married  to  Miss  Emma 
Evans,  who  was  born  in  Butler  township  and  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Clarinda 
(Baughman)  Evans.  Her  father  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  and  became  one 
of  the  early  settlers  of  this  county,  arriving  here  when  fourteen  years  of  age. 
He  is  still  living,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years,  but  his  wife,  who  was  born  in 
Winfield  township,  this  county,  passed  away  in  June,  1906.  In  their  family 
were  six  children:  Dr.  S.  J.  Evans,  who  is  a  resident  of  Davenport;  Bert  E., 
making  his  home  in  Long  Grove;  Mrs.  Thomson;  Effie,  the  wife  of  Charles 
Clapp,  of  Sheridan  township ;  George,  who  died  in  March,  1904 ;  and  Lottie,  also 
living  in  Sheridan  township. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomson  has  been  born  one  son,  Frank  Evans,  whose 
natal  day  was  December  7,  1893,  and  who  is  now  a  high-school  pupil  in  Daven- 
port. Mr.  Thomson  strongly  advocates  higher  education  and  is  a  stalwart  sup- 
porter of  the  public-school  system.  He  has  served  for  four  years  as  a  school 
director  and  he  takes  an  active  part  in  politics  as  a  supporter  of  the  republican 
party.  He  has  been  committeeman  for  his  township  on  the  county  central  com- 
mittee for  twenty  years  and  does  all  in  his  power  to  further  the  interests  and 
promote  the  success  of  the  republican  party  in  this  county.  He  holds  membership 
with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  at  Long  Grove  and  has  attained  high 
rank  in  Masonry,  his  membership  being  in  De  Witt  Lodge,  No.  34,  F.  &  A.  M. ; 
Kilwinning  Chapter  No.  56,  R.  A.  M.,  also  of  De  Witt;  St.  Simon's  Cyrene 
Commandery,  No.  9,  K.  T.,  of  Davenport;  and  Kaaba  Temple  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine.  His  life  is  in  harmony  with  the  beneficent  teachings  of  the  craft  which 
is  based  upon  mutual  helpfulness  and  brotherly  kindness.     He  enjoys  in  large 


358  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

measure  the  high  regard  of  his  brethren  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and,  moreover, 
has  the  warm  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens  throughout  his  part  of  the  county. 
He  is  a  worthy  representative  of  one  of  the  oldest  pioneer  families,  and  for  more 
than  a  half  century  the  name  of  Thomson  has  been  associated  with  all  that  is 
progressive  and  commendable  in  citizenship  as  well  as  in  business  life. 


RAY  R.  KULP,  M.  D. 


Dr.  Ray  R.  Kulp  entered  upon  the  practice  of  medicine  at  Davenport  in  July, 
1905,  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Kulp,  Kulp  &  Kulp,  his  associates  being  his 
father,  Dr.  John  H.  Kulp,  and  his  brother,  Dr.  Oliver  W.  Kulp.  Since  the  death 
of  Dr.  John  H.  Klilp,  which  occurred  in  March,  1906,  the  sons  have  taken  care  of 
the  extensive  practice  of  their  father  and  have  already  gained  enviable  recogni- 
tion among  the  skilled  and  able  members  of  the  medical  profession. 

Dr.  Ray  R.  Kulp  of  this  review  is  numbered  among  the  worthy  native  sons 
of  Scott  county,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Davenport  on  the  2d  of  March,  1879. 
His  father.  Dr.  John  H.  Kulp,  was  born  in  Sherman,  Summit  county,  Ohio,  on 
the  2ist  of  June,  1849.  He  obtained  his  literary  education  in  the  Mennonite  Acad- 
emy at  Wadsworth,  Ohio,  and  in  1869  came  to  Iowa,  taking  up  the  study  of  medi; 
cine  in  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Iowa,  which  institution  con- 
ferred upon  him  the  degree  of  M.  D.  in  1872.  He  had  studied  under  the  direction 
of  Professor  Robertson,  of  Muscatine,  Iowa,  who  was  professor  of  the  theory 
and  practice  of  medicine  in  the  University  of  Iowa.  Prior  to  his  graduation  he 
entered  the  State  Hospital  for  the  Insane  at  Mount  Pleasant,  Iowa,  as  apothe- 
cary and  hospital  clerk  and  after  receiving  his  degree  he  was  appointed  second 
assistant  physician  of  that  institution,  which  position  he  held  for  two  and  a  half 
years,  when  he  was  made  first  assistant.  He  likewise  spent  one  season  at  post 
graduate  work  in  Bellevue  Hospital  of  New  York  city. 

In  January,  1874,  Dr.  John  H.  Kulp  opened  an  office  at  Davenport,  Iowa, 
continuing  a  successful  and  prominent  practitioner  of  medicine  here  until  the  time 
of  his  demise.  He  gradually  began  specializing  in  nervous  and  mental  diseases 
and  diseases  of  women  and  eventually  devoted  his  attention  exclusively  to  those 
branches.  For  more  than  twenty  years  he  acted  as  trustee  of  Mount  Pleasant 
Hospital,  was  a  member  of  the  consulting  board  of  St.  Luke's  Hospital  and  served 
as  alienist  of  the  insane  department  at  Mercy  Hospital.  He  was  likewise  surgeon 
for  the  BurHngton,  Cedar  Rapids  &  Northern  Railroad.  For  two  terms  he  acted 
as  president  of  the  Scott  County  Medical  Society,  while  in  the  Iowa  and  Illinois 
Central  District  Medical  Society  he  was  also  elected  to  that  responsible  position, 
serving  for  one  term. 

On  the  24th  of  September,  1873,  Dr.  John  H.  Kulp  was  joined  in  wedlock  to 
Miss  Mary  E.  Cauffman,  of  Mount  Pleasant,  Iowa,  by  whom  he  had  two  sons : 
Oliver  W.,  who  was  born  July  4,  1874 ;  and  Ray  Ranney,  of  this  review.  Both 
have  followed  in  the  professional  footsteps  of  their  father.  John  H.  Kulp  was 
a  republican  in  his  political  views,  while  fraternally  he  was  identified  with  the 
Masons  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias.    He  was  a  man  of  splendid  physique,  digni- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  359 

fied  and  prepossessing,  and  when  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest  his  professional 
brethren  felt  that  they  had  lost  one  of  their  most  distinguished  representatives. 

Dr.  Ray  R.  Kulp,  whose  name  initiates  this  review,  spent  his  youthful  days  as 
a  student  in  the  public  schools,  being  graduated  from  the  high  school  at  Daven- 
port in  1899.  Entering  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Iowa,  he  was 
graduated  from  that  institution  in  1904  and  subsequently  spent  a  year  as  house 
physician  of  Mercy  Hospital  in  this  city.  In  July,  1905,  he  began  the  practice  of 
his  profession  in  partnership  with  his  father  and  brother  and  after  the  death  of 
the  former  was  for  a  time  associated  with  his  brother.  He  is  now  enjoying  a  very 
extensive  and  gratifying  patronage.  He  acts  as  official  anaesthetizer  at  Mercy 
Hospital,  and  keeps  in  close  touch  with  the  progress  that  is  being  continually  made 
by  the  medical  fraternity  through  his  membership  in  the  County,  State  and 
National  medical  societies  and  the  Iowa  and  Illinois  Central  District  Medical 
Society. 

In  1906  Dr.  Kulp  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Bessie  G.  Piatt,  a  native  of 
Davenport  and  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  F.  Piatt,  who  was  formerly  a  resident  of 
this  city  but  now  makes  his  home  in  Minneapolis.  Dr.  Kulp  belongs  to  the  Phi 
Rho  Sigma,  having  joined  the  Phi  Rho  Sigma  and  the  Tau  Delta  Tau  fraternities 
at  college.  He  is  well  known  and  popular  socially,  while  in  professional  circles 
he  has  won  a  measure  of  success  which  many  an  older  practitioner  might  well  envy. 


CHARLES  H.  WENZEL. 

Charles  H.  Wenzel,  who  conducts  a  business  in  farm  implements  in  addition 
to  the  cultivation  of  his  fields  in  Liberty  township,  was  born  in  Hampshire  town- 
ship, Clinton  county,  Iowa,  December  28,  1862,  his  parents  being  Fred  and  Mary 
(Smith)  Wenzel.  They  were  both  natives  of  Prussia,  where  they  grew  to  ma- 
turity and  were  married,  and  in  i860  started  upon  their  journey  to  America. 
In  December,  of  that  year,  they  reached  Iowa,  locating  in  Clinton  county,  where 
the  father  secured  a  large  farm,  which  Mr.  Wenzel  operated  until  his  death.  It 
occurred  in  1905,  when  he  was  seventy  years  of  age.  His  widow  is  still  living 
on  the  homestead.  They  were  the  parents  of  six  children:  Charles  H.,  who  is 
the  subject  of  this  sketch;  August,  who  is  a  partner  with  his  brother  Charles 
in  the  implement  business;  Bertha,  who  became  the  wife  of  Hans  Hagge,  of 
Clinton,  Clinton  county,  Iowa ;  Annie,  who  is  the  wife  of  R.  C.  Hultz,  of  Boone, 
Iowa ;  Augusta,  who  married  Nicholas  Schwartz,  of  Clinton  county ;  and  Minnie, 
who  is  the  wife  of  John  Wascher  and  lives  upon  the  homestead  in  CUnton 
county. 

Charles  H.  Wenzel  was  reared  upon  the  homestead  in  Clinton  county  and 
in  the  district  schools  of  Hampshire  township  attained  a  good  education.  Until 
he  was  thirty  he  worked  with  his  father  upon  the  farm  and  then  started  out  in- 
dependently. At  first  he  was  engaged  in  the  implement  business,  which  he  con- 
ducted in  conjunction  with  a  saloon  in  Low  Moor,  Clinton  county,  for  about 
seven  years.  About  four  years  ago  he  came  to  Liberty  township,  Scott  county, 
where  he  continued  to  sell  farm  implements  and  also  engaged  in  agricultural 


360  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

pursuits  upon  the  tract  of  land  on  which  he  now  Hves  and  which  belongs  to  his 
wife.  It  embraces  two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  lying  upon  sections  i8  and  19, 
and  is  one  of  the  rich  farms  of  this  township.  He  pursues  a  general  line  of 
agriculture  and  is  now  accounted  one  of  the  successful  men  of  his  locality. 

In  1907  Mr.  Wenzel  wedded  Mrs.  Anna  Arp,  the  widow  of  Johannes  Arp 
and  a  daughter  of  Fred  and  Catherine  (Koch)  Misfeldt.  They  were  both  born 
in  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  the  former  January  22,  1823,  and  the  latter 
March  7,  1843.  I^  their  native  province  they  were  married  and  there  two  of 
their  children  were  born.  In  1865  they  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  came  directly 
to  Scott  county,  where  Mr.  Misfeldt  engaged  in  farming.  Here  he  died  Sep- 
tember 19,  1908,  and  his  widow  is  now  living  in  New  Liberty.  Twelve  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them,  eight  of  whom  are  now  living.  Their  daughter  Anna 
was  born  in  Butler  township,  Scott  county,  March  10,  1872,  and  in  1892  gave 
her  hand  in  marriage  to  Johannes  Arp,  who  was  born  in  Lincoln  township,  Scott 
county,  August  2,  1868.  He  was  a  son  of  Deitlef  and  Bertha  (Weis)  Arp, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany.  They  came  to  this  country  after  having 
reached  their  maturity,  were  married  here  and  took  up  their  residence  in  Scott 
county,  where  Mr.  Arp  engaged  in  farming.  Eight  children  were  born  to  them, 
but  two  only  grew  to  maturity :  Johannes  and  Adolph,  the  latter  living  upon  the 
homestead  in  Lincoln  township.  Johannes  Arp  remained  with  his  parents  until 
his  marriage,  when  he  bought  the  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  on 
which  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wenzel  are  now  living.  All  the  improvements  are  the 
result  of  his  labors  with  the  exception  of  the  dwelling  house  which  his  widow 
built  about  two  years  ago.  In  addition  to  this  place  he  owned  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres  on  section  6,  of  Liberty  township,  and  was  accounted  one  of  the 
most  prosperous  and  influential  men  in  his  locality.  He  was  a  democrat  in  his 
political  views,  and  upon  that  party's  ticket  had  been  elected  justice  of  the 
peace,  in  which  capacity  he  served  for  seven  years.  He  was  later  chosen  town- 
ship clerk — an  office  he  held  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  passed  away  in 
Liberty  township,  August  30,  1906,  and  by  his  demise  the  community  lost  one 
of  its  valued  citizens.  Six  children  had  been  born  to  him  and  his  wife:  Hilda, 
Harry,  Louis,  Raymond,  Elsie  and  Herman.  Louis  died  at  the  age  of  four 
years  and  four  months,  but  the  other  children  are  living  with  their  mother. 

Mr.  and  Mrs-.  Wenzel  are  the  parents  of  one  son,  Fred.  While  his  cultiva- 
tion of  the  soil  has  brought  him  a  generous  income  his  implement  business  is 
also  profitable  and  supplies  a  long-felt  want  in  this  community.  The  implements 
which  he  sells  are  of  high  grade  and  he  makes  every  effort  to  satisfy  the  wants 
of  his  customers,  who  find  him  always  a  man  of  honorable  intentions  and  acts. 


JOHN  BRUHN. 


A  life  of  industry,  crowned  with  success,  enabled  John  Bruhn  to  spend  his 
last  years  in  honorable  retirement,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil.  He 
was  indeed  a  self-made  man  and  in  his  youth  met  many  hardships  and  difficulties, 
but  gradually  he  worked  his  way  up  until  he  won  prosperity  as  the  reward  of 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  363 

his  diligence.  He  was  born  at  Liitjenburg,  Holstein,  Germany,  in  1827,  and 
in  early  life  learned  the  butcher's  trade.  He  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  when 
in  1848  he  joined  the  army,  serving  as  a  soldier  throughout  the  Schleswig-Hol- 
stein  war  against  Denmark.  In  1852  he  determined  to  come  to  America  and 
left  Hamburg  in  a  sailing  vessel,  which  reached  New  Orleans  after  a  voyage  of 
thirteen  weeks.  In  company  with  several  traveling  companions  he  went  up  the 
Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis,  and  as  he  had  no  money  began  looking  for  em- 
ployment. He  did  not  succeed  in  his  search  for  work  there  and  so  went  to 
Bunker  Hill  with  a  countryman,  Louis  Jansen,  who  was  likewise  a  butcher  by 
trade  and  who'  had  a  brother  who  was  engaged  in  the  tailoring  business  in 
Bunker  Hill.  The  two  young  men  eagerly  accepted  any  work  which  they  could 
secure.  They  worked  on  farms,  on  the  railroad  and  also  as  bricklayers'  help- 
ers. Their  wages  were  very  small — ^not  more  than  fifty  cents  a  day.  At  the 
end  of  two  weeks  their  fingers  were  so  sore  that  they  were  compelled  to  give 
up  work  for  a  time.  When  they  did  somewhat  recuperate,  a  prominent  Scotch- 
man of  Bunker  Hill,  who  was  hostile  to  the  resident  Irish  butcher,  asked  them 
if  they  would  not  establish  a  butcher  shop  there.  They  said  they  would  like 
to,  but  did  not  have  the  necessary  money,  so  the  Scotchman  supplied  them  with 
capital,  a  horse  and  wagon  and  equipped  a  small  shop  for  them,  so  that  the  new 
business  was  begun.  It  was  in  June,  1853,  that  they  opened  their  shop  and 
they  remained  together  until  November,  making  quite  a  little  money.  In  the 
latter  month  Mr.  Jansen  came  to  Davenport  with  four  hundred  dollars,  while 
Mr.  Bruhn  remained  at  Bunker  Hill  until  January,  1854.  He  then  came  to  Dav- 
enport at  the  request  of  Mr.  Jansen,  who  had  secured  employment  with  Chris- 
tian Hannemann,  an  uncle  of  Louis  and  Charles  Hansen.  Mr.  Bruhn  and  Mr. 
Jansen  bought  out  the  business  of  Mr.  Hannemann,  and  were  so  successful  in 
its  conduct  that  in  1855  Mr.  Jansen  sailed  for  Germany  with  four  thousand 
dollars. 

Mr.  Bruhn,  then  left  alone,  discontinued  the  butchering  business  and  began 
buying  hogs  for  Mr.  Graham  and  was  becoming  properous  when  Mr.  Graham 
failed.  Mr.  Bruhn,  with  two  other  men,  had  signed  a  note  of  twenty-eight  thou- 
sand dollars  for  his  employer  and  when  Mr.  Graham  went  into  bankruptcy  all 
of  Mr.  Bruhn's  hard  earned  savings  were  taken  to  meet  the  note.  In  1857 
Mr.  Jansen  returned  to  America,  for  Germany  was  no  longer  to  his  liking.  He 
had  already  expended  half  of  his  capital,  but  with  the  remainder  he  and  Mr. 
Bruhn  again  established  themselves  in  the  butchering  business  with  renewed  zeal. 
They  prospered  and  in  1858  went  to  California,  but  times  were  bad  and  they 
remained  in  the  Golden  state  for  only  about  six  months.  On  returning  to  Dav- 
enport, Mr.  Bruhn  became  associated  with  two  Americans  in  the  live-stock  busi- 
ness, shipping  to  Chicago,  but  the  undertaking  was  unsuccessful  and  at  the  end 
of  a  year  he  had  lost  nearly  all  of  his  capital  of  five  thousand  dollars.  This  was 
in  i860. 

In  the  fall  of  that  year  Mr.  Bruhn  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  young  lady, 
Miss  Maria  Lohmann,  who  became  his  wife  on  the  19th  of  April,  1861.  At 
that  time  he  had  no  more  money  than  was  necessafy  to  begin  housekeeping. 
However,  he  had  the  friendship  of  a  Mr.  Sellen,  who  established  Mr.  Bruhn  in 
the  butchering  business  and  hence  again  he  started  in  that  line  with  Diedrich 


364  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Eckhardt  as  his  partner.  They  soon,  had  a  liberal  patronage  and  became  pros- 
perous. After  about  two  years  Mr.  Bruhn  disposed  of  his  interest  to  Mr.  Jan- 
sen  and  turned  his  attention  to  the  live-stock  business,  making  shipments  to  Chi- 
cago. In  1864  he  purchased  a  house  on  Third  street,  near  the  Turner  hall,  and 
took  up  his  abode  there  in  May,  1865.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bruhn  at  that  time  had 
two  children  and  four  were  added  to  the  family  while  they  maintained  their 
residence  on  Third  street.  In  1874  they  removed  to  the  Bluff,  where  until  1896 
they  occupied  a  large  dwelling.  During  that  period  their  four  daughters  were 
married  and  the  sons  removed  to  the  west. 

The  decade  between  1880  and  1890  was  devoted  by  Mr.  Bruhn  to  dealing  in 
farm  lands,  and  purchasing  a  farm  for  himself  on  Mud  creek,  he  there  engaged 
in  feeding  stock  during  the  winter  seasons.  In  May  he  led  the  cattle  out  to 
pasture  and  in  the  following  fall  shipped  them  to  Chicago.  The  farm,  com- 
prising two  hundred  acres,  he  sold  to  W.  Kardel  in  1893,  and  during  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  lived  practically  retired. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bruhn  traveled  life's  journey  happily  together  for  forty-six 
years,  their  mutual  love  and  confidence  increasing  as  time  went  by.  Mr.  Bruhn 
had  reached  his  eightieth  year  when  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest  and  a  life  of 
usefulness  and  activity  was  thus  ended,  when,  in  1907,  he  passed  away.  He 
never  had  occasion  to  regret  his  determination  to  seek  a  home  in  the  new  world, 
for  here  he  found  the  opportunities  which  were  offered  and  in  their  improve- 
ment he  worked  his  way  upward.  In  all  of  his  business  affairs  he  was  thoroughly 
reliable  and  in  his  social  relations  manifested  the  sterling  qualities  of  the  true 
gentleman. 


CHARLES  F.  EMLER. 


Charles  F.  Emler,  well  known  in  financial  circles  as  the  efficient  cashier  of 
the  Farmers  Savings  Bank  of  Walcott,  serving  in  this  capacity  since  its  incep- 
tion, has  also  taken  a  prominent  part  in  public  affairs  of  the  community  and  is 
recognized  as  one  of  the  substantial  and  representative  citizens  of  the  com- 
munity. One  of  Scott  county's  native  sons,  he  was  born  in  Rockingham  on  the 
7th  of  January,  i860,  a  son  of  George  W.  and  Hannah  (Griffith)  Emler.  The 
father's  birth  occurred  in  Bedford  county,  Pennsylvania,  June  5,  1809,  and  he 
came  to  Iowa,  locating  in  Davenport,  in  April,  1855,  having  made  his  way  down 
the  Ohio  river  and  up  the  Mississippi.  He  was  a  millwright  by  occupation  and 
followed  that  trade  until  1863,  when  he  took  up  farming  in  Qeona  township. 
His  wife  was  also  a  native  of  Bedford  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  she  was 
born  on  the  23d  of  February,  1819,  and  in  the  Keystone  state  in  1839  gave  her 
hand  in  marriage  to  Mr.  Emler. 

No  event  of  special  importance  came  to  vary  the  routine  of  life  for  Charles 
F.  Emler  during  the  period  of  his  boyhood  and  youth,  which  was  spent  under 
the  parental  roof.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Durant 
and  after  laying  aside  his  text-books  became  identified  with  railroad  interests 
as  telegraph  operator  for  the  Rock  Island  Railroad,  in  which  capacity  he  served 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  365 

for  about  twenty-five  years.  In  1884  he  came  to  Walcott,  arriving  here  on  the 
9th  of  January,  and  was  first  employed  as  operator  and  later  as  agent,  and  the 
long  period  of  his  service  with  this  company  is  ample  proof  of  the  capable  and 
faithful  manner  in  which  he  discharged  his  duties.  On  the  loth  of  February, 
1904,  he  severed  his  connection  with  railroad  interests  to  take  charge  of  the 
organization  of  the  Farmers  Savings  Bank  of  Walcott,  of  which  he  was  one  of 
the  principal  founders.  It  was  organized  on  the  ist  of  April,  1904,  with  a 
capital  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars,  and  he  was  appointed  its  first  cashier,  in 
which  capacity  he  has  continuously  served  to  the  present  time.  He  has  made 
an  excellent  record  during  the  meantime,  being  accurate,  prompt  and  faithful  in 
the  discharge  of  his  duties,  while  he  is  always  genial  and  courteous  with  all  who 
have  business  with  the  house,  qualities  which  have  made  him  popular  alike  with 
the  patrons  and  the  officials  of  the  bank.  His  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  institution 
have  been  potent  elements  in  insuring  its  growth  and  progress  and  it  stands  today 
as  one  of  the  safe  and  reliable  financial  organizations  of  his  section  of  the 
county. 

In  1886  Mr.  Emler  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eibe  Wohlenberg,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Jacob  Wohlenberg,  of  Walcott,  and  unto  their  union  have  been  born  five 
children,  Edith  I.,  Sewel  H.,  Lucy  E.,  Alice  M.,  and  C.  Franklin. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Emler  is  identified  with  Walcott  Lodge,  No.  312,  Knights 
of  Pythias,  and  also  with  Walcott  Lodge,  No.  22,  Modern  Brotherhood,  in  the 
affairs  of  which  organizations  he  takes  a  deep  and  active  interest.  Politically 
he  gives  stalwart  support  to  the  democracy  and  has  served  as  township  clerk 
for  two  terms.  He  was  the  first  treasurer  and  recorder  of  the  town  of  Wal- 
cott, and  has  ever  taken  a  helpful  interest  in  community  affairs,  his  influence 
being  on  the  side  of  improvement,  reform  and  progress.  Thoroughly  identified 
with  the  interests  of  Walcott,  the  city  has  benefited  by  his  efforts  in  her  behalf, 
and  he  is  classed  among  her  foremost  representatives. 


PASQUALE  PUCCINELLI. 

Pasquale  PuccinelH,  whose  demise  occurred  on  the  21st  of  April,  1906,  was 
for  twelve  years  prior  to  his  death  prominently  identified  with  the  business  in; 
terests  of  Davenport  in  connection  with  a  macaroni  factory.  He  was  born  in 
Italy  in  1845,  his  parents  being  Alexander  and  Annie  Marie  (Battiala)  Puc- 
cinelH. He  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land  and  in  early 
manhood  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States,  coming  direct  to  Daven- 
port, Iowa.  On  arriving  in  this  city  he  entered  the  service  of  the  Chicago,  Rock 
Island  &  Pacific  Railway  Company  and  eventually  was  made  foreman.  About 
the  year  1894  he  commenced  working  in  a  macaroni  factory  and  was  connected 
with  that  enterprise  until  his  demise.  He  was  honored  and  respected  by  all 
who  knew  him. 

On  the  28th  of  January,  1880,  Mr.  PuccinelH  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss 
Mary  Burns,  a  daughter  of  Bernard  and  Margaret  (O'Hare)  Burns,  natives  of 
Ireland.     The  father,  who  crossed  the  ocean  to  America  when  a  young  man. 


366  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

became  a  prosperous  business  man  and  influential  citizen  of  Chillicothe,  Ohio. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Puccinelli  were  born  four  children,  namely:  Nora,  who  is 
deceased;  Margaret,  residing  at  home,  who  has  taken  a  course  in  music  and 
is  now  engaged  in  teaching  the  art ;  Francis,  likewise  at  home ;  and  Edward,  de- 
ceased. Mrs.  Puccinelli  has  gained  an  extensive  circle  of  friends  in  this  city 
during  the  long  period  of  her  residence  here,  having  won  the  kindly  regard  and 
esteem  of  all  with  whom  she  has  come  in  contact. 


W.  P.  BETTENDORF. 


Through  the  inherent  force  of  his  own  character,  his  strong  determination 
and  his  close  application  to  the  duties  that  have  devolved  upon  him,  combined 
with  the  development  of  his  native  powers  along  the  lines  of  invention,  W.  P. 
Bettendorf  has  won  distinction  and  honors  in  his  native  land.  He  is  today  presi- 
dent of  the  Bettendorf  Axle  Company,  controlling  the  most  important  industrial 
enterprise  of  Davenport,  and  the  extent  of  his  business  has  made  him  one  of  the 
best  known  men  of  the  state.  He  was  born  in  Mendota,  Illinois,  July  i,  1857, 
and  is  the  eldest  of  four  children,  whose  parents  were  M.  and  Catharine  (Reck) 
Bettendorf,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany.  The  father  was  a  young 
man  of  eighteen  years  when  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America  and  took  up 
his  abode  in  Mendota,  Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in  school  teaching.  Later  he 
removed  to  Missouri,  and,  settling  at  Sedalia,  there  established  a  grocery  store. 
He  was  afterward  employed  as  a  government  clerk  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kan- 
sas, and  is  now  living  retired  in  Bettendorf,  the  town  which  is  the  home  of  the 
great  enterprise  that  was  established  and  is  being  conducted  by  his  sons.  Of  the 
family  of  four  children,  the  only  two  living  are  W.  P.  and  J.  W.,  who  are  part- 
ners in  the  conduct  of  a  business  which  in  extent  and  magnitude  has  no  equal 
in  Davenport. 

W.  P.  Bettendorf  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Missouri  and 
to  Kansas  and  in  these  states  acquired  the  greater  part  of  his  education.  He  at- 
tended for  a  time  the  St.  Mary's  Mission  School,  which  was  an  Indian  school 
in  the  latter  state.  In  1870  he  began  providing  for  his  own  support  as  a  mes- 
senger boy  at  Humboldt,  Kansas,  and  about  1872  he  accepted  a  clerkship  in  the 
hardware  store  of  A.  L.  Shepard  at  Peru,  Illinois.  He  filled  that  position  for 
two  years,  after  which  he  became  an  apprentice  to  the  machinist's  trade  with 
the  Peru  Plow  Company.  This  was  more  in  accordance  with  the  natural  bent 
of  his  nature  and  he  served  his  full  term  of  indenture,  becoming  an  expert 
workman.  Later  he  left  Peru  and  entered  the  employ  of  the  Moline  Plow  Com- 
pany, with  which  he  remained  for  ten  months,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  ac- 
cepted the  position  of  foreman  of  the  fitting  department  of  the  Parlin  &  Oren- 
dorff  Company  at  Canton,  Illinois,  manufacturers  of  plows  and  agricultural  im- 
plements. Not  only  did  he  faithfully  execute  the  tasks  assigned  him  but  unlike 
many  workmen — and  they  are  of  the  class  who  never  progress — ^he  gave  active 
attention  to  every  duty  and  thought  out  along  original  lines  until  as  the  result 
of  experiment  and  research  he  invented,  in  1878,  the  first  power  lift  sulky  plow. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  369 

He  was  still  in  the  employ  of  the  Peru  Plow  Company  at  that  time.  His  in- 
vention was  adopted  by  most  of  the  plow  manufacturing  plants.  After  leaving 
Canton,  Illinois,  in  1882,  he  returned  to  Peru  to  accept  the  superintendency  of 
the  establishment  in  which  he  had  served  his  apprenticeship  and  while  thus  con- 
nected he  invented  the  Bettendorf  metal  wheel,  together  with  the  necessary 
machinery  for  its  manufacture.  He  then  granted  a  shop  right  to  the  Peru  Plow 
Company  and  as  the  metal  wheel  branch  of  the  business  soon  assumed  large  pro- 
portions it  was  decided  to  change  the  name  of  the  company  to  the  Peru  Plow 
&  Wheel  Company.  This  company,  however,  was  slow  to  increase  its  capacity 
for  the  inanufacture  of  metal  wheels,  the  demand  for  which  was  constantly  in- 
creasing, and  Mr.  Bettendorf  therefore  saw  the  necessity  of  looking  around  for 
other  interests  that  would  undertake  the  manufacture  on  a  greater  scale,  keep- 
ing up  with  the  market  demand.  He  made  the  acquaintance  of  E.  P.  Lynch, 
who  was  president  of  the  Eagle  Manufacturing  Company  at  Davenport,  and 
they  entered  into  negotiations  which  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  a  wheel 
manufacturing  plant  in  this  city.  Therefore  in  1886  the  two  brothers,  W.  P. 
and  T.  W.  Bettendorf,  came  to  Davenport  and  undertook  the  manufacture  of 
metal  wheels,  in  which  particular  line  they  continued  with  substantial  success 
until  1899.  In  that  year  the  Bettendorf  Metal  Wheel  Company  was  incorporated 
and  there  was  established  an  enterprise  which  is  today  the  largest  manufacturing 
concern  in  Davenport.  Being  of  an  inventive  turn  of  mind,  W.  P.  Bettendorf 
was  constantly  on  the  alert  for  opportunities  to  improve  their  output  and  to  fur- 
ther the  use  of  metal  wheels  and  steel  construction  for  farm  equipment.  He 
therefore  developed  a  steel  gear  for  farm  wagons  in  1892  and  the  manufacture 
of  this  was  at  once  undertaken.  He  severed  his  connection  with  the  Bettendorf 
Metal  Wheel  Company  and  after  three  years'  experimental  work  resigned  and 
built  necessary  machinery  for  the  manufacture  of  steel  gears.  This  machinery 
was  sold  to  the  International  Harvester  Company  in  1905  but  the  Davenport 
company  stih  manufactures  for  the  former  corporation.  In  addition  to  the 
manufacture  of  steel  wagon  gears,  the  company  manufactures  steel  car  trucks 
and  steel  underframes  for  cars  as  well  as  complete  cars.  The  Bettendorf  Axle 
Company  was  organized  and  incorporated  January  i,  1895,  with  W.  P.  Betten- 
dorf as  the  president.  The  history  of  the  development  of  this  enterprise  con- 
stitutes a  most  important  chapter  in  the  business  annals  of  Davenport.  From 
the  beginning  the  business  has  continually  grown  and  such  is  the  success  of  the 
company  that  in  the  year  1909  the  plant  was  increased  in  size  threefold.  Its 
equipment  is  of  the  most  modern  character  and  eight  hundred  employes  are 
continually  busy  in  turning  out  the  output,  which  covers  a  wide  range  of  iron 
manufacture,  Mr.  Bettendorf  of  this  review  has  in  large  measure  been  a  potent 
force  in  the  development  and  success  of  the  business.  The  two  brothers,  how- 
ever, work  together  in  utmost  harmony,  the  talents  of  each  being  such  as  well 
qualify  them  for  the  conduct  of  the  especial  interests  under  their  charge. 

In  January,  1895,  their  interests  were  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the 
Bettendorf  Axle  Company,  with  J.  W.  Bettendorf  as  secretary.  The  business 
factory  and  main  offices  were  then  located  on  First  street,  between  Ripley  and 
Scott,  and  there,  on  the  28th  of  January,  1902,  they  suffered  heavy  losses 
through  fire.    In  May  of  the  same  year  a  second  disastrous  fire  occurred,  destroy- 


370  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

ing  their  plant,  and  as  the  business  was  constantly  increasing  it  was  decided  to 
locate  elsewhere.  At  length  they  determined  to  establish  their  plant  at  the  town 
of  Gilbert,  now  Bettendorf,  about  three  miles  east  of  Davenport.  Here  they 
are  controlling  the  largest  manufacturing  establishment  of  the  kind  in  the  west 
and  perhaps  in  the  entire  country,  employment  being  given  to  eight  hundred  men. 
Recently  they  have  made  extensive  additions  to  the  plant  through  the  erection 
of  a  foundry  four  hundred  and  thirty-six  by  four  hundred  and  forty  feet,  each 
of  its  departments  being  larger  than  the  average  completed  foundry.  No  pro- 
vision for  the  economical  handling  of  the  immense  volume  of  work  done  in  the 
building — the  avoidance  of  congestion  and  the  delay  that  attends  upon  it — has 
been  overlooked.  The  buildings  are  heated  by  steam  and  every  regard  has  been 
paid  to  the  comfort  of  the  employes,  for  whom  in  a  large  separate  building  com- 
modious lockers  and  lavatories  have  been  established.  There  are  two  regenera- 
tive open-hearth  basic  steel  furnaces,  having  a  capacity  of  twenty-five  tons  of 
heat,  with  an  output  daily  of  about  one  hundred  tons  of  finished  steel  castings, 
which  the  company  use  in  the  steel  car  construction.  They  have  also  recently 
built  an  erection  shop  two  hundred  and  forty-six  by  seven  hundred  feet,  with  a 
further  extension  fourteen  hundred  by  two  hundred  and  fifty-six  feet,  giving 
the  building  a  total  length  of  two  thousand  and  one  hundred  feet.  The  entire 
amount  of  ground  covered  by  the  foundry  and  erection  shop  and  the  buildings 
for  the  storage  of  materials  is  forty-two  hundred  feet,  or  about  four-fifths  of  a 
mile  in  length,  along  the  Davenport,  Rock  Island  &  Northwestern  tracks.  Their 
grounds  comprise  two  hundred  forty-seven  acres  and  there  is  nothing  lacking  in 
the  equipment  of  this  extensive  plant,  every  modern  device  being  employed  that 
will  facilitate  the  work  or  improve  the  character  of  the  output.  Something  of 
the  growth  of  the  business  is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  in  1909  the  plant  was  in- 
creased to  three  times  its  original  size.  The  seventy  acres  of  ground  that  the 
company's  shops  and  tracks  occupy  were  originally  laid  out  with  a  thought  to 
the  additions  that  have  recently  been  made.  Careful  consideration  was  given 
to  locating  the  buildings  and  the  tracks  laid  to  and  from  them  so  as  to  handle 
the  material  quickly  and  at  the  lowest  cost.  From  the  great  piles  of  steel  at  the 
east  of  the  shop  locomotive  cranes  carry  the  material  to  the  east  end  of  the 
shop,  where  other  traveling  cranes  reach  down  powerful  magnets,  take  up  the 
immense  bars  that  would  defy  the  lifting  strength  of  many  men,  and  carry 
them  to  various  machines,  until  they  issue  from  the  west  end  of  the  shop  in 
the  Bettendorf  steel  car,  underframes  and  trucks,  which  have  been  pronounced 
by  railroad  men  generally  as  the  finest  cars  of  the  kind  ever  produced. 

In  1879  occurred  the  marriage  of  W.  P.  Bettendorf  and  Miss  Mary  Wort- 
man,  of  Peru,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Etta  Wortman.  They  became 
parents  of  two  children,  Etta  and  Henry,  but  the  mother  and  both  the  children 
have  passed  away,  Mrs.  Bettendorf  dying  in  August,  1901.  In  1908  Mr.  Bet- 
tendorf was  again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Staby. 
Mr.  Bettendorf  is  a  member  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks 
but  the  extent  and  importance  of  his  business  interests  leaves  him  little  leisure 
for  activity  in  fraternal  circles.  He  stands  today  as  a  splendid  exatnple  of  what 
may  be  accomplished  when  one  has  determination  and  energy.  Opportunities 
that  others  have  passed  by  heedlessly  he  has  noted  and  improved.     Modest 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  371 

and  unostentatious  in  demeanor,  he  is  nevertheless  spoken  of  in  terms  of  ad- 
miration and  respect,  for  his  life  work  has  been  so  varied  in  its  scope,  so  hon- 
orable in  its  purposes  and  so  far  reaching  in  its  effects  that  it  has  become  an 
integral  part  of  the  history  of  Davenport.  In  all  of  his  business  career  he  has 
held  to  high  standards  and  should  he  at  once  retire  from  business  the  extent  and 
importance  of  his  activities  thus  far  would  leave  the  indelible  impress  of  his 
individuality  upon  the  history  of  the  state. 


HENRY  H.   HORST. 


Henry  H.  Horst,  a  prominent  and  representative  agriculturist  of  Scott  county, 
owns  a  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-seven  and  a  half  acres  in  Daven- 
port and  Sheridan  townships  and  devotes  his  energies  to  the  work  of  farming 
and  threshing  with  gratifying  results.  He  was  born  on  the  31st  of  October, 
1867,  and  the  place  on  which  he  now  resides  has  been  his  home  from  his  birth 
to  the  present  time. 

His  parents,  Claus  and  Ida  (Hahn)  Horst,  were  both  natives  of  Germany, 
the  former  being  born  on  the  30th  of  December,  1819,  and  the  latter  on  the 
20th  of  February,  1828.  Hans  and  Margaret  (Goetch)  Horst,  the  paternal 
grandparents,  both  passed  away  in  Germany.  Claus  Horst,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land  and  was  a  young 
man  of  twenty-eight  when  in  1847  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States. 
After  landing  at  New  Orleans  he  made  his  way  up  the  Mississippi  river  as  far 
as  St.  Louis  and  there  spent  the  winter.  The  following  spring  witnessed  his 
arrival  in  Scott  county,  Iowa,  and  here  he  was  employed  at  breaking  prairie, 
etc.,  receiving  a  wage  of  ten  dollars  per  month.  In  1850  he  was  married  and 
purchased  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  of  prairie  land  in  Davenport  township,  which 
is  now  in  possession  of  his  son  Henry  and  on  which  he  built  a  small  house.  As 
the  years  passed  by  he  brought  the  farm  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and 
improvement  and  gradually  added  to  his  landed  holdings  by  additional  pur- 
chase from  time  to  time  until  at  his  death  he  owned  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  rich  and  productive  land.  In  1880  he  went  to  New  York  city  for  medical 
treatment,  as  his  health  had  been  broken  down  by  his  many  years  of  unremitting 
toil,  but  died  in  the  eastern  metropolis  on  the  24th  of  May,  1881.  His  remains 
were  interred  at  Davenport,  where  his  widow  has  made  her  home  since  1889. 
The  latter,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Margaret  Hahn,  lost  her  father  in  1845.  Her 
mother  afterward  married  again,  becoming  the  wife  of  Oswald  Maas,  with  whom 
she  came  to  Scott  county  in  the  year  1847.  A  sketch  of  Mrs.  Ida  Horst  appears 
on  another  page  of  this  volume.  She  was  the  mother  of  six  children,  as  follows : 
Louisa  M.,  who  is  the  widow  of  Herman  Voss;  Adolph  J.,  living  in  Sheridan 
township;  Theresa  A.  C,  the  widow  of  Henry  Horst;  Edward  N.,  who  is  a 
resident  of  Sheridan  township ;  Henry  H.,  of  this  review ;  and  one  who  died  in 

infancy. 

Henry  H.  Horst  acquired  his  early  education  in  the  district  schools  and 
later  pursued  a  course  of  study  in  the  business  college  at  Davenport.     Since 


372  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

putting  aside  his  text-books  he  has  devoted  his  attention  to  the  work  of  farming 
and  for  the  past  fifteen  years  has  also  been  engaged  in  threshing,  meeting  with 
a  well  merited  and  creditable  measure  of  success  in  his  undertakings.  His 
home  farm  comprises  one  hundred  and  seventy-seven  and  a  half  acres  in  Daven- 
port and  Sheridan  townships  and  he  is  likewise  the  owner  of  a  quarter  section 
of  land  in  Dakota. 

On  the  25th  of  February,  1891,  Mr.  Horst  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Emily  Sueverkriiebbe,  a  native  of  Germany  and  a  daughter  of  Qaus  and  Kath- 
erine  (Ames)  Sueverkriiebbe,  who  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States 
and  took  up  their  abode  in  Scott  county  in  1881.  The  father  still  survives  and 
is  a  worthy  and  respected  resident  here,  but  the  mother  was  called  to  her  final 
rest  on  the  29th  of  April,  1904.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Horst  have  been  born 
five  children,  namely:  Martha,  Herbert,  Alfred,  Elmer  and  Malinda,  all  of 
whom  are  at  home  with  exception  of  Malinda  who  is  deceased. 

Since  age  conferred  upon  him  the  right  of  franchise  Mr.  Horst  has  given 
his  political  allegiance  to  the  men  and  measures  of  the  republican  .party.  The 
cause  of  education  has  ever  found  in  him  a  stalwart  champion  and  he  has  served 
as  president  of  the  school  board  since  1893.  His  entire  life  has  been  passed 
in  this  county,  where  he  is  now  widely  known,  and  the  fact  that  many  of  his 
warmest  friends  are  those  with  whom  he  has  been  acquainted  since  his  boy- 
hood days  indicates  that  his  career  has  always  been  upright  and  honorable. 


CHARLES  L.  SCHIELE. 

The  fourteen  hundred  acres  of  excellent  farm  land  in  Cedar  county,  Iowa,  and 
the  fine  town  residence  on  Main  street,  Davenport,  are  an  indication  of  the  success 
which  attended  the  agricultural  operations  of  Charles  L.  Schiele.  He  has  been 
closely  identified  with  the  public  affairs  and  although  America  is  but  the  country 
of  his  adoption,  he  was  one  of  those  who  offered  his  life  in  suppport  of  the  Union 
during  the  years  of  the  great  struggle  between  the  north  and  south. 

Mr.  Schiele  was  born  in  Prussia,  Germany,  December  16,  1840,  a  son  of  Carl 
and  Wilhelmina  (Waltenburg)  Schiele.  The  father,  who  was  born  in  181 1, 
served  in  the  German  army  and  followed  the  baker's  trade  in  his  native  land.  In 
1854  he  started  upon  his  journey  to  the  United  States  with  his  family,  disembark- 
ing at  New  Orleans.  They  traveled  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  Davenport,  where 
they  landed  June  20,  1854,  and  then  went  to  Muscatine  county,  Iowa,  almost  imme- 
diately for  Mr.  Schiele  had  friends  there  who  persuaded  him  to  buy  eighty  acres 
of  timber  land.  With  the  help  of  his  sons  he  built  thereon  a  log  cabin,  which 
remained  the  family  home  for  several  years.  Later  he  bought  eighty  acres  more 
and  again  eighty  acres  in  the  same  township,  upon  which  he  lived  until  his  death 
in  1887.  After  his  demise  the  mother  lived  with  her  son  Otto  until  her  death 
in  1907  when  she  was  ninety-four  years  of  age.  They  were  the  parents  of  five 
children :  Charles  L. ;  Frederick,  deceased ;  Wilhelmina,  deceased ;  Julius,  who  lives 
on  the  old  homestead  in  Montpelier  township,  Muscatine  county ;  and  Otto,  who 
lives  near  Durant  in  Cedar  county. 


•  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  373 

Charles  L.  Schiele  attended  the  public  schools  of  Germany  before  the  family 
came  to  this  country.  Being  but  fourteen  years  of  age,  however,  at  the  time  of 
their  arrival,  he  was  enrolled  as  a  pupil  in  the  public  schools  of  Muscatine  county, 
but  during  the  progress  of  the  Civil  war  he  decided  to  join  the  forces  of  the  north. 
Accordingly,  in  the  fall  of  1864,  he  enlisted  in  Company  C,  Second  Tennessee  In- 
fantry, at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  whence  he  went  to  Nashville,  Tennessee,  participat- 
ing in  the  famous  battle  there.  Then  he  went  to  Franklin  Crossroads,  where  he 
became  infected  with  typhoid  fever  and  was  sent  back  to  the  hospital  at  Nashville. 
He  remained  there  several  months  and,  having  recovered,  was  discharged  May  10, 
1865.     Thereupon  he  returned  to  his  home,  where  he  remained  until  1869. 

In  the  meantime,  Mr.  Schiele  and  his  brother  rented  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land' from  their  father,  which  they  operated  until  about  1867,  when  Mr. 
Schiele  bought  a  wild  tract  of  equal  area  in  Farmington  to\ynship.  Cedar  county. 
The  year  1868  he  spent  in  breaking  it  and  preparing  it  for  cultivation,  and  in  1869 
he  married,  built  a  house  upon  his  land  and  took  up  his  residence  there.  It  re- 
mained his  home  for  thirty-six  years,  but  in  the  meantime,  as  the  result  of  his 
unceasing  labor  and  his  economy,  he  had  accumulated  the  fourteen  hundred  acres 
which  he  still  owns.  While  this  is  the  record  of  the  success  he  gained  in  his  pri- 
vate life  it  affords  no  indication  of  the  respect  and  confidence  he  has  won  from 
his  fellow  citizens,  who  have  witnessed  his  advancement.  They  elected  him  on  the 
democratic  ticket  as  county  supervisor  and  assessor  and  he  also  served  as  justice 
of  the  peace  for  sixteen  years.  After  his  removal  to  Davenport  in  the  spring  of 
1907,  he  was  elected  trustee  of  the  city,  holding  the  position  to  the  present. 

-On  the  1st  of  June,  1869,  Mr.  Schiele  wedded  Miss  Elizabeth  Barneck,  who 
was  born  in  Germany  and  is  a  daughter  of  Moritz  and  Elizabeth  Barneck,  of  Mus- 
catine county.  They  have  become  the  parents  of  six  children.  Charles,  the  eld- 
est, married  Emma  Miller  and  lives  in  Cedar  county.  They  have  two  children, 
Carl  and  Helen.  Gustavus,  who  lives  upon  the  old  home  place  in  Cedar  county, 
married  Bertha  Clawson  and  they  have  three  sons,  Otto,  Richard  and  John.  Mor- 
ris resides  in  Chicago,  Illinois.  Richard  is  deceased.  Rudolph  married  Stella 
Carl  and  lives  in  Cedar  county.     Clara  E.  lives  with  her  parents. 

Faithful  in  the  performance  of  his  duties  and  endowed  with  the  noble  qualities 
of  honesty  and  integrity,  Mr.  Schiele  deserves  the  high  regard  in  which  he  is  held 
by  those  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact.  His  success  in  his  vocation  redounds 
to  the  agricultural  prosperity  of  the  state  of  Iowa,  while  his  life  record  is  a  high 
tribute  to  the  citizenship  of  Davenport. 


HENRY  SINDT. 


Few  men  have  won  a  more  marked  success  from  years  of  persistent  cultiva- 
tion of  the  soil  than  has  Henry  Sindt,  who  owns  two  hundred  and  forty  acres 
of  fine  farm  land  in  Hickory  Grove  township  but  has  now  retired  from  active 
life  and  lives  in  Davenport.  He  was  bom  in  Holstein,  Germany,  March  29, 
1821,  a  son  of  Hans  and  Anna  Sindt.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  land  and  when  he  reached  manhood  rendered  the  military 


374  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

service  exacted  of  all  German  born  males.  He  served  in  the  Holstein  war 
with  Denmark  and  at  the  expiration  of  his  period  of  enlistment  he  came  to  the 
United  States. 

It  was  in  1851  that  Mr.  Sindt  landed  at  New  Orleans,  where  he  took  a 
boat  upon  the  Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis.  There  he  remained  two  days 
and  then  reembarked  upon  the  river  and  came  to  Davenport.  Twelve  weeks 
had  elapsed  from  the  time  he  left  the  old  country  until  he  reached  his  destina- 
tion. Upon  his  arrival  here  he  secured  work  as  a  farm  laborer,  but  after  a 
little  experience  he  decided  to  rent  land  and  himself  obtain  the  compensation 
for  his  own  toil.  He  was  industrious  and  thrifty,  besides  being  ambitious,  and 
in  1856  he  was  able  to  buy  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  prairie  land  in  Hick- 
ory Grove  township.  He  built  a  house  thereon,  to  which  he  brought  his  wife, 
and  it  remained  his  home  until  1894,  when  he  retired  from  the  active  pursuits 
of  farming.  In  the  course  of  years,  however,  he  had  invested  heavily  in  land 
until  he  owned  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  at  one  time.  Fifteen  years  ago 
he  bought  the  excellent  town  property  where  he  now  makes  his  home  and  has 
since  lived  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  well  earned  rest. 

Shortly  after  his  arrival  in  this  country  Mr.  Sindt  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Bertha  Weisi,  June  26,  1852.  She,  like  her  husband,  is  a  native  of  Hol- 
stein, Germany,  where  she  was  born  in  January,  1823.  ■  Seven  children  were 
born  to  them.  Johannes,  who  is  living  in  Lyon  county,  Iowa,  married  Katie 
Klindt,  and  they  have  three  children:  Hugo,  Theodore  and  Carolina.  Heinrich, 
also  a  resident  of  Lyon  county,  married  Miss  Augusta  Baldt,  and  they  have 
four  children:  Hugo,  Herbert,  Amanda  and  Malona.  Celia  became  the  wife  of 
Henry  Klindt,  of  Scott  county,  and  they  have  three  children:  Albert,  Meta  and 
Henry.  Emma  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Lage,  and  they  have  seven  children :  Theo- 
dore, Laura,  Mary,  Hattie,  Anna,  Emma  and  Lura.  Alvina  is  the  wife  of  Theo- 
dore Meyer,  of  Hickory  Grove  township,  and  has  become  the  mother  of  six 
children :  Emil,  Alma,  Grover,  Martha,  Frank  and  Stella.  Edward,  a  farmer 
of  Hickory  Grove  township,  wedded  Miss  Bertha  Croft,  and  they  have  three 
children.  Gustave,  residing  in  California,  married  Miss  Helena  Kroft,  and  they 
have  two  daughters. 

In  the  half  century  or  more  of  his  residence  in  Scott  county,  Mr.  Sindt 
took  an  active  part  in  local  affairs,  serving  as  school  director  and  road  super- 
visor for  long  periods.  He  was  faithful  in  the  performance  of  his  duties  and 
gained  the  good  will  of  his  fellow  citizens. 


PATRICK  T.  WALSH. 


Who  does  not  know  and  like  Patrick  T.  Walsh?  The  root  of  the  uniform 
regard  in  which  he  is  held  is  found  in  his  own  life,  sterling  traits  of  character 
winning  him  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  the  rich,  his  kindliness  and  charity 
the  friendship  and  gratitude  of  the  poor.  Perhaps  the  real  test  of  a  man  is 
found  in  his  relation  to  his  employes.  The  opportunity  of  overbearance  and 
for  strict  and  inconsiderate  regulations  is  his  as  well  as  the  opportunity  for  the 


< 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  377 

exercise  of  a  spirit  of  fraternal  appreciation  and  helpfulness.  In  this  Patrick 
T.  Walsh  has  chosen  the  better  part  and  no  greater  loyalty  is  to  be  anywhere 
found  than  is  manifest  toward  him  by  his  employes  from  the  humblest  to  the 
highest.  In  the  business  world  he  is  known  as  the  head  of  ten  construction 
companies  operating  throughout  the  entire  country  on  various  lines  of  construc- 
tion work.  Wealth  and  success  have  crowned  him  in  his  later  years,  but  his 
early  experiences  brought  him  want  and  hardships.  It  is  this  perhaps  that  has 
made  him  sympathetic  and  helpful  toward  those  who  are  undergoing  a  struggle 
similar  to  that  which  he  experienced. 

Davenport  is  proud  to  number  him  as  a  citizen  and  as  a  native  son.  He 
was  here  born  March  17,  1855,  his  parents  being  John  and  Mary  (Burns)  Walsh, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  County  Clare,  Ireland.  The  father  came  to  this 
city  from  the  old  country  in  1848,  having  crossed  the  Atlantic  on  a  sailing  vessel 
which  was  six  weeks  in  completing  that  voyage.  He  landed  at  New  Orleans 
and  made  his  way  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  Davenport.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
were  members  of  the  Catholic  church.  His  death  occurred  in  1887,  when  he 
was  seventy-seven  years  of  age.  In  their  family  were  eight  children,  of  whom 
only  two  are  now  living,  the  sister  being  Margaret,  the  wife  of  John  Cody, 
of  Davenport. 

The  surviving  son,  Patrick  T.  Walsh,  was  educated  in  Father  Pelamorgour's 
Catholic  school  and  when  eleven  years  of  age  began  work  in  the  French  and 
Davies  sawmill,  where  he  spent  two  summers  in  packing  shingles  and  later  car- 
ried water  on  the  big  cut  in  west  Davenport  for  one  summer.  He  next  became 
an  apprenticed  stonecutter  on  the  Rock  Island  arsenal.     He  remained  at  the  ar- 
senal for  eleven  years  and  then  occurred  a  circumstance  which  forced  him  to 
seek  other  employment.     It  was  in  the  '80s  that  the  stonecutters  of  Davenport 
and  vicinity  determined  to  make  a  stand  for  eight  hours  per  day  and  Mr.  Walsh 
became  a  leader  among  his  fellow  workmen.    The  men  succeeded  at  last  in  win- 
ning that  for  which  they  were  contesting,  but  Mr.  Walsh  at  the  end  of  the  time 
was  labeled  as  an  agitator  and  was  forced  to  seek  other  employment.     It  was 
this  that  eventually  led  him  into  the  construction  business.     He  had  not  planned 
to  enter  the  field  but,  when  losing  his  position .  at  Rock  Island,  he  turned  his  at- 
tention to  any  work  that  he  could  find,  doing  such  minor  and  unpretentious 
jobs  as  digging  cellars,  running  drains,  digging  sewers  and  street  work  generally. 
Gradually  he  extended  his  efforts  and  in  the  course  of  years  has  built  up  one 
of  the  notable  successes  of  the  country.    To  the  opportunity  then  presented  there 
was  supplemented  the  sterling  character  of  the  man  of  pluck,  that  quality  which 
scales  barriers  and  wins  victories  on  every  field  of  human  endeavor.    Gradually 
his  business  extended,  and  it  was  not  long  before  he  had  gained  a  foothold  in 
the  construction  field.    To  him  was  awarded  a  contract  for  a  "fill"  on  the  Chi- 
cago, Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad  at  Galva,  Illinois,  and  since  that  time  he 
has  had  many  gangs  of  steam-shovel  men  at  work.     It  has  ever  been  char- 
acteristic of  Mr.  Walsh  that  he  has  promoted  his  men  as  they  have  shown  capa- 
bility and  fidelity,  and  many  who  entered  his  service  as  shovel  men  have  become 
high-class  superintendents  and  master  mechanics.     Among  the  things  in  which 
he  takes  especial  delight  is  the  substantial  advance  made  by  his  faithful  subor- 
dinates.    He    has  awakened  unfaltering  support  by  his  belief  in  his  men,  has 


378  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

constantly  spoken  to  them  words  of  encouragement  and  appreciation  and  the 
men  on  their  part  give  to  him  the  utmost  fidehty  and  the  best  service  of  which 
they  are  capable.  Possibly  it  is  owing  to  this  factor  that  the  Walsh  Construction 
Company  can  afford  to  give  better  terms  than  many  of  its  competitors.  Zeal 
and  loyalty  count  in  a  construction  proposition  as  well  as  in  other  walks.  The 
growth  of  the  business  has  continued  year  by  year  until  interests  are  conducted 
under  ten  separate  corporations,  of  all  of  which  Mr.  Walsh  is  the  president,  and 
every  one  of  the  various  adjuncts  has  grown  up  under  his  fostering  care  and 
careful  guidance.  The  relationship  which  exists  in  a  well  ordered  family  only 
adequately  reflects  the  harmony  and  understanding  that  dwells  in  this  great  or- 
ganization, which  is  doubtless  the  keynote  to  its  big  success.  At  the  present 
these  construction  companies  are  engaged  in  building  railroads  from  coast  to 
coast.  Mr.  Walsh  has  been  awarded  many  contracts  for  the  erection  of  build- 
ings, the  one  in  which  he  takes  special  pride  being  the  Sacred  Heart  Catholic 
Cathedral  of  Davenport,  Iowa.  There  are  a  few  industries  of  Davenport  of 
any  importance  that  have  not  felt  the  stimulus  of  his  cooperation  and  have 
benefited  by  his  assistance  and  counsel.  He  is  also  connected  with  the  Scott 
County  Bank  and  three  other  banking  institutions. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1881,  Mr.  Walsh  was  married  to  Miss  Catherine  Beecher, 
and  they  have  five  living  children :  Mary,  the  wife  of  E.  J.  Walsh ;  Thomas,  who 
is  with  his  father  in  business;  Katherine,  Gertrude  and  Edward,  at  home.  He 
and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  church. 

It  is  known  that  Mr.  Walsh  favors  every  project  for  the  public  good  and 
cooperates  liberally  and  influentially  in  support  of  movements  that  have  been  of 
the  utmost  benefit  to  the  city.  He  is  of  a  kindly  nature,  of  genial  and  jovial 
disposition,  and  like  many  self-made  men  is  easy  to  approach  and  displays 
thoughtful  consideration  of  others.  His  life  experiences  have  made  him  a  phil- 
osopher. A  trade- magazine  comments  on  this  phase  of  his  life  in  the  following 
words :  "He  is  simple  and  unaffected  in  manner  yet  deep  and  profound  in  his 
conclusions  on  important  topics.  Speaking  of  gaining  success  in  life,  he  said 
success  can  be  classified  as  that  quality  which  prompts  the  average  individual 
to  'move  up'  as  he  enters  the  crowded  street  car  of  life.  'About  the  entrance  the 
crowd  huddles  together  and  the  congestion  is  being  gradually  added  to  by  the 
incoming  passengers,'  said  Mr.  Walsh.  'Finally  some  one  gets  aboard  whose 
disposition  and  temperament  is  to  "move  up"  where  there  is  more  room,  and, 
while  he  bumps  some  of  the  passengers  and  gets  jostled  himself,  he  reaches  the 
place  where  there  is  more  room  and  a. better  atmosphere  and  really  makes  it 
more  satisfactory  for  the  crowd  he  passed  on  his  way  to  comfort.'  How  true 
this  is." 

The  same  paper  in  commenting  upon  other  features  in  his  life  history  says: 
"The  example  set  by  the  Walsh  Construction  Company  in  providing  so  generously 
for  its  employes  has  set  a  standard  which  other  companies  have  had  approxi- 
mately to  reach,  so  that  a  benefit  has  been  conferred  upon  the  whole  line  of  the 
dirt-moving  contingent.  Treating  men  with  consideration  for  their  needs  and 
supplying  them  with  the  best  that  is  going  is  a  big  factor  in  maintaining  efficiency, 
and  with  a  force  working  at  a  high  pitch  results  obtained  are  often  a  subject  of 
wonderment  even  to  those  interested. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  379 

"Mr.  Walsh  has  put  many  a  discouraged  man  on  his  feet  and  he  has  given 
the  hand  of  recognition  to  the  forlorn  which  gave  them  a  new  start  in  life. 
His  influence  has  been  shown  in  encouraging  a  civic  pride  in  Davenport  and 
many  of  the  city's  developments  owe  a  great  deal  to  his  timely  interest  and  broad 
generosity." 


DAVID  J.  CLAPP. 


The  agricultural  interests  of  Scott  county  find  a  worthy  representative  in  David 
J.  Clapp,  who  owns  and  operates  a  fine  tract  of  two  hundred  acres  of  arable  land  in 
Sheridan  township,  near  the  village  of  Eldridge.  He  is  well  known  in  his  locality, 
where  he  has  spent  his  entire  life  and  is  a  worthy  son  of  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
this  section  of  the  state,  for  his  father,  Charles  F.  Clapp,  came  to  Scott  county  in 
1854.  He  was  born  in  Fulton  county,  Illinois,  February  28,  1838,  his  parents 
being  Spencer  and  Tilma  (Bond)  Clapp.  The  Clapp  family  came  originally  from 
Europe,  being  established  on  American  soil  many  years  ago  by  three  brothers, 
from  whom  all  of  the  name  in  this  country  are  descended.  In  1869  a  reunion  was 
held  in  Massachusetts  and  it  was  then  discovered  that  there  were  more  than  twelve 
hundred  members  of  the  family  here,  many  of  whom  left  their  eastern  home  and 
are  now  numbered  among  the  early  settlers  of  the  middle  west. 

Spencer  Clapp,  the  grandfather  of  David  J.  Clapp,  and  his  father,  Selah  Clapp, 
came  west  as  far  as  Ohio  in  1820,  settling  in  Portage  county,  where  the  latter 
bought  a  farm,  which  is  still  in  the,  possession  of  his  descendants.  There  Spencer 
Clapp  grew  to  manhood,  learning  the  shoemaker's  trade,  and  there  he  was  married 
and  lived  until  1837,  when  he  and  his  wife  and  his  brother-in-law,  Seldon  Bond, 
went  by  wagon  to  Fulton  county,  Illinois.  There  he  secured  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  government  land  and  Mr.  Bond  three  hundred  and  twenty,  for  which 
they  paid  one  dollar  and  a  quarter  an  acre.  Upon  it  they  built  a  house,  made  other 
improvements  and  hved  until  1839,  when  Mr.  Clapp  was  called  to  Ohio  by  the  ill- 
ness of  his  father.  Upon  the  latter's  death  he  sold  his  property  in  Fulton  county, 
Illinois,  and  operated  the  old  homestead  in  Portage  county,  Ohio,  until  1854,  when 
he  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  taking  up  his  residence  in  Davenport.  There,  on 
Locust  street,  near  Brady,  he  built  a  house,  which  by  the  way  is  still  standing,  and 
rented  ten  acres  near  where  Central  Park  is  now  situated,  which  he  planted  in 
corn.  The  next  year  he  rented  forty  acres  more,  agreeing  to  give  Dr.  Hall,  the 
landlord,  two-fifths  of  the  crops.  For  the  next  three  years  he  hved  in  Davenport, 
in  which  time  he  sold  the  house  he  had  built  first,  put  up  another  on  a  lot  he  had 
purchased  on  Main  street,  and  then  traded  that  for  forty  acres  in  Sheridan  town- 
ship. After  moving  his  family  to  the  farm,  putting  up  a  house  and  establishing 
his  home  there,  it  was  discovered  that  the  title  to  the  land  was  defective,  and  they 
lost  their  property.  They  kept  the  house,  however,  for  with  thirty-two  yoke  of 
cattle  and  the  assistance  of  friends  and  neighbors  Mr.  Clapp  moved  it  into  the 
road.     There  he  and  his  family  lived  for  about  a  year. 

Charles  F.  Clapp,  who  had  accompanied  his  father  upon  his  several  removals, 
married  about  that  time  and  his  first  home  was  that  house  standing  in  the  middle 


380  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

of  the  road.  He  had  been  able  to  get  two  crops  from  the  land  before  the 
mortgage  was  foreclosed.  Later,  in  1863,  he  bought  forty  acres  from  Mr.  Hartzel, 
built  thereon  a  house,  and  then  as  he  was  drafted  into  the  army  he  sold  his  place 
for  twelve  hundred  dollars.  He  was  not  called  into  service,  however,  and  with 
his  money  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Sheridan  township,  which  is  now 
included  in  the  farm  of  his  son,  D.  J.  Clapp.  He  engaged  in  other  real-estate 
transactions,  buying  finally  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Sheridan  town- 
ship, on  which  he  lived  until  1896,  when  he  retired  from  active  life.  He  is  now 
living  in  Davenport  but  still  retains  his  interest  in  agricultural  pursuits,  as  he  owns 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  that  township. 

On  Christmas  day,  i860,  Mr.  Clapp  wedded  Miss  Elizabeth  Knouse,  who  was 
born  near  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  January  28,  1842.  Her  parents  were  David 
and  Mary  (Stump)  Knouse,  who  came  to  Scott  county  in  1850.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Clapp  have  had  nine  children,  namely :  Samuel,  who  is  living  at  Aredale,  Iowa,  and 
is  the  father  of  six  children ;  Anna,  who  married  L.  B.  Guy,  of  Davenport,  and  has 
three  children;  Emma,  the  deceased  wife  of  George  Marti;  Bertha,  the  deceased 
wife  of  Milton  Drenter ;  Seldon,  who  resides  in  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  and  is  the 
father  of  two  sons;  David  J.  and  Charles  S.,  who  are  twins,  the  former  being 
mentioned  below  and  the  latter  living  upon  the  old  home  place  in  Sheridan  town- 
ship ;  Archie,  who  is  a  physician  of  Muscatine,  Iowa ;  and  Nellie,  who  is  living  with 
her  parents.  Mr.  Clapp  served  as  road  supervisor  and  as  school  director  for  about 
ten  years,  and  fraternally  is  identified  with  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen 
and  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  In  1854  he  joined  the  Christian 
church  of  Davenport  and  is  now  the  oldest  member  of  the  congregation.  He  was 
treasurer  of  the  church  for  a  number  of  years,  and  wherever  he  is  known  he  is 
respected  as  a  man  of  sterling  integrity  and  noble  life. 

David  J.  Clapp,  whose  name  stands  at  the  head  of  this  review,  was  born  upon 
the  farm  whose  fields  he  now  cultivates,  June  11,  1874,  and  has  spent  his  entire 
life  in  the  vicinity  of  his  birthplace.  When  of  suitable  age  he  was  enrolled  as  a 
pupil  of  the  public  school  of  district  No.  i,  of  which  he  is  now  a  director,  and 
later  attended  school  in  Davenport.  The  following  three  winters  he  went  to  busi- 
ness college,  while  in  the  summer  he  devoted  himself  to  agriculture,  which  has 
always  been  his  vocation.  He  is  a  young  man  imbued  with  progressive  ideas,  one 
who  knows  the  value  of  industry  and  perseverance,  and  through  the  aid  of  these 
qualities  and  a  good  business  judgment  he  has  been  able  to  make  his  farming 
profitable.  He  also  owns  in  conjunction  with  his  brother,  Charles  S.,  twenty  acres 
of  timber  land  on  the  Wapsipinicon  river,  this  county.  Mr.  Clapp  wedded,  Decem- 
ber I,  1896,  Miss  Jennie  Neil,  a  daughter  of  James  Neil  and  a  relative  of  Chris 
Marti.  The  latter  is  one  of  the  well  known  citizens  of  Scott  county,  and  was  for 
a  long  period  identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of  Winfield  township.  He 
was  a  native  of  Switzerland  and  was  about  seven  years  of  age  when  in  1852  he 
accompanied  his  father  upon  the  journey  to  the  new  world.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
two  he  started  to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world  as  a  farmer,  and  to  this  end  pro- 
cured some  unimproved  land  in  Sheridan  township.  Later  he  bought  the  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  he  still  owns  in  Winfield  township.  He  was  successful  in 
his  undertakings  and,  having  rented  his  farm  to  his  sons,  enjoys  a  well  earned 
rest.     He  was  also  a  conspicuous  figure  in  the  public  affairs  of  this  county,  for  in 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  381 

addition  to  filling  several  of  the  minor  offices  he  was  elected  to  the  general  assem- 
bly at  Des  Moines,  sitting  in  the  twenty-third,  twenty-fourth  and  twenty-sixth  ses- 
sions, and  in  the  call  session  summoned  by  Governor  Drake.  He  received  the  nom- 
ination on  the  democratic  ticket  in  1898  for  state  senator  but  was  not  elected. 
However,  the  fact  he  has  held  the  office  of  secretary  of  the  school  board  continu- 
ously since  1872,  is  an  indication  of  the  confidence  the  people  place  in  him.  He 
is  a  man  of  sterling  integrity,  one  who  has  ever  proved  true  to  the  trust  of  his 
constituents  and  has  ever  acted  as  he  believed  right. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clapp  are  the  parents  of  one  son,  Neil,  who  was  born  September 
12,  1900.  Politically  Mr.  Clapp  allies  himself  with  the  republican  party  and  has 
served  the  township  for  the  past  eight  years  as  a  member  of  the  school  board. 
Fraternally  he  is  identified  with  several  organizations.  He  belongs  to  the  Long 
Grove  lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  is  serving  as  noble 
grand,  while  he  is  a  member  and  banker  of  the  camp  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World 
of  Long  Grove.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Modern  Brotherhood  of  America,  holding 
membership  in  the  lodge  at  Eldridge.  He  gives  his  allegiance  in  religious  matters 
to  the  Christian  church  of  Long  Grove,  of  which  he  is  a  deacon  and  in  the  work  of 
which  he  is  very  active.  Endowed  by  nature  with  a  strong  intellectual  force, 
prompted  by  a  laudable  ambition  to  succeed  in  his  occupation,  and  unafraid  of 
hard,  persevering  work,  he  has  already  made  substantial  progress  in  his  life  work, 
and  there  is  every  reason  for  him  to  look  forward  to  a  bright  and  successful  future. 


JOHN  H.  SIEVERS. 


One  of  the  important  agriculturists  and  stock  men  of  Liberty  township  is 
John  H.  Sievers,  who  was  born  in  Schleswig,  Germany,  January  29,  1853,  his 
parents  being  Henry  and  Annie  (Francen)  Sievers.  The  father  died  in  the  land 
of  his  birth,  but  the  mother  came  to  America  and  here  passed  her  last  years,  dy- 
ing about  eight  years  ago.  Four  children  were  born  to  them :  John  H.,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch ;  Annie,  the  wife  of  Peter  Frederick,  of  Holstein,  Iowa ; 
Hans ;  and  Katie,  the  wife  of  Peter  Pawser,  of  Manning,  Iowa. 

John  H.  Sievers  came  to  this  country  alone  in  1873  after  he  had  obtained 
his  education  in  his  native  land  and  served  the  required  term  in  the  army.  He 
made  his  way  directly  to  Davenport  and  here  for  the  first  two  weeks  after  his 
arrival  worked  as  a  laborer  on  the  streets.  Then  he  found  employment  upon  a 
farm  and  after  two  years'  experience,  in  which  he  gained  a  practical  acquaintance 
with  our  language  and  customs,  he  rented  forty  acres  of  land  and  began  to 
raise  corn.  Four  years  later  he  married  and  then  leased  sixty  acres  of  his 
father-in-law  in  Liberty  township,  where  he  lived  for  another  period  of  four 
years.  Then  he  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  near  New  Liberty,  upon 
which  he  toiled  most  assiduously  for  sixteen  years,  at  the  end  of  that  time  pur- 
chasing the  four  hundred  and  five  acres  upon  which  he  now  resides.  Later  he  1 
bought  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  adjoining  the  home  place,  bringing  his 
land  holdings  in  Liberty  township  up  to  a  total  of  eight  hundred  and  forty-one 
acres.    On  this  property  there  are  three  distinct  sets  of  buildings,  the  character 


382  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

of  those  upon  the  home  place  being  especially  fine  for  he  has  remodeled  the  out- 
buildings and  a  few  years  ago  erected  a  large  stone  house  of  fourteen  rooms. 
One  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  his  land  Mr.  Sievers  rents,  but  the  balance  is 
planted  in  grain  or  is  used  as  pasture  land  for  his  stock,  for  he  feeds  annually 
large  numbers  of  steers  and  hogs,  which  he  ships  to  the  more  important  markets. 
When  the  German  Savings  Bank  was  organized  in  New  Liberty  Mr.  Sievers 
was  one  of  its  promoters  and  became  a  director,  but  now  he  only  owns  stock 
in  the  concern.  Nevertheless,  he  is'  one  of  the  most  prosperous  of  the  farmers 
in  his  locality  and  enjoys  the  high  esteem  of  his  fellowmen. 

In  1879  Mr.  Sievers  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Earnhardt,  who 
was  born  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  November  28,  1858.  Her  parents,  John  and 
Mary  Earnhardt,  were  both  natives  of  Schleswig-Holstein,  but  they  came  to 
this  country  in  the  early  '50s  and  passed  the  remainder  of  their  lives  here.  Four 
children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sievers,  namely:  Willie,  Charles, 
Hugo  and  Nellie.  The  eldest  wedded  Miss  Frieda  Hochmuth,  of  Liberty  town- 
ship, but  the  others  are  at  home. 

Industry  and  frugality  have  been  among  the  leading  characteristics  of  Mr. 
Sievers  and  have  been  largely  accountable,  for  his  success.  He  has  spared  no 
effort  to  make  his  farm  the  most  productive  of  any  in  his  locality  nor  to  obtain 
the  highest  grade  of  stock  possible.  He  is  progressive  as  well  as  energetic,  so 
that  the  Round  Grove  stock  farm,  which  is  the  name  he  has  bestowed  upon  his 
place,  is  one  of  the  most  modern  and  thoroughly  up-to-date  establishments  of 
its  kind  in  this  section  of  the  state. 


EMIL  N.  J.  GEISLER. 


In  the  beautiful  semi-tropical  and  sunny  land  of  southern  California  Emil 
N.  J.  Geisler  is  now  spending  the  evening  of  life,  but  for  many  years  was  so 
closely  and  prominently  associated  with  the  growth  and  progress  of  Davenport 
and  of  Scott  county  as  to  render  his  history  and  integral  chapter  in  the  annals 
of  this  part  of  the  state. 

He  has  passed  the  eighty-second  milestone  on  life's  journey,  having  been  born 
on  the  nth  of  April,  1828,  in  Lunden,  Dithmarschen,  Schleswig-Holstein,  Ger- 
many, in  which  country  his  father  engaged  in  teaching.  After  his  confirmation 
the  son  completed  his  studies  at  a  university  and  then  became  a  private  teacher. 
In  1848  he  enlisted  for  service  in  the  war  in  which  Germany  was  then  involved 
and  served  as  sergeant  until  the  close  of  hostilities  in  1851.  Soon  afterward  he 
started  for  the  United  States  to  enjoy  the  liberties  offered  in  the  land  of  the 
free.  He  landed  at  New  Orleans  in  June,  1852,  and  then  came  northward  from 
the  Crescent  city  to  Davenport,  which  was  then  a  small  town  of  comparatively 
little  commercial  and  industrial  importance.  He  therefore  accepted  whatever 
work  offered  itself  and  was  at  different  times  employed  at  farming,  in  clerking 
and  in  private  teaching. 

The  years  thus  passed  until  1857,  during  which  time  Mr.  Geisler  saved 
enough  money  with  which  to  enter  the  grocery  business  on  his  own  account. 


=:mil.      geisle! 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  385 

For  seven  years  he  conducted  his  store  with  good  success,  and  in  1864  he  sold 
the  business  and  invested  in  a  vineyard  in  West  Davenport.  He  also  gave  his 
attention  to  the  contracting  business,  building  and  selling  houses,  and  his  efforts 
as  a  speculative  builder  materially  increased  his  financial  resources.  In  1875 
he  invested  in  farm  lands. and  in  company  with  several  others  laid  out  the  now 
flourishing  town  of  Marne.  In  all  of  his  business  affairs  his  efforts  were  so  uni- 
formly and  capably  directed  that  prosperity  attended  him  and  at  the  same  time 
his  efforts  were  of  a  character  that  promoted  the  welfare  of  the  community  as 
well  as  his  individual  success.  In  1904  he  removed  to  Coronado,  California,  where 
he  now  lives. 

Aside  from  business  affairs  Mr.  Geisler  was  active  in  many  ways  whereby 
Davenport's  interests  were  promoted.  He  assisted  in  bringing  into  existence  the 
German  free  school  and  for  many  years  was  its  president.  He  was  also  active 
in  the  erection  of  the  Davenport  Crematorium  and  served  as  its  vice  president. 
He  became  an  enthusiastic  member  of  the  Academy  of  Science  and  his  efforts 
in  its  behalf  largely  promoted  its  interests.  He  also  joined  the  Turner  Society 
and  was  ever  an  influential  factor  among  the  German  people  of  this  city.  He 
has  been  made  honorary  member  of  various  organizations,  these  societies  being 
proud  to  have  his  name  upon  their  membership  roll. 

Mr.  Geisler  was  married  in  Davenport  on  the  24th  of  December,  1855,  to 
Miss  Sophia  Halkins,  and  in  1905  they  celebrated  their  golden  wedding  in  Co- 
ronado, California,  their  family,  at  that  time  consisting  of  a  daughter  and  grand- 
daughter, being  present.  Of  their  four  children,  two  died  in  infancy,  while  one 
daughter,  Adele,  who  became  the  wife  of  Otto  Clausen,  died  in  1886.  Mr. 
Geisler  makes  his  home  with  his  other  daughter,  Mrs.  J.  Clausen,  his  wife  hav- 
ing passed  away  on  the  15th  of  March,  1908. 

While  now  eighty-two  years  of  age  Mr.  Geisler  possesses  uncommon  vigor 
and  activity  for  one  of  his  years  and  in  1909  he  made  a  trip  to  his  old  home  in 
Germany,  traveling  all  alone.  Throughout  his  life  he  has  been  a  man  of  friendly 
spirit,  of  hospitable  disposition,  and  has  ever  looked  upon  the  bright  side,  and 
because  of  his  sterling  qualities  of  manhood  as  well  as  his  business  activity  and 
public  spirit,  he  has  won  a  host  of  friends  who  entertain  for  him  the  highest  honor 
and  respect. 


THOMAS   DOUGHERTY. 

Thomas  Dougherty,  president  of  Schick's  Express  &  Transfer  Company  of 
Davenport,  is  numbered  among  the  native  sons  of  Scott  county  and  his  life 
history  is  familiar  to  his  fellow  citizens,  who  have  watched  his  development 
from  boyhood  days.  He  is  lacking  in  none  of  those  qualities  which  constitute 
the  resourceful  and  successful  business  man  and  in  his  present  position  of  ex- 
ecutive control  is  proving  that  his  administration  accomplishes  the  utmost  for  the 
interests  invested. 

Mr.  Dougherty  was  born  in  Scott  county,  October  30,  1865,  and  his  educa- 
tion was  acquired  in  St.  AmbYose  school  and  in  the  Davenport  Business  College. 


386  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUInITY 

He  became  collector  for  the  Schick's  Express  &  Transfer  Company  in  1903  and 
bent  every  effort  toward  familiarizing  himself  with  and  mastering  the  business 
in  order  that  he  might  be  qualified  for  enlarged  duties  when  the  opportunity 
came  for  advancement.  In  1905,  when  the  company  was  reorganized,  he  be- 
came president  and  manager  and  has  since  carefully  and  successfully  controlled 
the  interests  of  the  business.  On  the  22d  of  September,  1904,  Mr.  Dougherty 
was  married  to  Miss  Eula  Carmichael,  a  native  of  Davenport  and  a  daughter 
of  Henry  Carmichael,  one  of  the  old  residents  of  this  city  who  has  long  been 
associated  with  the  Boston  Store.  Mr.  Dougherty  belongs  to  the  Benevolent 
and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  to  the  Woodmen  of  the  World,  and  is  well 
known  socially  in  this  city,  where  the  greater  part  of  his  life  has  been  passed. 


GEORGE  AND  DAVID  NUGENT. 

Among  the  many  earnest  men  who  are  daily  proving  the  fertility  of  the  soil 
of  Blue  Grass  township,  are  George  and  David  Nugent,  who  in  conjunction  own 
and  operate  the  farm  upon  which  they  live.  Natives  of  this  county,  they  were 
born  in  1858  and  1861,  respectively,  being  the  sons  of  John  and  M.  J.  Nugent. 
The  father  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1821,  and  in  1848,  at  the  beginning  of  the  hard 
times  which  oppressed  his  native  isle  for  the  next  few  years,  came  to  the  United 
States.  First  he  settled  in  New  Jersey,  where  he  lived  for  about  five  years,  and 
then  in  1853  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa.  During  the  first  two  years  after  his 
arrival  he  worked  on  various  farms  in  Blue  Grass  township,  and  then,  in  1855, 
having  married  he  bought  the  place  on  which  his  two  sons  are  living  today.  It 
remained  his  home  for  the  next  sixteen  years  of  his  life,  and  though  his  death 
occurred  in  1878,  he  had  lived  long  enough  to  obtain  some  idea  of  the  progress 
which  would  transform  the  appearance  of  the  country  in  the  course  of  years.  He 
and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  five  children,  those  besides  the  subjects  of  this 
sketch  being  Thomas,  who  is  also  a  resident  of  Blue  Grass  township ;  James,  who 
lives  in  Casey,  Iowa ;  and  Mary,  who  is  the.  wife  of  Charles  Plett,  of  Muscatine, 
Iowa. 

Natives  of  this  county,  George  and  David  Nugent  have  passed  their  entire  lives 
within  its  confines.  They  were  pupils  in  the  public  schools  of  their  locality  and  the 
education  they  received  was  supplemented  by  practical  training  in  f  arrn  work,  which 
they  acquired  under  the  guidance  of  their  father.  Indeed,  as  they  were  both 
young  when  they  were  deprived  of  his  love  and  care,  they  had  to  early  assume 
responsibilities  which  in  many  cases  fall  to  the  lot  of  men.  The  place  which  had 
been  associated  with  memories  of  childhood  and  which  they  had  come  to  know 
thoroughly  through  the  passage  of  years,  has  remained  their  home  to  the  present. 
It  is  a  rich  and  arable  tract,  is  well  improved  and  cultivated  with  a  skill  that  be- 
speaks the  character  of  the  born  husbandman.  They  have  been  sparing  of  neither 
industry  nor  expense  to  bring  their  place  to  a  productive  state  and  may  feel  justly 
recompensed  by  the  size  of  the  harvest  and  the  consequent  generous  income  that 
falls  to  their  share  annually. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  387 

In  early  manhood  George  Nugent  wedded  Miss  Ella  Fridley,  but  she  died  two 
years  after  her  marriage,  while  David  Nugent  has  never  married.  They  have 
steadfastly  given  their  support  to  the  republican  party,  in  the  years  that  they  have 
been  able  to  exercise  their  right  of  franchise,  but  though  interested  have  taken 
little  part  in  local  affairs.  George,  however,  served  one  term  as  trustee  of  the 
township  but  has  never  desired  further  evidence  of  the  respect  and  good  opinion 
of  his  fellow  citizens.  Industrious  and  excellent  managers,  both  George  and 
David  Nugent  may  be  pardoned  a  moderate  pride  in  their  achievements,  for  in 
addition  to  maintaining  the  home  place  in  a  good  condition  they  have  been  able  to 
purchase  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Yuma  county,  Colorado. 


HERMAN  H.  FRYE. 


During  his  active  life  Herman  H.  Frye  was  one  of  the  more  prosperous 
farmers  of  this  county,  and  when  advancing  years  and  a  large  income  sug- 
gested the  wisdom  of  retiring  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Davenport,  where  his 
death  occurred  November  2,  1903.  One  of  the  early  German  settlers  of  this  sec- 
tion of  Iowa,  he  had  been  born  in  what  was  known  as  Klein  Dreele,  Hanover, 
Germany,  February  4,  1830,  a  son  of  Bernard  and  Adeline   (Brockman)  Frye. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen,  in  1846,  he  came  to  the  United  States  alone,  and 
having  chosen  the  southern  route  for  crossing  the  ocean,  landed  at  New  Orleans. 
He  spent  the  winter  in  that  city  and  in  the  spring  ascended  the  Mississippi  to 
St.  Louis,  Missouri,  which  remained  his  home  for  the  next  decade.  There,  in 
1856,  he  was  married  and  shortly  afterward,  in  the  same  year,  came  to  Daven- 
port, opening  a  brickyard,  which  he  operated  for  about  a  year.  Then  he  traded 
it  for  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  prairie  land  in  Sheridan  township,  Scott 
county,  on  which  he  built  a  house,  broke  his  land  and  prepared  it  for  cultivation, 
deriving  from  his  labors  a  rich  return  that  placed  him  among  the  most  success- 
ful agriculturists  of  this  section.  As  the  years  brought  their  full  measure  of 
success,  he  invested  extensively  in  land,  until  at  his  death  he  was  in  possession 
of  about  one  thousand  acres  besides  some  town  property.  He  had  been  among 
the  first  to  settle  in  the  county,  which  has  proved  to  be  so  rich  agriculturally, 
and  witnessing  its  development  he  also  participated  in  its  improvement  and  his 
name  appears  upon  the  roll  of  those  who  rendered  their  fellowmen  substantial 
and  invaluable  service. 

While  living  in  St.  Louis,  on  the  14th  of  March,  1856,  Mr.  Frye  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Louisa  Rier,  a  daughter  of  WilHam  and  Maria  (Gran- 
naman)  Rier.  She  had  been  born  in  Nordhammen,  Westphalia,  Germany, 
April  28,  1834,  and  came  to  this  country  in  her  young  womanhood,  although  her 
parents  remained  in  the  fatherland.  Ten  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Frye.  George  D.,  living  upon  the  old  homestead,  wedded  Miss  Thrissa  Stutt, 
now  deceased,  and  they  had  four  children:  Hermanza,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Julius  F.  Rochau,  of  Oklahoma,  and  has  one  child,  Blanch  Louise;  George  D., 
Jr. ;  Blanch,  the  wife  of  Henry  Olliver,  of  CaUfornia ;  and  Harry.  William  F. 
resides  in  Hickory  Grove  township.     In  his  young  manhood  he  married  Miss 


388  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Carolina  Meyer  and  they  have  eight  children:  Wilbert,  Alfred,  Arnold,  Carl, 
Elsie,  Frances,  Norman  Scott  and  Adelia.  The  eldest,  Wilbert,  married  Miss 
Hilda  Hahn  and  lives  at  Independence,  Iowa.  Charles,  the  third  of  the  Frye 
family,  married  Miss  Emma  Lamp  and  lives  at  Seattle,  Washington.  Emma 
is  deceased.  Frank  F.  married  Miss  Augusta  Lamp  and  lives  in  Seattle,  Wash- 
ington. They  have  one  child,  Marion.  Louisa  and  Alfred  are  deceased;  Julia 
is  at  home.  Elizabeth  M.  became  the  wife  of  H.  C.  Lage,  of  Davenport.  The 
youngest  died  in  infancy. 

Not  only  was  Mr.  Frye  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of  Scott  county,  but 
he  was  also  intimately  connected  with  its  public  life  and  prominent  in  such 
enterprises  as  were  calculated  to  develop  the  interests  and  promote  the  welfare 
of  the  community  in  which  he  lived.  He  served  as  county  supervisor  for  a  con- 
siderable period  and  was  a  school  director.  He  assisted  in  the  organization  of 
the  German  Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Scott  county,  of  which  he  was  treas- 
urer for  a  number  of  years,  and  was  a  member  of  the  German  Pioneer  Associa- 
tion. In  1889  he  retiredT  from  active  life  and  removed  to  Davenport,  where  the 
last  years  of  his  life  were  past  in  comfort  and  with  the  knowledge  that  the 
past  had  been  well  spent. 


JACOB  HUGH  HARRISON. 

The  business  progress  of  Davenport  has  not  been  conserved  by  one  or  two 
individuals  but  has  resulted  from  the  combined  efforts  of  a  large  number  of 
business  men  whose  activity  has  been  the  source  of  the  city's  commercial  ad- 
vancement and  improvement.  In  this  connection  Jacob  Hugh  Harrison  deserves 
more  than  passing  notice,  for  to  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  recognized  as  one 
of  the  foremost  representatives  of  mercantile  interests  in  Davenport.  He  was- 
born  in  Carrollton,  Kentucky,  Decenjber  25,  1840,  and  was  a  son  of  William 
Henry  Harrison,  a  cousin  of  President  Harrison  of  the  same  name.  The  father 
was  a  native  of  Prince  William  county,  Virginia,  born  in  1810.  He  had  two 
brothers,  Benjamin  Franklin  and  George  Washington  Harrison,  and  they  were 
sons  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Harris)  Harrison,  the  latter  a  daughter  of  John 
Harris  and  the  former  a  son  of  Obadiah  Harrison,  a  native  of  Virginia.  Wil- 
liam Henry  Harrison,  reared  and  educated  in  the  south,  was  married  to  Miss 
Eleanor  Moore  Mimich,  a  daughter  of  Richard  and  Sarah  (Lester)  Mimich  and 
a  granddaughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Mimich,  who  were  natives  of  Maryland. 
It  will  thus  be  seen  that  Jacob  H.  Harrison  was  a  representative  of  some  of  the 
oldest  southern  families.  He  was  one  of  ten  children,  five  of  whom  reached  years 
.  of  maturity,  namely :  Mary ;  Richard ;  Mrs.  Sarah  Hayden ;  Jacob ;  and  Charles 
Emery,  who  is  living  in  Davenport. 

When  he  was  thirteen  years  of  age  and  still  attending  school  Jacob  Hugh 
Harrison  entered  the  drug  store  of  his  uncle  at  Carrollton,  Kentucky,  and  under 
his  direction  thoroughly  learned  the  business.  His  educational  opportunities 
were  those  afforded  by  the  schools  and  academy  of  his  native  city.  All  through 
life,  however,  he  remained  a  student  and  broad  reader  and  accumulated  a  large 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  391 

and  valuable  library,  with  the  contents  of  which  he  was  thoroughly  familiar. 
The  business  pursuit  to  which  he  was  reared  he  made  his  life  work.  In  1861 
he  and  his  brother  Richard  purchased  the  business  of  their  deceased  uncle  and 
conducted  the  store  until  the  following  year,  when  Richard  Harrison  died.  The 
subject  of  this  review  then  carried  on  the  business  alone  until  1867,  when  he  dis- 
posed of  his  interests  in  Kentucky  and  came  to  Davenport.  Here  he  at  once 
became  engaged  in  the  retail  drug  business,  becoming  at  first  connected  with 
the  firm  of  Harrison  &  Stark,  while  later  he  was  senior  partner  of  the  firm  of 
Harrison  &  Holman.  The  latter  firm  was  located  in  the  Hill  block  at  the  corner 
of  Third  and  Brady  streets,  but  this  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  the  night  of  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1876.  In  the  fall  of  1878  Mr.  Harrison  again  established  a  business, 
which  under  the  name  of  Harrison's  Pharmacy  was  for  fourteen  years  located 
at  No.  305  Brady  street.  He  then  removed  to  No.  312  Brady  street,  where  he 
remained  for  eight  years,  or  until  the  time  of  his  retirement  from  active  mer- 
cantile life,  disposing  of  his  store  to  L.  P.  Carstens  in  January,  1901.  Soon  after 
Mr.  Harrison  and  Mr.  Holman  established  their  store  on  Brady  street,  follow- 
ing the  fire,  Mr.  Harrison  admitted  his  brother  Charles  to  a  partnership  in  the 
business.  They  afterward  had  a  store  erected  purposely  for  them  near  the  site 
on  which  the  business  is  still  carried  on,  and  later  Mr.  Harrison  built  a  store 
which  is  still  utilized  for  the  business.  Altogether  he  established  six  different 
stores,  which  he  continued  to  own  and  manage  until  his  death.  For  forty  years 
he  had  been  closely  associated  with  the  drug  trade  as  proprietor,  and  even  prior 
to  that  time  had  been  an  employe  in  that  field  of  labor.  He  enjoyed  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  the  most  competent  druggist  in  the  state  of  Iowa,  having  intimate 
knowledge  of  all  the  drugs  and  medicinal  remedies  which  he  handled,  knowing 
fully  their  properties  and  the  results  which  might  be  attained  by  their  use. 

On  the  i6th,  of  May,  1865,  Mr.  'Harrison  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Frances  Elizabeth  McCallister,  who  was  born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  was  a 
daughter  of  Dr.  William  R.  McCallister,  formerly  a  physician  of  Troy,  Ten- 
nessee, now  deceased.  The  McCallisters  were  of  Scotch  lineage.  The  marriage 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harrison  took  place  at  Carrollton,  Kentucky,  and  was  the  first 
Protestant  church  wedding  celebrated  in  that  town.  Her  paternal  grandfather, 
Dr.  Charles  McCallister,  married  EHzabeth  Clark,  of  Baltimore.  The  mother  of 
Mrs.  Harrison  was  Frances  Elizabeth  Sims  Reader,  whose  uncle  was  the  author 
of  the  Sims  Theory,  while  her  great-uncle  was  the  father-in-law  of  President 
Harrison.  Mrs.  Harrison  was  born  in  Cincinnati  but  was  reared  in  Tennessee. 
By  her  marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  nine  children :  Minnie  Ingaloe,  who 
was  born  February '26,  1866,  is  now  the  wife  of  Oscar  P.  Judd,  of  Reno,  Nevada, 
Mary  Eleanor,  who  was  born  May  11,  1868,  is  the  wife  of  W.  H.  Snyder,  of 
Davenport;  Cora  Sims,  who  was  born  July  21,  1870,  is  the  wife  of  George  H. 
Schaflfer,  of  Fort  Madison,  Iowa;  William  Henry,  who  was  born  March  i,  1872, 
died  when  only  two  weeks  old ;  Juliana  was  born  April  26,  1873 ;  Sarah  Hay  den 
was  born  September  3,  1875 ;  Edward  Reader  was  born  July  14,  1879 ;  Wilfred 
Hugh  and  Frances  Elizabeth,  twins,  were  born  July  i,  1882.  The  former  wedded 
Miss  Mary  Gibbons,  of  St.  Paul,  and  the  latter  is  the  wife  of  Bert  G.  Powell. 
There  are  now  five  grandchildren  in  the  family.  Mr.  Harrison  was  a  man  of 
considerable  literary  ability  and  was  the  author  of  a  number  of  poems  of  more 


392  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

than  ordinary  merit.  His  reading  covered  a  wide  range  and  made  him  well  in- 
formed concerning  a  variety  of  subjects.  At  the  time  of  his  marriage  he  joined 
the  Methodist  church  and  remained  a  consistent  representative  thereof  until 
his  death,  his  earnest  Christian  faith  being  the  permeating  influence  in  an  hon- 
orable, upright  life.  His  public  spirit  was  manifest  in  his  active  support  of 
many  measures  for  the  public  good  and  Davenport  gained  a  valuable  citizen 
when  he  established  his  home  within  her  borders. 


HENRICH  SPETH. 


Henrich  Speth,  a  retired  agriculturist,  has  made  his  home  in  Davenport  since 
1893  and  is  the  owner  of  the  property  on  which  he  resides.  His  birth  occurred  in 
Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  12th  of  August,  1832,  his  parents  being  Eben  and  Antya 
(Arp)  Speth.  The  father  spent  his  entire  life  in  the  fatherland,  but  the  mother 
came  to  this  country  and  died  in  Iowa.  Their  children  were  five  in  number, 
namely :  Elsbie  and  Katherina,  both  of  whom  are  now  deceased ;  Claus,  living  in 
Germany ;  Henrich,  of  this  review ;  and  Lena,  who  has  also  passed  away. 

Henrich  Speth,  who  obtained  his  education  in  Germany,  spent  the  first  twenty- 
two  years  of  his  life  in  that  country  and  in  1854  crossed  the  ocean  to  the  United 
States,  landing  at  New  Orleans.  Thence  he  made  his  way  up  the  Mississippi  river 
to  Davenport,  Iowa,  arriving  here  in  the  month  of  September.  '  He  first  secured 
employment  on  a  flat  boat  but  soon  afterward  became  identified  with  agricultural 
interests  as  a  farm  hand,  being  thus  engaged  for  several  years.  Subsequently  he 
devoted  his  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  rented  land  and  broke  prairie.  In  1863 
he  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  improved  land  in  Cleona  township 
and  the  following  year  bought  an  adjoining  tract  of  forty  acres,  but  never  lived 
thereon.  He  leased  his  property  for  a  number  of  years  and  did  not  take  up  his 
abode  upon  his  first  purchase  until  1869.  He  had  been  married  in  1859  ^^'^  ^^ 
sided  on  the  Miller  farm  in  Blue  Grass  township  until  1869,  when  he  established 
his  home  on  his  farm  in  Cleona  township,  erecting  a  commodious  and  substantial 
residence  and  otherwise  improving  the  place.  At  the  end  of  about  six  years  he 
put  aside  the  active  work  of  the  fields  and  removed  to  Durant,  Iowa,  where  he 
lived  retired  for  eighteen  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period,  in  1893,  he 
came  to  Davenport  and  has  here  since  continued  to  reside.  He  is  a  stockholder 
in  the  Durant  Savings  Bank  and  is  well  known  and  highly  esteemed  as  one  of  the 
prosperous  and  representative  citizens  of  his  community. 

On  the  29th  of  December,  1859,  Mr.  Speth  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Bertha  Nissen,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Maria  Nissen.  The  mother  passed  away 
in  Germany  and  the  father  afterward  came  to  the  United  States,  landing  at  New 
York  in  1852.  Mrs.  Speth  lived  with  an  uncle  at  Jersey  City  for  about  four  years 
and  then  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  with  her  father.  The  latter's  demise  oc- 
curred in  187s  while  he  was  enroute  to  Germany  on  a  visit.  Mrs.  Speth  was  one 
of  a  family  of  four  children,  two  of  whom  died  in  Germany.  The  other,  Christina, 
who  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Fritz  F.  Gerken,  is  also  now  deceased. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  393 

Politically  Mr.  Speth  is  a  stanch  advocate  of  the  democratic  party.  While  liv- 
ing in  Durant  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  council  and  proved  a  faithful  and 
capable  public  official.  He  belongs  to  the  Old  German  Settlers  Association  and  is 
a  valued  member  thereof.  Germany  has  furnished  to  the  United  States  many 
bright,  enterprising  young  men  who  have  left  the  fatherland  to  enter  the  business 
circles  of  this  country  with  its  more  progressive  methods,  livelier  competition  and 
advancement  more  quickly  secured.  Mr.  Speth  found  the  opportunity  he  sought 
in  the  freedom  and  appreciation  of  the  growing  country.  Though  born  across  the 
water,  he  is  thoroughly  American  in  thought  and  feeling,  and  is  patriotic  and  sin- 
cere in  his  love  for  the  stars  and  stripes.  His  career  is  identified  with  the  history 
of  Scott  county,  where  he  has  acquired  a  competence  and  where  he  is  an  honored 
and  respected  citizen.  He  has  now  passed  the  seventy-seventh  milestone  on  this 
earthly  pilgrimage  and  his  life  has  ever  been  such  that  he  can  look  back  over  the 
past  without  regret  and  forward  to  the  future  without  fear. 


HUGO  G.  SCHAEFER. 


For  a  number  of  years  Hugo  G.  Schaefer  was  a  resident  of  Sheridan  township, 
where  he  farmed  for  ten  years,  but  for  the  last  decade  and  more  he  has  been  a 
resident  of  the  city  of  Davenport.  A  native  of  this  county,  he  was  born  in  Pleasant 
Valley  township,  his  parents  being  WiUiam  and  Lena  (Houseman)  Schssfer,  who 
were  born'  in  Germany  and  shortly  after  their  marriage  emigrated  to  America. 
They  came  to  Scott  county  almost  immediately  and  here  the  father  rented  land  for 
a  time.  Later  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres  in  Pleasant  Valley 
township,  and  after  a  residence  of  about  seven  years  thereon  bought  another  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Davenport  township.  On  it  he  lived  during 
the  remainder  of  his  active  life,  improving  it  and  operating  it  with  a  marked  suc- 
cess. He  had,  however,  in  the  course  of  years  invested  heavily  in  real  estate,  so 
that  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  in  the  possession  of  four  hundred  and  sixty 
acres.  He  was  an  eager  participant  in  the  public  life  of  his  township,  having 
served  as  road  commissioner  for  a  long  period  and  was  a  member  of  the  Old  Ger- 
man Settlers  Society.  The  last  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  Davenport  and 
there  he  passed  away  December  5,  1908,  in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his  age.  His 
widow  still  survives.  They  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children :  William, 
who  is  engaged  in  farming  in  Pleasant  Valley  township ;  Richard,  an  agriculturist 
of  Davenport  township ;  Alexander,  who  also  resides  in  Pleasant  Valley  township ; 
Hugo,  in  city  of  Davenport;  Otto,  of  Pleasant  Valley  township ;  Albert,  a  resident 
of  Davenport  township ;  Meta,  who  is  the  wife  of  WilHam  Carsen,  of  Davenport ; 
Emil,  who  died  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years ;  and  two  who  died  in  infancy. 

Hugo  G.  Schaefer  has  spent  a  large  part  of  his  life  in  Scott  county.  As  soon 
as  he  was  of  suitable  age  he  became  a  pupil  in  the  district  school  near  his  home, 
later  attending  a  German  school  and  a  business  college.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he 
put  aside  his  text-books,  left  the  farm  and  came  to  Davenport,  that  he  might  begin 
his  business  career.  For  the  first  four  years  he  was  clerk  in  a  store  and  then  se- 
cured a  position  as  traveling  salesman,  in  this  capacity  becoming  familiar  with  the 


394  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

greater  part  of  the  south  and  west.  In  1894  he  opened  a  general  store  in  Dixon, 
this  county,  which  he  conducted  profitably  during  the  next  two  J^ears,  but  as  his 
health  had  failed  he  was  compelled  to  sell  his  interests  and  so  turned  to  agriculture. 
He  was  not  a  man,  however,  to  confine  his  work  to  one  field  if  he  saw  other  oppor- 
tunities for  advancement.  As  a  result  several  industries  and  enterprises  in  Scott 
county  received  his  support. 

On  the  30th  of  April,  1895,  Mr.  Schaefer  wedded  Miss  Adele  Hagedorn,  a 
daughter  of  Christian  and  Mary  (Schlotfeldt)  Hagedorn,  who  are  old  German 
settlers  of  Scott  county.  One  son,  Clarence  A.,  has  been  born  to  the  couple.  Mr. 
Schaefer  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodge,  of  the  Fraternal  Order  of 
Eagles  and  of  the  Turner  Society.  His  energies  have  never  been  exerted  sel- 
fishly but  always  in  such  a  manner  that  his  fellow  citizens  profited  from  them. 


HANS   SOENKE. 


Among  the  old  residents  of  Scott  county  who  are  now  living  in  retirement  in 
Davenport,  Hans  Soenke  is  numbered.  He  was  formerly  engaged  in  farming 
and  still  owns  valuable  and  extensive  lands  in  the  state.  He  was  born  in  Hol- 
stein,  Germany,  January  31,  1836,  a  son  of  Hans  and  Christina  (Jacobs)  Soenke. 
The  father  emigrated  with  his  family  to  the  new  world  in  1853,  and,  landing  at 
New  York  city,  made  his  way  direct  to  St.  Louis,  whence  he  went  up  the  river 
about  a  hundred  miles,  where  lived  some  friends,  with  whom  the  Soenke  family 
remained  for  a  few  months.  The  father  then  sought  a  location  and,  deciding 
upon  Iowa  as  a  suitable  place  to  settle,  he  rented  land  in  Hickory  Grove  town- 
ship, Scott  county,  where  he  spent  the  first  winter  and  then  removed  to  Blue 
Grass  township,  living  there  for  four  years,  and  then  operated  a  farm  in  Hickory 
Grove  township.  He  next  leased  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  in  Blue  Grass 
township,  this  being  divided  into  two  farms,  which  lay  about  three  miles  apart. 
This  was  all  prairie  but  Mr.  Soenke  at  once  began  to  place  the  fields  under  cul- 
tivation, having  fenced  the  place  and  erected  a  house.  In  course  of  years  he 
purchased  this  land  and  carried  on  farming  on  an  extensive  scale  until  his  de- 
mise. His  family  numbered  eight  children:  Mary,  deceased;  Anna,  who  became 
the  wife  of  Fred  Hanson  but  is  now  deceased ;  Peter,  who  has  also  passed  away ; 
Hans,  of  this  review ;  Christina,  the  wife  of  John  Foucht,  a  resident  of  Musca- 
tine county,  this  state;  John,  deceased;  Margaret,  who  became  the  wife  of 
J.  Brothers  and  has  also  departed  this  life;  and  Katherine,  the  deceased  wife 
of  Henry  Timm.  Both  the  parents  died  many  years  ago.  The  father,  who  was 
born  August  8,  1803,  died  in  1881  on  the  seventy-eighth  anniversary  of  his  birth. 
The  mother,  who  was  likewise  born  in  1803,  passed  away  in  1863. 

Hans  Soenke,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  a  youth  of  seventeen 
years  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  trip  to  the  new  world.  After 
their  arrival  here,  he  located  with  them  in  Scott  county,  where  he  found  em- 
ployment during  the  harvesting  season.  While  thus  engaged  he  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  lose  his  right  arm.  When  the  father  rented  a  farm  the  son  assisted 
him  in  his  work  and  accompanied  him  on  his  various  removals  after  coming  to 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  395 

Scott  county,  assisting  in  the  work  of  the  different  farms.  After  the  father's 
demise,  Mr.  Soenke  took  charge  of  the  place  and  made  it  his  home  until  1898, 
since  which  time  he  has  lived  retired  in  Davenport.  He  still  retains  possession 
of  the  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Blue  Grass  township  and  owns 
a  similar  amount  in  Clay  county,  this  state.  This  is  all  valuable  land  and  sup- 
plies him  with  a  good  competency,  which  enables  him  to  enjoy  all  the  comforts 
and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  Hfe. 

Mr.  Soenke  was  married  December  20,  1865,  to  Miss  Anna  Inbeck,  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Augustina  Margaret  Inbeck,  whose  parents  located  in  Davenport 
in  1863.  They  have  become  the  parents  of  the  following  named.  Christina  is 
the  deceased  wife  of  Louis  Koechert,  who  lives  on  Mr.  Soenke's  farm  in  Clay 
county.  She  was  the  mother  of  a  daughter  and  two  sons,  Ida,  Albert,  and  Her- 
man. Hans,  the  next  member  of  the  family,  wedded  Helen  Puck  but  is  .now 
deceased.  Henry,  who  lives  on  the  homestead  place  in  Blue  Grass  township, 
wedded  Miss  Minnie  Sulk  and  they  have  two  children,  Karma  and  a  baby.  Wil- 
helmina  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Faurback  and  they  reside  in  Cleona  township,  Scott 
county.  They  have  five  children,  Fred,  Mary  Ann,  Elmer,  Ida  and  Loyd.  Agnes 
Soenke  is  the  wife  of  William  Ruge,  of  Walcott,  Iowa,  and  is  the  mother  of 
five  children,  Walter,  Clarence,  Hans,  Etta  and  Boeta.  Ida,  the  sixth  mernber 
of  the  family,  is  with  her  parents.  Herman,  the  youngest,  wedded  Ella  Dean 
and  they  have  a  daughter,  Erma. 

While  still  a  resident  of  Blue  Grass  township,  Mr.  Soenke  served  as  school 
director  for  a  number  of  years  and  was  formerly  on  the  directorate  of  the  Wal- 
cott Savings  Bank  and  the  Walcott  Creamery  Company  and  he  still  is  a  stock- 
holder in  these  two  concerns.  He  has  been  treasurer  of  the  German  Mutual 
Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Walcott  since  1882.  In  former  years  his  life  was 
one  of  continuous  activity,  in  which  was  accorded  due  recognition  of  labor,  and 
today  he  is  numbered  among  the  substantial  citizens  of  Davenport  and  Scott 
county.  His  interests  have  at  all  times  been  thoroughly  identified  with  those  of 
Scott  county,  and  at  all  times  he  is  ready  to  lend  his  aid  and  cooperation  to  any 
movement  calculated  to  benefit  this  section  of  the  country  or  advance  its  won- 
derful development.  He  is  a  member  of  the  German  Pioneers  Association  and 
in  politics  is  a  democrat. 


ALLEN  R.  BOUDINOT. 

Allen  R.  Boudinot,  a  civil  engineer  of  Davenport,  who  is  also  acting  as  county 
drainage  engineer,  has  been  accorded  a  gratifying  patronage  in  this  connection  in 
recognition  of  his  superior  ability  and  knowledge.  His  birth  occurred  in  Marion 
county,  Iowa,  his  parents  being  H.  Raymond  and  Ella  J.  Boudinot.  He  attended 
the  schools  of  his  native  county  but  most  of  his  education  was  obtained  in  the  city 
of  his  adoption,  where  he  located  at  the  age  of  ten  years.  After  attending  the  Dav- 
enport high  school  he  became  enrolled  as  a  student  in  the  Iowa  State  College  at 
Ames,  being  graduated  therefrom  as  a  civil  engineer  in  the  year  1905. 


396  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Stibsequently  Mr.  Boudinot  spent  about  two  years  in  Chicago  as  an  employe 
of  the  American  Bridge  Company  but  on  the  expiration  of  that  period  returned 
to  Davenport  and  has  since  practiced  his  profession  here.  His  rapid  and  substan- 
tial rise  in  his  caUing  is  attributable  to  the  thoroughness  with  which  he  has  mas- 
tered everything  bearing  upon  the  subject  of  civil  engineering,  combined  with  his 
unwearied  industry  and  his  professional  integrity. 

On  the  26th  of  September,  1906,  Mr.  Boudinot  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Luverna  Walston,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Sarah  (Waite)  Walston,  who  were 
numbered  among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Jones  county,  Iowa.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Boudinot  are  now  the  parents  of  two  children,  William  W.  and  Donald  J. 


ROBERT  KRAUSE. 


The  activities  of  today  become  the  history  of  tomorrow,  and  thus  it  is  that 
the  name  of  Robert  Krause  is  enrolled  among  those  who  have  left  their  impress 
upon  the  annals  of  Davenport  through  the  part  which  they  have  taken  in  de- 
veloping the  industrial,  commercial  and  financial  projects  of  the  city.  Progres- 
sive in  business,  his  initiative  spirit  and  constructive  measures  enabled  him  to  es- 
tablish one  of  Davenport's  leading  industries  in  founding  and  promoting  the 
Krause  Shirt  Company.  He  came  to  be  known,  moreover,  in  financial  circles 
as  vice  president  of  the  Citizens  Savings  Bank,  and  he  belonged  to  that  class  of 
men  who  have  proven  the  value  of  the  German  element  in  our  American  citi- 
zenship. He  was  born  in  Walkenreid,  in  the  province  of  Brunswick,  Germany, 
November  13,  1834,  a  son  of  Conrad  Behrend  and  Francisca  (Osthaus)  Krause. 
In  the  mind  of  the  father  the  idea  of  establishing  a  home  in  America  at  length 
took  firm  hold.  He  was  a  man  of  culture  and  education  and  the  belief  that  the 
United  States  would  present  greater  opportunities  for  his  children  led  him  to 
sever  his  association  with  the  land  of  his  birth  and  come  with  his  family  to  the 
new  world. 

Robert  Krause  was  but  fourteen  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  this  change  of 
residence.  Landing  in  New  York,  they  proceeded  by  way  of  Buffalo  to  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  and  afterward  to  Mansfield,  Ohio,  where  they  lived  for  about  twelve 
years,  and  eventually  came  to  Davenport.  Robert  Krause  had  begun  his  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  the  fatherland  and  continued  his  studies  in  Ohio,  at 
length  becoming  a  pupil  in  Kenyon  College,  his  course  there  completing  his  edu- 
cation. Early  in  life  he  manifested  splendid  commercial  talent.  He  came  to 
Davenport  with  his  brother  William  and  identified  himself  with  the  interests  of 
the  city,  at  length  founding  and  promoting  the  Krause  Shirt  Company,  which 
was  and  is  one  of  Davenport's  leading  industries  and  was  carried  on  by  him 
with  entire  success.  He,  was  one  of  the  promoters  of  the  glucose  industry  here 
and  later  became  a  factor  in  financial  circles  as  the  vice  president  of  the  Citizens 
Bank,  to  which  he  gave  the  benefit  of  his  services  for  thirty  years.  In  fact,  he 
was  thoroughly  identified  with  many  business  projects  in  this  city  and  thus  be- 
came one  of  its  foremost  builders. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  399 

On  New  Year's  day  of  i860  Mr.  Krause  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Louise  Steinhelber,  a  daughter  of  Ezekiel  and  Wilhelmina  Steinhelber,  who  be- 
came pioneer  residents  of  this  city  and  were  of  great  assistance  in  advising  and 
befriending  many  of  the  early  German  residents  of  Scott  county.  Mr.  Stein- 
helber engaged  in  the  real-estate  business  here,  also  conducted  a  hotel,  was  the 
owner  of  the  first  ice  house  and  also  of  the  first  livery  stable.  Later  he  invested 
in  farm  lands  until  he  became  the  owner  of  eight  hundred  acres  in  Scott  county, 
upon  which  he  spent  the  last  thirty  years  of  his  life,  save  for  a  brief  period 
of  five  and  a  half  months  which  were  passed  in  California  for  the  benefit  of 
his  health.  He  was  practically  empty  handed  when  he  came  to  the  United 
States  but  his  carefully  directed  business  efforts  and  wise  investments  brought 
him  substantial  success,  making  him  one  of  the  men  of  affluence  of  the  county. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Krause  were  born  two  daughters.  Emelia  V.  is  the  de- 
ceased wife  of  Paul  Karlowa,  by  whom  she  had  three  children,  namely:  Robert 
Krause,  Carolyn  and  Clara.  The  second  daughter,  Clara  L.,  is  the  wife  of  L.  P. 
Best,  of  Davenport,  and  has  two  children,  Louis  Phillip  and  Gretchen. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Krause  occurred  July  5,  1900.  Mrs.  Krause  still  survives 
and  resides  at  No.  527  West  Eighth  street.  He  was  a  man  of  genial  nature,  and 
though  he  preferred  a  home  life  to  clubs  and  social  organizations,  he  was  never- 
theless a  valued  and  interested  member  of  the  Turner  Society  and  also  of  the 
Schuetzen  Verein.  Long  a  resident  of  Davenport,  all  who  knew  him  recognized 
the  soundness  of  his  business  principles  and  the  value  of  his  activities  as  factors 
in  the  upbuilding  of  the  city.  Well  descended  and  well  bred,  he  manifested 
throughout  his  life  those  sterling  traits  of  character  which  in  every  land  and 
clime  awaken  confidence  and  regard.  While  he  attained  a  prominent  position 
in  commercial  and  industrial  circles,  the  most  envious  could  not  grudge  him  his 
success,  so  worthily  was  it  won  and  so  honorably  used. 


P.  A.  BEND'IXEN,  M.  D. 

Dr.  P.  A.  Bendixen,  a  successful  and  progressive  young  medical  practitioner 
of  Davenport,  has  followed  his  profession  here  since  January,  1907,  having  made 
a  specialty  of  surgery.  He  was  born  in  this  city  on  the  8th  of  October,  1881,  his 
parents  being  Peter  and  Catherine  (Beenk)  Bendixen,  both  of  whom  are  na- 
tives of  Germany.  They  were  married,  however,  in  Davenport,  the  father  mak- 
ing his  way  to  this  city  in  1872.  He  was  a  cabinet  maker  by  trade  but  secured 
a  position  as  foreman  in  the  Davenport  Plough  Works,  acting  in  that  capacity 
for  a  number  of  years.  Subsequently  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Gladbrook,  Iowa, 
where  he  has  been  successfully  engaged  in  the  furniture  business  to  the  present 
time.    Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born  three  children  but  the  two  daughters 

died  in  infancy. 

P.  A.  Bendixen,  who  was  the  youngest  child  in  his  father's  family,  obtained 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Gladbrook  and  after  being  graduated  from 
the  high  school  he  entered  the  Chicago  University,  completing  the  scientific 
course  at  that  institution  in   1902.     Having  determined  upon  the  practice  of 


400  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

medicine  as  a  life  work,  he  became  enrolled  as  a  student  at  Rush  Medical  Col- 
lege and  in  1905  the  degree  of  M.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him.  He  then  had 
charge  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Hospital  in  Chicago  until  1906, 
when  he  went  to  Europe  and  for  eight  months  pursued  post  graduate  work  at 
Berlin,  Paris  and  Vienna,  devoting  special  attention  to  the  study  of  surgery, 
of  which  branch  of  practice  he  has  since  made  a  specialty.  In  January,  1907,  he 
opened  an  office  in  Davenport,  Iowa,  and  this  city  has  since  remained  the  scene 
of  his  professional  labors.  That  he  keeps  in  touch  with  the  profession  in  its 
advancement,  experimentation  and  experience  is  indicated  through  his  mem- 
bership with  the  Scott  County  Medical  Society,  the  Iowa  State  Medical  Society, 
the  American  Medical  Association,  the  Iowa  and  Illinois  Central  District  Medical 
Society,  the  Iowa  Union  Medical  Society,  the  Second  District  Medical  Society, 
the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Surgical  Association  and  the  American 
Association  of  Railway  Surgeons.  He  acts  as  surgeon  for  the  Chicago,  Mil- 
waukee &  St.  Paul  Railroad  and  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad 
and  also  for  a  number  of  manufacturing  concerns  and  is  examiner  for  the 
Northwestern  Insurance  Company. 

In  October,  1907,  Dr.  Bendixen  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jane  Elspeth 
Shuler,  a  native  of  Rapids  City,  Illinois.  They  now  have  a  daughter,  Jane 
Elspeth,  whose  birth  occurred  on  the  23d  of  September,  1908. 

Dr.  Bendixen  belongs  to  Davenport  Lodge,  No.  37,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Davenport 
Chapter,  No.  16,  R.  A.  M. ;  Zarephath  Consistory,  No.  4;  and  Kaaba  Temple, 
A.  A.  O.  N.  M.  S. ;  and  is  likewise  a  valued  and  popular  member  of  the  Daven- 
port Commercial  Club  and  the  Davenport  Outing  Club.  While  yet  a  young 
man,  he  has  already  attained  a  creditable  position  in  professional  circles,  and 
the  salient  characteristics  of  his  manhood  are  such  as  have  brought  him  the 
warm  regard  of  those  with  whom  he  has  been  otherwise  associated. 


FRITZ  KUELPER. 


Fritz  Kuelper,  one  of  the  old  German  settlers  of  Sheridan  township,  lives 
upon  an  excellent  farm  of  eighty  acres  which  he  owns,  and  despite  his  advanc- 
ing years  continues  to  retain  the  responsibility  of  its  cultivation.  He  was  born 
in  Mecklenburg,  Germany,  November  24,  1828,  his  parents  being  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Christ  Kuelper,  both  natives  of  the  fatherland.  The  father  was  a  farmer  in  the 
old  country  and  about  1853  decided  to  try  his  fortune  in  America.  Accordingly 
in  that  year  he  and  his  family  embarked  upon  the  long  ocean  voyage,  and,  after 
having  landed  in  New  York,  came  directly  to  Iowa.  In  Davenport  Mr.  Kuelper 
found  employment  and  later  rented  land  in  Blue  Grass  township,  where  he 
devoted  himself  to  farming.  In  his  family  were  five  children:  Henry,  who  is 
deceased;  Fritz,  the  subject  of  this  review;  Marie,  who  became  the  wife  of  Wil- 
Ham  Orth,  of  Rock  Island,  Illinois;  Minnie,  deceased;  and  Christ,  who  is  resid- 
ing in  Belle  Plain,  Iowa. 

Fritz  Kuelper  was  about  twenty-five  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  this 
country,  so  that  he  had  previously  obtained  his  education  and  had  some  experi- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  401 

ence  in  the  struggles  of  life.  After  his  arrival  in  Scott  county  he  found  work 
in  Davenport  and  upon  the  farms  surrounding  the  city.  Later  he  rented  land, 
and,  as  the  result  of  his  savings,  in  1879  bought  the  eighty  acres  on  which  he 
now  lives.  Some  improvements  had  already  been  made  upon  it  at  the  time  of 
purchase,  but  these  Mr.  Kuelper  carried  forward,  erecting  fine  barns,  granaries 
and  other  buildings,  and  remodeling  those  already  standing.  He  found  the 
soil  best  adapted  to  general  farming  and  to  such  he  has  devoted  his  attention, 
gaining  in  the  course  of  years  a  well  merited  success. 

After  he  had  firmly  established  himself  in  this  new  country,  Mr.  Kuelper 
married  Miss  Dorothy  Harder,  a  native  of  Germany.  Their  union  was  cele- 
brated in  December,  1866,  and  was  blessed  with  eight  children.  Meta  be- 
came the  wife  of  William  Oldenburg,  of  Lester,  Iowa,  and  they  have  five  chil- 
dren, Stella,  Linda,  Esther,  Wilbur  and  Amanda.  Julius,  a  resident  of  Wal- 
cott,  Iowa,  wedded  Miss  Minnie  Arp,  and  they  have  three  children.  Vera,  Alice 
and  Lillian.  Emma  became  the  wife  of  Herman  Weise,  of  Rock  Rapids,  Iowa, 
and  they  have  two  daughters.  Hazel  and  Alma.  Amanda  is  at  home.  Frank 
married  Miss  Amanda  Detrick  and  lives  in  Davenport.  Edward  is  at  home. 
Emelia  became  the  wife  of  Otto  Schwab,  and  they  have  two  sons,  Harland 
and  Russell.  Theodore  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Kuelper  has  also  passed  away, 
her  death  having  occurred  July  28,  1898,  when  she  was  fifty-six  years  of  age. 

Mr.  Kuelper  is  a  member  of  the  German  Old  Settlers  Society,  and  while 
he  has  always  been  interested  in  local  affairs  has  not  in  any  sense  of  the  word 
been  an  aspirant  for  political  office,  although  he  filled  satisfactorily  the  position 
of  road  supervisor  for  a  period  of  years.  He  has  spent  his  life  quietly  and  un- 
ostentatiously, performing  each  day's  tasks  as  they  came  and  winning  in  return 
for  industry  and  diligence  an  income  that  makes  the  higher  enjoyment  of  life 
possible. 


JESSE  R.  PORTER,  M.  D. 

Davenport  numbers  among  her  well  known  and  prominent  physicians  Dr.  Jesse 
R.  Porter,  who  during  his  residence  in  this  city,  which  extends  over  a  period  of 
about  thirteen  years,  has  built  up  a  large  and  lucrative  practice  which  is  constantly 
growing  in  volume  and  importance.  The  Porter  family  has  longJbeen  represented 
in  America,  having  come  to  this  country  from  the  north  of  Ireland  in  1645,  owing 
to  the  unsettled  and  troubled  condition  of  that  country  at  that  time. 

His  father.  Dr.  Joseph  Porter,  was  born  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  and  came 
to  Scott  county  in  1854,  locating  in  Blue  Grass  township,  where  he  continued  to 
practice  his  profession  until  the  time  of  his  demise.  He  had  acquired  his  medical 
training  in  the  State  University  of  Ohio,  at  Columbus,,  and  had  come  west  for  the 
purpose  of  opening  an  office  but  because  of  ill  health  was  compelled  to  give  up  that 
plan,  being  engaged  as  a  surveyor  for  several  years.  Later,  however,  he  followed 
his  profession  in  Blue  Grass,  where  he  practiced  for  thirty-nine  years,  and  accord- 
ing to  length  of  time  was  the  oldest  practitioner,  with  one  exception  in  this  county 
at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  also  took  an  active  part  in  community  affairs,  being 
prominent  and  influential  in  local  republican  ranks,  serving  in  various  public  offi- 


402  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

ces.  He  also  represented  his  district  in  the  state  legislature  during  the  period 
of  the  Civil  war  and  was  at  all  times  prominently  identified  with  the  interests  of  the 
community  in  which  he  resided.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born  on  a  sailing 
vessel  en  route  from  Hamburg  to  New  York,  and,  after  a  short  time  spent  in 
Pennsylvania,  came  with  her  parents  to  Scott  county,  about  1850,  where  she  gave 
her  hand  in  marriage  to  Dr.  Joseph  Porter.  They  became  the  parents  of  seven 
sons  and  one  daughter,  three  sons  beside  our  subject  being  now  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  medicine  in  Iowa,  namely :  Leroy  V.,  of  Bondurant ;  and  Clarence  M. 
and  Charles  E.,  both  practicing  in  Menlo. 

Jesse  R.  Porter,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Blue  Grass  township  on  the  20th  of 
January,  1870,  was  reared  under  the  parental  roof  and  at  the  usual  age  was  sent 
as  a  pupil  to  the  public  schools,  completing  his  preliminary  education  by  his  grad- 
uation from  high  school.  He  then  pursued  a  collegiate  course  at  Drake  Univer- 
sity, after  which  he  was  engaged  in  teaching  school  for  two  years  With  the 
money  thus  acquired  he  was  able  to  take  a  course  of  study  in  the  medical  depart- 
ment of  Drake  University,  from  which  he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1897, 
with  the  M.  D,  degree.  He  at  once  located  in  Davenport  and  has  since  continued 
here  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  From  the  start  he  has  been  most  successful, 
becoming  well  known  throughout  the  city  as  a  conscientious  and  efficient  physician 
and  surgeon,  and  the  extensive  practice  which  has  been  awarded  him  is  both  grati- 
fying and  remunerative.  He  keeps  in  close  touch  with  what  is  going  on  in  the 
medical  world  through  his  membership  in  the  Iowa  State  and  Scott  County  Medi- 
cal Societies  and  has  ever  remained  a  close  student  of  the  fundamental  principles 
of  medicine,  anything  which  tends  to  form  the  key  to  the  mystery  which  we  call 
life  being  of  special  interest  to  him.  In  addition  to  a  most  gratifying  private 
practice  he  is  also  acting  as  examiner  for  the  Washington  Life  Insurance  Company 
of  New  York. 

Although  Dr.  Porter  has  never  taken  an  active  part  in  the  public  affairs  of 
Davenport,  nevertheless  he  is  public-spirited  in  his  citizenship  and  gives  stalwart 
support  to  the  principles  of  the  republican  party.  Fraternally  he  is  identified  with 
the  Masonic  body  and  is  a  most  exemplary  and  valued  member  of  that  organiza- 
tion. During  his  residence  in  this  city  he  has  become  well  known  and  honored 
because  of  his  excellent  attainment  in  the  line  of  his  profession,  and  his  fidelity  to 
all  principles  of  honorable  and  upright  manhood  has  gained  him  the  respect,  confi- 
dence and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact  in  both  professional 
and  private  relations. 


CHARLES  KEPPE. 


When  Charles  Keppe  first  came  to  Scott  county,  it  was  before  it  had  given  full 
evidence  of  the  prosperity  which  has  since  distinguished  it  as  an  agricultural  cen- 
ter and  before  Davenport  had  developed  beyond  village  Hfe.  Indeed,  one  of  the 
vivid  memories  of  his  youth,  in  connection  with  this  locality,  is  the  sight  of  Mr. 
Fulton  and  Antoine  LeQaire  pushing  on  wheelbarrows  the  first  two  loads  of  dirt 
which  had  been  dug  preparatory  to  the  construction  of  the  first  railroad  in  this 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  403 

state.  For  many  years  he  engaged  in  farming  successfully  upon  a  large  tract  of 
land  in  Sheridan  township,  but  has  now  retired  from  active  life  and  makes  his 
home  in  Davenport. 

Mr.  Keppe  was  born  at  Neustadt-bei-Magdeburg,  Germany,  August  i,  1839,  ^ 
son  of  Andrew  and  Elizabeth  (Hepfner)  Keppe.  The  former  was  born  in  the 
fatherland  in  1797  and  could  remember  many  incidents  connected  with  Napoleon's 
German  war  and  in  particular  the  excitement  contingent  upon  his  defeat  of  1813. 
On  the  1st  of  September,  1852,  he  and  his  family  embarked  at  Hamburg  for  the 
voyage  to  America.  Two  months  later,  on  the  ist  of  November,  they  touched  at 
New  Orleans,  and  then  continued  on  their  way  to  Davenport,  which  they  reached 
on  the  i8th  of  the  month,  for  their  progress  up  the  Mississippi  was  very  slow  on 
account  of  the  ice.  From  the  time  they  left  Germany  until  they  arrived  here  they 
had  not  landed.  It  had  been  a  long  and  tedious  trip,  throughout  which,  both  for 
his  future  reference  and  for  the  enlightenment  of  his  sons,  Mr.  Keppe  kept  a  diary 
in  which  the  weather  and  the  incidents  of  passage  were  set  down.  In  the  old 
country  he  had  been  a  farmer,  and  when  he  came  to  Scott  county,  after  spending 
one  year  in  Davenport,  he  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Sheridan 
township,  which  had  been  partly  improved  and  for  which  he  paid  forty  dollars  an 
acre.  There  the  mother  died  May  25,  1858,  in  the  thirty-eighth  year  of  her  age, 
and  there  the  father  resided  for  twenty-five  years,  or  until  he  retired  from  active 
life  and  removed  to  Davenport,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-four.  The  old 
homestead  has  descended  to  his  grandson,  Henry  Keppe. 

Charles  Keppe  has  lived  in  Scott  county  since  he  was  about  thirteen  years  of 
age.  He  had  attended  the  schools  of  Germany  for  five  years  before  the  family 
came  to  this  country,  and  after  they  located  here  he  had  three  months'  training  in 
the  district  schools  of  Blue  Grass  township.  Until  1861  he  remained  with  his 
father  upon  the  farm,  and  then,  during  the  course  of  the  Civil  war,  worked  at  the 
butcher's  trade  in  Davenport  in  the  employ  of  Henry  Kohrs  and  Heller  Brothers. 
After  his  marriage  he  bought  one  hundred  acres  of  improved  land  in  Sheridan 
township,  upon  which  he  lived  until  1895,  when  he  returned  to  Davenport  to 
occupy  the  fine  residence  he  had  built  there.  As  the  years  brought  him  large  re- 
turns for  his  labor,  he  invested  extensively  in  real  estate  until  now  he  has  six  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  fine  arable  land  in  the  township  which  was  for  so  long  his 
home.  He  also  owns  two  valuable  pieces  of  town  property,  on  one  of  which  he 
lives. 

On  the  9th  of  October,  1867,  Mr.  Keppe  was  married  to  Miss  Wilhelmina 
Richard,  a  daughter  of  Christian  and  Dorothy  Richard.  She  was  born  in  Ger- 
many, May  18,  1847,  and  came  to  America  with  her  parents  in  1854.  Her  life 
was  brought  to  a  close  April  20,  1904.  The  four  children  who  were  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Keppe  have  also  passed  away  and  all  are  buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Oak- 
dale.  Charles,  the  eldest  of  the  family,  married  Miss  Minnie  Wonder,  of  Daven- 
port, and  left  one  daughter,  Elsie.  Emma  became  the  wife  of  Dennis  Curtis,  of 
Davenport,  and  is  survived  by  five  children:  Madge,  Charles,  Nettie,  Ralph  and 
Frank.  Adeline  died  unmarried  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  years.  Agnes  lived  to 
be  seven  years  old. 

During  the  many  years  Mr.  Keppe  was  a  resident  of  Sheridan  township,  he 
was  intimately  identified  with  its  public  life.     He  was  a  republican  in  his  political 


404  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

views  and  upon  that  party's  ticket  was  elected  to  all  of  the  various  offices  within 
the  gift  of  the  people.  He  belongs  to  the  association  of  the  old  German  settlers 
and  is  a  man  highly  esteemed  by  those  who  have  come  into  contact  with  him  in 
public  or  private  life,  for  honesty  and  integrity  ever  marked  his  acts. 


LOUIS  WILLIAM  STEINBERG. 

Louis  William  Steinberg  was  born  on  the  3d  of  November,  1822,  in  Miin- 
den,  Hanover,  Germany.  He  came  to  America  with  his  parents  at  the  age  of 
ten  years  and  landed  at  Baltimore,  where  he  received  his  schooling  and  later 
went  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  there  following  the  trade  of  a  tailor  and  cutter.  In 
1848  he  married  Anna  Wilhelmine  Hagen,  who  was  born  in  Cuxhaven,  Germany, 
on  the  25th  of  March,  1822.  Being  left  an  orphan  at  a  tender  age,  she  was 
reared  in  the  family  of  Dr.  Ronneberg,  of  Hamburg.  At  the  age  of  eighteen 
she  came  to  America  as  companion  to  Mrs.  Jackson,  a  relative  of  the  celebrated 
statesman.  General  Andrew  Jackson.  They  landed  at  New  Orleans  after  being 
at  sea  nine  weeks,  making  the  voyage  in  a  sail  boat.  In  1852  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Steinberg  came  to  Davenport,  where  they  resided  for  nearly  fifty  years. 

L.  W.  Steinberg  was  one  of  the  first  and  most  active  members  of  the  Maen- 
nerchor  of  this  city.  He  was  also  a  member  of  Scott  Lodge  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  was  one  of  a  committee  of  two  to  translate  the  con- 
stitution into  the  German  language  for  the  use  of  the  lodge.  Though  quiet  and 
retiring  in  his  habits,  he  was  passionately  fond  of  music  and  flowers,  and  many 
there  were  who  enjoyed  the  hospitality  of  his  home,  with  its  beautiful  rose  garden. 
He  died  November  5,  1895,  missed  and  mourned  by  all  who  knew  him.  His 
wife,  who  survived  him  for  ten  years,  passed  away  on  the  23d  of  October,  1905, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years,  honored  and  revered  by  all  relatives  and  a  host 
of  friends.  Five  daughters  are  left  to  cherish  the  memory  of  a  loving  father 
and  devoted  mother.  They  are  as  follows:  Pauline,  the  wife  of  E.  H.  Schmidt; 
Bertha,  the  widow  of  G.  A.  Doellinger;  Cornelia,  the  widow  of  Ed  James;  Eve- 
line, the  widow  of  Otto  Clausen;  and  Miss  Tillie  Steinberg.  All  are  residents 
of  Davenport. 


CHARLES  MURRAY. 


Charles  Murray,  one  of  the  prominent  and  highly  respected  farmers  of  Daven- 
port township,  was  born  in  Scotland,  April  8,  1850,  and  is  a  son  of  Charles  and 
Barbara  Murray.  In  the  year  1856  the  parents  brought  their  family  to  the  United 
States,  landing  at  Philadelphia,  whence  they  made  their  way  to  Scott  county,  Iowa, 
influenced  in  their  choice  of  a  destination  by  the  fact  that  the  father  had  a  brother, 
George  Murray,  living  in  this  locality.  On  reaching  Scott  county  he  rented  land 
from  his  brother  George  until  his  savings  were  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  purchase 
a  farm,  and  in  time  he  became  the  owner  of  two  farms  in  Hickory  Grove  township. 


..' 


d^l^yl^ 


'vi^O-^yy 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  407 

He  afterward  sold  those  properties  and  bought  the  farm  upon  which  his  son 
Charles  now  resides.  At  one  time  it  comprised  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  fine  land,  highly  improved,  and  the  parents  made  their  home  upon  this  place 
until  they  were  called  to  their  final  rest,  the  father  passing  away  at  the  age  of 
seventy-five  years,  while  the  mother  was  seventy  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her 
death. 

Charles  Murray,  who  was  one  of  a  family  of  nine  children,  has  lived  in  Scott 
county  from  the  age  of  six  years.  He  had  begun  his  education  in  the  schools  of 
Scotland,  but  the  greater  part  of  his  technical  knowledge  was  received  in  the  public 
schools  of  this  county.  He  was  trained  in  the  work  of  the  fields  under  the  direc- 
tion of  his  father  and  early  became  familiar  with  all  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall 
to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist  as  he  plows  his  land  and  cultivates  and  harvests  his 
crops.  Throughout  his  entire  Ufe  Mr.  Murray  has  carried  on  general  farming  and 
stock-raising,  making  a  specialty  of  Poland  China  hogs  and  red  polled  cattle.  He 
now  owns  eighty  acres  of  arable  land  and  his  careful  cultivation  of  his  fields 
enables  him  to  gather  rich  harvests  annually. 

In  November,  1872,  Mr.  Murray  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Christina 
Rigg,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Mary  Rigg,  of  Sheridan  township,  and  they  have 
become  parents  of  five  children :  William  C,  Margaret,  Louisa,  Edward  and  Elsie. 
All  are  yet  at  home  with  the  exception  of  the  elder  son,  William,  who  is  living  in 
Lincoln  township.  He  married  Lillie  Clay  and  has  two  children.  Clay  C.  and 
Clyde. 

Mr.  Murray  has  always  been  a  champion  of  the  cause  of  education  and  is  now 
serving  as  president  of  the  school  board.  He  has  also  acted  for  several  years  as 
school  director,  has  been  road  supervisor  and  township  trustee  and  in  these  various 
offices  has  discharged  his  duties  with  promptness  and  fidelity.  He  attends  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  holds  membership  with  the  Mystic  Toilers  of  Davenport. 
A  resident  of  the  county  for  more  than  half  a  century,  he  is  well  known  here,  many 
of  his  stanchest  friends  being  those  with  whom  he  has  been  acquainted  from  boy- 
hood, a  fact  which  indicates  a  well  spent  and  honorable  life.  Moreover,  he  has 
been  an  interested  witness  of  events  which  have  shaped  the  history  of  the  county 
and  on  many  occasions  has  given  his  support  to  movements  for  the  public  good. 


OLIVER  W.  KULP,  M.  D. 

Dr.  Oliver  W.  Kulp,  physician  and  surgeon  of  Davenport,  his  native  city,  was 
born  July  4,  1874,  the  son  of  Dr.  John  H.  Kulp,  who  was  a  native  of  Sherman, 
Summit  county,  Ohio,  born  on  the  21st  of  June,  1849.  John  H.  Kulp  obtained  his 
literary  education  in  the  Mennonite  Academy  at  Wadsworth,  Ohio,  and  in  1869 
came  to  Iowa,  taking  up  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  medical  department  of  the 
University  of  Iowa,  which  institution  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  M.  D.  in 
1872.  He  had  studied  under  the  direction  of  Professor  Robertson,  of  Muscatine, 
Iowa,  who  was  professor  of  the  theory  and  practice  of  medicine  in  the  University 
of  Iowa.  Prior  to  his  graduation  he  entered  the  State  Hospital  for  the  Insane  at 
Mount  Pleasant,  Iowa,  as  apothecary  and  hospital  clerk  and  after  receiving  his 


408  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

degree  he  was  appointed  second  assistant  physician  of  that  institution,  which  posi- 
tion he  held  for  two  and  a  half  years,  when  he  was  made  first  assistant.  He  like- 
wise spent  one  season  at  post-graduate  work  in  Bellevue  Hospital  of  New  York 
city  and  in  1874  opened  an  office  at  Davenport,  Iowa,  continuing  a  successful  and 
prominent  practitioner  of  medicine  here  until  the  time  of  his  demise.  He  gradu- 
ually  began  specializing  in  nervous  and  mental  diseases  and  diseases  of  women  and 
eventually  devoted  his  attention  exclusively  to  those  branches.  For  more  than 
twenty  years  he  acted  as  trustee  of  Mount  Pleasant  Hospital,  was  a  member  of  the 
consulting  board  of  St.  Luke's  Hospital  and  served  as  alienist  of  the  insane  depart- 
ment at  Mercy  Hospital.  He  was  likewise  surgeon  for  the  Burlington,  Cedar 
Rapids  &  Northern  Railroad.  For  two  terms  he  acted  as  president  of  the  Scott 
County  Medical  Society,  while  in  the  Iowa  and  Illinois  Central  District  Medical 
Society  he  was  also  elected  to  that  responsible  position,  serving  for  one  term. 

On  the  24th  of  September,  1873,  Dr.  John  H.  Kulp  was  joined  in  wedlock  to 
Miss  Mary  E.  Cauffman,  of  Mount  Pleasant,  Iowa,  by  whom  he  had  two  sons: 
Oliver  W.,  of  this  review;  and  Ray  Ranney,  who  is  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this 
work.  Both  have  followed  in  the  professional  footsteps  of  their  father.  John  H. 
Kulp  was  a  republican  in  his  political  views,  while  fraternally  he  was  identified 
with  the  Masons  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

Oliver  W.  Kulp  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  wherein  he  continued  his 
course  until  graduating  from  the  high  school.  He  then  entered  upon  the  study  of 
medicine  in  the  Iowa  State  University  and  was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1896, 
after  which  he  entered  his  father's  office  and  practiced  as  his  partner  until  the  out- 
break of  the  Spanish-American  war,  when  he  enlisted  as  a  private  of  Company  B, 
Fiftieth  Iowa  Infantry,  with  which  he  served  until  stricken  with  swamp  fever. 
He  still  remained  an  active  member  of  the  National  Guard,  holding  the  rank  of 
captain  until  February  10,  1910,  when  he  resigned  Since  his  return  home  he  has 
devoted  his  attention  to  his  practice.  He  is  also  vice  president  of  the  Tri  City 
Concrete  Company.  He  takes  a  deep  interest  in  public  aiifairs  but  is  not  an  office 
seeker.  His  political  support  is  given  to  the  republican  party  where  national  issues 
are  involved  but  at  local  elections  he  casts  an  independent  ballot. 

In  1902  Dr.  Kulp  wedded  Miss  May  Bettendorf,  a  daughter  of  W.  P.  Betten- 
dorf,  and  they  have  one  son,  John  William.  Dr.  Kulp  is  identified  with  the  Be- 
nevolent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  with  other  fraternal  societies. 


HENRY  DIEHN,  SR. 


Henry  Diehn,  Sr.,  the  vice  president  of  the  Davenport  Cigar  Box  Company, 
one  of  the  flourishing  industries  of  the  city,  was  born  in  Mecklenburg,  Germany, 
June  6,  1837,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Margaret  Diehn.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  land,  later  finding  employment  in  the  brickyards 
there.  In  1868  he  determined  to  try  the  opportunities  for  advancement  said  to  be 
found  here  and  accordingly  sailed  for  America.  He  landed  at  New  York,  came 
almost  immediately  to  Davenport,  where  the  first  employment  he  was  able  to  secure 
was  in  a  brewery.     He  worked  there  five  years  and  then  became  connected  with 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  409 

Moeller's  cigar  box  factory,  in  which  he  learned  the  business  thoroughly.  He  was 
ever  eager  to  better  his  fortunes  and  establish  himself  securely  in  the  commercial 
world,  and  accordingly,  about  1884,  he  and  two  friends,  George  Krabenhoflfer  and 
Christ  Neimand,  organized  the  Davenport  Cigar  Box  Company,  with  a  factory  on 
Western  avenue.  A  year  and  a  half  later  Mr.  Neimand  sold  his  interests  to  The- 
odore Krabenhoffer  and  retired,  and  in  1896  the  present  company  was  incorpo- 
rated with  other  stockholders  and  local  capital.  From  the  beginning  it  has  been 
a  prosperous  concern,  doing  each  year  an  amount  of  business  in  excess  of  that  of 
the  preceding  year  and  fully  justifying  Mr.  Diehn's  confidence  in  his  ability,  his 
sagacity  and  in  his  power  to  wrest  from  circumstances  surrounding  him  the  means 
for  advancement,  for  he  has  been  largely  instrumental  in  its  success. 

Before  he  came  to  the  United  States  Mr.  Diehn  wedded  Miss  Fredrica  Vick- 
bolt,  whose  birth  occurred  October  24,  1840.  She  passed  away  July  26,  1907,  and 
is  survived  by  five  of  her  six  children,  Christ,  employed  in  the  box  factory,  married 
Miss  Emma  Timming,  and  they  have  one  son,  Jiilius.  Mary  became  the  wife  of 
Herman  Goetsch  and  they  have  three  children,  Arthur,  Herbert  and  Ella.  Henry, 
Jr.,  foreman  in  the  factory,  married  Miss  Louise  Schraeder  and  they  have  a  daugh- 
ter, Leona.  August,  a  resident  of  Ottumwa  county,  Iowa,  was  married  to  Miss 
Charlotte  Schoffenburg  and  is  the  father  of  three  children,  Verona,  Barnhart  and 
August.  Herman,  who  lives  in  Davenport,  wedded  Miss  Dora  Ehlers.  Louisa  is, 
deceased. 

While  Mr.  Diehn  has  been  most  closely  identified  with  the  concern  of  which  he 
is  vice  president  and  which  he  was  active  in  promoting  from  the  beginning,  he  has 
not  been  blind  to  the  business  opportunities  aflforded  by  other  firms,  but  has  become 
a  stockholder  in  the  Farmers  Bank  and  in  the  Independent  Brewing  Company.  He 
has  always  been  active  in  the  commercial  affairs  of  Davenport,  although  of  recent 
years  he  has  taken  less  part  than  in  the  past.  He  came  to  the  city  with  the  deter- 
mination to  make  a  place  for  himself  and  despite  competitors  may  feel  gratified 
with  the  success  the  past  has  brought  him. 


RT.  REV.  JAMES  DAVIS,  D.  D. 

The  Right  Rev.  James  Davis,  bishop  of  Iowa,  was  born  in  November,  1852,  in 
County  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  a  son  of  James  and  Margaret  Davis,  who  were  devoted 
to  their  church  and  their  children  were  reared  in  a  strong  religious  atmosphere. 
The  eldest,  Thomas,  who  died  October  4,  1904,  entered  the  religious  order  of  the 
Carmelites  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  provincial  in  Ireland.  Richard  is  an  esteemed 
Catholic  priest  of  Louisville,  Kentucky.  Three  sisters  are  connected  with  religious 
orders,  one  being  Superior  of  Sacred  Heart  convent  at  Sag  Harbor,  Long  Island. 
Another,  St.  Sebastian,  is  a  member  of  the  same  order  at  Befie,  France,  and  a 
third.  Sister  Constance,  is  Superior  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  Academy  at 
Newport,  Kentucky. 

The  early  religious  instruction  of  Bishop  Davis  was  received  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  very  Rev.  F.  Fogarly,  P.  P.,  at  Donemagin.  He  began  his  studies  for 
the  church  at  Mt.  Carmelite  College,  Knocktopher,  under  the  direction  of  the  Car- 


410  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

melite  Fathers.  After  completing  his  classical  courses,  he  entered  St.  Patrick's 
Ecclesiastical  College  in  Carlow,  where  he  completed  his  theological  course.  His 
ordination  to  the  priesthood  took  place  June  21,  1878,  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop 
Welch,  of  the  diocese  of  Kildare  and  Longhlain,  officiating. 

Soon  thereafter  he  came  to  the  United  States  and  entered  upon  his  clerical 
duties  in  Iowa,  he  having  been  adopted  by  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Hennessey,  of 
Dubuque,  during  the  time  he  was  studying  in  Carlow.  After  a  short  period  spent 
at  the  cathedral  in  Dubuque,  Bishop  Davis  was  assigned  to  St.  Peter's  church  at 
Windham,  Iowa,  where  he  remained  for  two  years.  He  was  then  at  St.  Mary's 
church  at  Oxford,  Iowa,  for  four  years,  and  it  was  while  he  was  there  that  the 
original  diocese  of  Dubuque,  then  embracing  the  whole  state,  was  divided  and  Dav- 
enport made  the  see  city  of  the  new  diocese.  The  Right  Rev.  McMullen,  D.  D., 
was  the  first  bishop,  he  being  succeeded  by  the  Right  Rev.  A.  Cosgrove,  who  in 
1884  assigned  Father  Davis  to  St.  Michael's  church  at  Holbrook,  Iowa.  There 
he  was  given  full  opportunity  to  demonstrate  his  ability  as  an  organizer  and  upon 
the  resignation  of  the  Very  Rev.  A.  Trevis  of  Cathedral,  Father  Davis  was  ap- 
pointed in  November,  1889,  to  preside  over  the  Cathedral  congregation  at  Daven- 
port. From  the  beginning  he  faced  hard  work,  the  erection  of  the  Sacred  Heart 
church.  He  brought  to  bear  his  magnificent  powers  of  organization,  worked  un- 
ceasingly with  faithful  zeal,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  participating  in  its  dedica- 
tion. After  six  years  of  remarkable  work.  Father  Davis  was  appointed  to  the  office 
of  vicar  general  made  vacant  by  the  death  of  the  Very  Rev.  A.  Trevis,  December 
18,  1895.  In  the  years  that  followed  he  continued  to  labor  faithfully  for  his 
church  and  the  people  under  his  charge,  and  November  30,  1904,  he  was  conse- 
crated bishop  to  succeed  Bishop  Cosgrove. 

Probably  there  is  no  dignitary  of  the  church  in  Amwica  who  is  more  univer- 
sally honored  and  beloved,  irrespective  of  religious  beliefs,  than  Bishop  Davis. 
Learned,  experienced  and  sympathetic,  he  not  only  is  laboring  for  the  good  of  his 
own  people  but  to  advance  Davenport  and  Iowa  and  to  maintain  the  highest  pos- 
sible standard  of  morality. 


D.  J.  McCarthy,  m.  d. 

Dr.  D.  J.  McCarthy,  one  of  the  leading  members  of  the  medical  fraternity 
in  Davenport,  has  here  been  engaged  in  general  practice  since  December,  1900, 
making  a  specialty  of  surgery.  His  birth  occurred  in  South  Groveland,  Mas- 
sachusetts, on  the  i8th  of  March,  1874,  his  parents  being  Philip  and  Cecilia 
(Duffy)  McCarthy,  the  former  a  native  of  Ireland  and  the  latter  of  Massachu- 
setts.    The  father  is  still  a  resident  of  the  old  Bay  state. 

D.  J.  McCarthy  supplemented  his  preliminary  education,  obtained  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  state,  by  a  course  in  Holy  Cross  College  of  Worces- 
ter, Massachusetts.  Subsequently  he  entered  Georgetown  University  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  where  he  received  the  degrees  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  and  Master 
of  Arts,  while  in  1899  the  degree  of  M.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him.  In  addi- 
tion to  this  very  thorough  collegiate  work  he  was  a  believer,  as  he  is  still,  in  the 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  413 

doctrine  of  a  sound  mind  in  a  sound  body;  and  to  this  end  he  became  a  leader 
on  the  athletic  field,  leading  the  varsity  baseball  nine  in  its  now  famous  victo- 
ries against  the  eastern  college  teams,  and  being  otherwise  prominent  in  athletic 
circles.  After  leaving  college  he  served  on  the  university  medical  staff  at 
Georgetown  and  the  hospital  staff  at  Providence  hospital,  in  Washington,  which 
is  known  as  one  of  the  strongest  and  most  thorough  hospitals  in  the  United 
States.  In  December,  1900,  he  located  for  practice  at  Davenport,  Iowa,  and 
has  here  since  remained,  being  now  widely  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent representatives  of  his  profession  in  this  'city.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  sur- 
gery and  in  this  branch  of  practice  has  established  an  enviable  reputation.  He 
keeps  in  touch  with  the  onward  march  of  the  profession  through  his  member- 
ship in  the  various  medical  societies,  and  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  Mercy 
Hospital  and  of  St.  Luke's  Hospital.  He  is  also  visiting  physician  to  St.  Vin- 
cent's Orphanage  and  Immaculate  Conception  Academy.  The  splendid  prac- 
tice which  he  now  enjoys  has  come  to  him  in  recognition  of  his  skill  and  abiUty 
in  the  field  of  labor  which  he  has  chosen  as  a  life  work. 

Fraternally  Dr.  McCarthy  is  identified  with  the  Knights  of  Columbus  and 
the  Knights  of  Father  Mathew.  He  is  a  man  of  marked  individuality,  of 
strong  character  and  stalwart  purpose,  who  in  citizenship  and  professional 
circles  and  in  private  life  commands  the  respect  of  all  with  whom  he  has  been 
brought  in  contact. 


WILLIAM  M.  SMITH. 


To  William  M.  Smith,  Civil  war  veteran  and  survivor  of  some  of  its  fiercest 
conflicts,  Scott  county  pioneer,  and  formerly  one  of  Davenport's  foremost  busi- 
ness men,  must  be  accorded  a  prominent  place  on  the  list  of  her  retired  citizens; 
After  a  well  spent,  industrious  life,  it  is  his  happy  fate  to  enjoy  the  peace  and 
leisure  of  retirement  in  his  declining  years. 

He  was  born  in  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsylvania,  February  25,  1837,  and 
is  of  German  descent,  his  parents,  Daniel  and  Barbara  (Weinkle)  Smith,  being 
by  birth  subjects  of  the  German  emperor.  The  father  was  educated  in  the  Ger- 
man schools,  learned  the  trade  of  a  blacksmith  and  entered  the  German  army, 
where  he  served  for  the  prescribed  time.  When  still  a  young  man  he  became  a 
citizen  of  the  United  States,  locating  in  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  followed  his  trade  until  1854,  when  he  brought  his  family  to  Scott 
county,  Iowa.  In  Davenport  he  engaged  in  blacksmithing  for  several  years,  and 
both  he  and  his  wife  died  in  this  city. 

William  M.  Smith  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  the  county  in  which 
he  was  born  and  after  the  family's  removal  to  Iowa  worked  in  sawmills  until 
the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion.  In  1862  he  enlisted  in  Company  C,  Twentieth 
Iowa  Infantry,  his  service  continuing  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Joining  the  regi- 
ment at  Clinton,  Iowa,  he  went  into  camp  with  it  at  Camp  McClellan  for  a  short 
time.  It  was  then  ordered  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  after  remaining  there  for 
a  time,  was  in  active  service  in  that  state.    It  subsequently  participated  in  a  number 


414  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

of  engagements,   among  them   Prairie  Grove,   Arkansas;   Vicksburg  and   Fort 
Blakeley.     He  was  mustered  out  at  the  close  of  the  war  at  Mobile,  Alabama. 

During  the  trying  reconstruction  period  Mr.  Smith  came  back  to  Davenport 
and  established  himself  in  business  as  a  manufacturer  of  vinegar.  In  partner- 
ship with  Edward  Fay,  he  opened  a  store  on  Front  street,  deahng  in  wrapping 
paper  and  grocery  sundries,  and  they  continued  together  until  1882,  in  which  year 
the  partnership  was  dissolved  and  Mr.  Smith  organized  the  Amazon  Vinegar  & 
Pickling  Company,  a  local  company  with  a  capital  stock  of  thirty  thousand  dol- 
lars. For  four  years  our  subject  acted  as  business  manager,  but  in  1886  he  sev- 
ered his  connection  with  the  company  and  bought  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  farm  land  in  Butler  township,  where  he  lived  and  engaged  in  agriculture  until 
1901,  when  he  retired  from  active  life  and  returned  to  Davenport. 

In  August,  1863,  Mr.  Smith  married  Miss  Clara  Goetch,  a  daughter  of  Herman 
Goetch,  one  of  Davenport's  pioneers.  Thirteen  children  were  born  of  the  union, 
seven  of  them  being  deceased.  Those  living  are:  W.  H.  Smith,  of  Davenport, 
his  wife  having  been  before  her  marriage  Miss  Anna  Miller ;  Hilda,  who  married 
Matthew  Schnell,  of  Chicago;  Gustave,  a  resident  of  Rock  Island;  Ella,  the  wife 
of  John  Jeske,  of  Davenport ;  Arthur,  who  is  married  and  living  in  Davenport ; 
and  Freda,  who  married  Henry  Toppendorf,  of  Rock  Island. 

The  social  is  not  wanting  from  Mr.  Smith's  nature  and  he  is  identified  with 
several  organizations,  among  them  the  Legion  of  Honor  and  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  lodge  No.  10,  of  Davenport.  A  self-made  man,  he  has  a  successful  life 
to  look  back  upon. 


J.  P.  VAN  PATTEN. 


J.  P.  Van  Patten,  vice  president  of  the  First  National  Bank  and  president  of 
the  grocery  firm  of  J.  P.  Van  Patten  &  Company,  occupies  a  prominent  posi- 
tion in  financial  and  commercial  circles  in  Davenport.  Said  one  who  knew 
him  well — himself  a  commanding  factor  in  the  business  world — "His  word  is 
as  good  as  his  bond;  he  is  the  soul  of  honor  and  the  better  one  knows  him  the 
greater  the  respect  and  the  warmer  the  friendship."  He  was  born  in  Jordan, 
New  York,  September  24,  1833.  His  father,  John  Van  Patten,  a  native  of  Schen- 
ectady, New  York,  was  born  in  1786,  while  the  mother,  Mrs.  EHzabeth  Van  Pat- 
ten, whose  family  name  was  also  the  same,  was  born  in  1796.  The  Van  Patten 
family  is  of  Holland  Dutch  stock  and  was  established  in  Schenectady  in  i66i. 
John  Van  Patten  was  an  architect  by  profession  and  attained  prominence  in 
that  field  in  New  York  city.  In  1834  he  removed  to  the  west,  establishing  his 
home  at  Centerville,  St.  Joseph  county,  Michigan,  where  he  lived  for  a  short  time 
and  then  went  to  Fawn  River,  in  the  same  county.  There  he  practiced  his  pro- 
fession and  erected  a  number  of  public  buildings,  his  death  occurring  at  Fawn 
River  in  1840. 

J.  P.  Van  Patten  was  the  youngest  in  a  family  of  four  children.  His  eldest 
sister  married  C.  C.  Alvord,  of  Fawn  River,  and  went  to  reside  in  Davenport, 
Iowa,  in  the  late  '30s.    Following  the  death  of  the  father,  the  family  decided  to 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  415 

make  Davenport  their  home.    The  mother  was  accompanied  by  her  three  sons : 
Philip,  then  sixteen  years  of  age;  Nelson,  aged  eleven  years;  and  John  P.,  nine 
years  of  age.     They  left  Fawn  River  and  made  the  journey  to  Davenport  in  a 
prairie  schooner,  traveling  through  Chicago,  then  a  town  of  seven  thousand  in- 
habitants.   They  reached  the  Mississippi  river  at  Albany,  Illinois,  crossed  on  the 
ice  and  arrived  in  Davenport,  November  i6,  1842.     That  season  was  a  record 
breaker  for  ice,  which  did  not  float  down  the  river  until  the  7th  of  April.    In  the 
spring  of  1843  J-  ?■  Van  Patten  secured  employment  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Alvord, 
his  sister's  father-in-law,  where  he  worked  for  his  board.     He  remained  there 
almost  a  year,  working  hard  and  obtaining  what  meager  education  he  could.    In 
1844  his  mother  decided  to  go  east  and  J.  P.  Van  Patten  accompanied  her  to 
Canandaigua,  New  York.     They  proceeded  down  the  Mississippi  by  steamboat, 
thence  up  the  Ohio  and  by  canal  crossed  the  state  of  Ohio  to  Lake  Erie,  where 
they  took  boat  to  Buffalo  and  thence  continued  on  their  way  to  Canandaigua  by 
canal.    These  trips  at  that  time  were  full  of  interest  and  adventure  to  a  young 
boy  whose  experiences  in  life  were  thus  far  Hmited.    He  remained  in  the  east  for 
four  years  and  during  three  years  of  that  time  was  a  student  in  the  Canandaigua 
Academy,  after  which  he  engaged  in  clerking  for  a  year  in  a  book  store.     But 
the  west  was  attractive  to  him  and  he  determined  to  return  to  Davenport,  going 
by  steamer  from  Buffalo  to  Chicago,  by  canal  to  Peru  and  by  steamer  to  Daven- 
port.    His  brother-in-law,  C.  C.  Alvord,  had  a  farm  near  Long  Grove,  Scott 
county,  and  Mr.  Van  Patten  worked  on  that  farm  until  the  12th  of  August,  1848. 
He  then  put  aside  the  labors  of  the  field  and  again  came  to  the  city,  where  for 
three  years  he  engaged  in  clerking  for  B.  Sandford,  a  grocer  and  druggist  on  Front 
street.     That  his  services  were  satisfactory  and  that  his  reliabihty  was  a  pro- 
nounced feature  in  his  service  is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  in  185 1  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  a  partnership.    With  renewed  purpose  he  bent  his  energies  toward  the 
expansion  and  development  of  the  business  and  hi's  labors  were  a  potent  ele- 
ment in  its  growth.    In  1854  Mr.  Sandford  retired  from  the  firm,  selling  his  in- 
terest to  C.  C.  Alvord,  and  the  firm  style  of  Alvord  &  Van  Patten  was  then  as- 
sumed and  was  so  continued  until  1867.    In  that  year  the  senior  partner  sold  out 
to  Morton  L.  Marks  and  the  firm  became  Van  Patten  &  Marks,  wholesale  gro- 
cers.   They  conducted  a  prosperous  and  growing  business  until  1903,  when  the 
partnership    was    discontinued    and    Mr.    Van    Patten    reorganized    the    busi- 
ness as  a  corporation  under  the  style  of  J.  P.  Van  Patten  &  Sons,  three  of  his 
sons,  John  N.,  Edward  H.  and  Alfred  Schuyler,  becoming  associated  with  him  in 
the  ownership  and  conduct  of  the  enterprise.     This  is  today  one  of  the  leading 
houses  of  its  character  in  Davenport.    Mr.  Van  Patten  has  come  to  be  recognized 
as  one  of  the  representative  merchants  here  and  a  business  man  of  pronounced 
ability,  whose  activities  are  further  evidenced  in  his  service  as  vice  president  of 
the  First  National  Bank. 

While  his  life  has  been  a  busy  and  useful  one  and  from  an  early  age  he  has 
been  dependent  upon  his  own  resources,  so  that  unfaltering  industry  and  ready 
adaptability  have  constituted  the  foundation  of  his  success,  yet  he  has  found 
time  and  opportunity  for  cooperation  in  public  affairs  and  has  long  been  an  active 
and  influential  factor  in  politics.  He  is  a  loyal  republican  but  not  an  office  seeker. 
He  has  been  a  delegate  to  county  and  state  conventions  on  many  occasions  and 


416  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

his  counsel  and  advice  have  been  many  times  sought  and  often  heeded.  He  has  re- 
fused the  nomination  for  mayor  and  other  positions  of  high  preferment,  but 
for  many  years  has  been  treasurer  of  the  republican  county  central  committee 
and  in  a  private  capacity  has  done  everything  possible  to  promote  the  growth 
and  insure  the  success  of  the  party.  Every  movement  for  the  benefit  of  the  city 
receives  his  endorsement  and  his  cooperation  is  of  a  practical  character  that  has 
led  to  substantial  results. 

In  1859  Mr.  Van  Patten  was  married  to  Miss  Dorothy  Hartzell,  a  daughter  of 
the  Rev.  Jonas  Hartzell  of  Ohio.  Their  children  are  as  follows :  Mrs.  Florence 
Sweeney ;  Elizabeth,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years ;  Mrs.  Marion  Harper, 
also  deceased;  Alice,  now  the  wife  of  Dr.  W.  L.  Allen;  John  N. ;  Alfred;  and 
Philip. 

The  life  and  labors  of  J.  P.  Van  Patten  should  be  a  source  of  inspiration  to 
the  young.  Through  difficulties  and  disadvantages  of  which  one  who  has  not 
had  similar  experiences  can  form  little  idea,  he  has  steadily  worked  his  way 
upward  until  he  stands  today  as  one  of  Davenport's  foremost  citizens.  He  is  a 
man  of  resolute  purpose  and  when  one  avenue  of  opportunity  has  seemed  closed 
he  has  sought  out  other  paths  to  success  and  has  eventually  reached  his  objective 
point.  He  is  today  one  of  the  most  honored  as  well  as  one  of  the 'most  prosper- 
ous merchants  and  business  men  of  Davenport. 


J.  H.  HASS. 


One  of  the  native  sons  of  Davenport,  who  has  risen  to  a  position  of  honor  and 
respect  not  only  in  this  city  but  throughout  the  state,  holds  the  responsible  offices 
of  vice  president  and  cashier  of  the  Scott  County  National  Bank.  His  father, 
Detlef  Hass,  was  born  in  northern  Germany  and  came  to  the  United  States  in 
1852.  As  he  had  chosen  the  southern  route,  he  landed  at  New  Orleans  and 
ascended  the  Mississippi  river  to  Davenport,  where  he  engaged  in  the  building 
and  contracting  business.  Having  won  a  pronounced  success  from  his  operations, 
he  retired  from  active  life  in  1886,  and  in  September,  ten  years  later,  passed 
away.  His  wife,  who  was  Miss  Margarita  Schroeder  in  her  maidenhood,  had 
died  many  years  before,  for  she  passed  away  in  1859.  They  were  married  in 
Germany,  where  their  eldest  child,  Louisa,  was  born.    She  is  now  Mrs.  Stibolt. 

J.  H.  Hass,  the  only  son,  was  born  October  14,  1854.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  of  the  city  and,  having  completed  the  education  they  afforded,  in  1872 
entered  the  law  office  of  Bills  &  Block,  with  whom  he  remained  two  years.  He 
was  not  destined  for  the  legal  profession,  however,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time, 
in  1874,  became  assistant  bookkeeper  in  the  Citizens  National  Bank,  and  to  bank- 
ing and  kindred  fields  of  activities  Mr.  Hass  has  since  devoted  all  his  energies. 
After  ten  years'  experience  in  the  employ  of  the  Citizens  National,  on  the  ist 
of  December,  1883,  when  the  Scott  County  Savings  Bank  was  organized,  he  was 
put  in  charge  of  the  concern,  being  then  the  only  employe.  He  has,  in  the  sub- 
sequent years,  been  closely  identified  with  the  institution,  having  proved  his  effi- 
ciency in  every  position  attd  contributed  in  no  small  degree  toward  making  the 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  417 

concern  the  splendid  financial  institution  it  is  today.  In  1884,  after  only  a  year's 
experience,  he  was  made  cashier,  and  in  1908  was  made  second  vice  president. 
When  the  Iowa  National  Bank  was  organized  he  was  made  a  director,  which 
position  he  still  holds.  Previously  he  was  connected  with  P.  T.  Walsh  in  the 
establishment  of  the  Walsh  Construction  Company,  of  which  he  is  treasurer. 
Mr.  Hass  is  a  man  in  whom  others  intuitively  place  confidence  and  upon  whose 
judgment  they  are  willing  to  rely. 

In  September,  1881,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Hass  and  Miss  Emma 
E.  Hanssen,  a  daughter  of  Louis  Hanssen,  one  of  the  old  and  respected  pioneers 
of  Davenport.  Two  children  have  been  born  to  them.  Leon  H.,  now  a  student 
at  Yale  College;  and  Clara  Louise,  attending  the  high  school  of  Davenport. 
Since  1884,  Mr.  Hass  has  been  a  member  of  lodge  No.  37,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and 
also  of  Zarephath  Consistory.  He  is  a  member  of  the  executive  committee  of 
the  savings  banks  section  of  the  American  Bankers  Association  and  as  there 
are  only  nine  in  this  body  and  they  chosen  from  the  whole  United  States,  he  may 
be  pardonably  proud  of  this  distinction  which  his  coworkers  have  placed  upon 
him.  Politically  he  is  a  democrat  of  the  Cleveland  type,  but  he  is  not  an  office 
seeker,  for  his  private  interests  make  him  a  busy  man  and  leave  little  time  for 
other  concerns,  and  yet,  in  reviewing  the  record  of  his  life,  his  fellow  citizens 
have  profited  by  his  work  and  the  standard  of  manhood  has  been  raised  by  his 
endeavors.  Personally  he  is  endowed  with  those  characteristics  which  make  a 
man  always  welcome  among  his  associates,  and  he  is  one  of  the  active  members 
of  the  Outing  Club.  In  religious  matters  he  finds  the  tenets  of  the  Unitarian 
church  in  accord  with  the  breadth  of  his  views. 


TIMOTHY  A.  MURPHY. 

Timothy  A".  Murphy,  engaged  in  the  general  practice  of  law  and  also  in 
charge  of  a  large  collection  business  in  Davenport,  was  born  in  Marengo,  Iowa, 
March  30,  1862,  and  is  a  son  of  Jeremiah  H.  and  Mary  A.  (Green)  Murphy. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts  and,  as  the  name  indicates,  is  descended 
from  Irish  ancestry,  while  the  mother  is  of  English  birth  and  parentage. 

The  public  schools  of  Davenport  aflForded  Timothy  A.  Murphy  his  early  edu- 
cational privileges,  his  studies  being  pursued  through  consecutive  grades  until  he 
had  completed  the  work  of  the  high  school.  He  then  took  a  collegiate  course  in 
the  Iowa  State  University  and  was  admitted  to  practice  law  in  1888  before  the 
supreme  court  in  Des  Moines.  He  had  prepared  for  examination  as  a  law  student 
in  his  father's  office,  the' firm  being  then  ElHs,  Murphy  &  Gould.  When  Jere- 
miah H.  Murphy  was  elected  to  congress  the  firm  became  Gould  &  Murphy, 
with  Timothy  A.  Murphy  as  the  junior  partner.  This  association  was  maintained 
until  the  death  of  Mr.  Gould,  when  William  A.  White  became  a  member  of  the 
firm  and  was  thus  associated  until  1892,  when  Mr.  Murphy  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  Louis  G.  Susemihl  under  the  firm  name  of  Murphy  &  Susemihl.  Mr. 
Murphy  is  now  attorney  for  R.  G.  Dun  &  Company  and  in  addition  to  conducting 
a  general  practice  does  a  large  collecting  business.    He  is  also  a  director  in  the 


418  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

German  Savings  Bank  and  his  interests  are  of  a  varied  character,  making  him  a 
man  of  affairs. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Murphy  is  a  democrat  and  has  served  as  United 
States  commissioner  of  the  second  congressional  district.  He  is  always  conversant 
with  the  vital  principles  and  questions  of  the  day  and  able  to  support  his  position 
by  intelligent  argument,  yet  political  interests  are  but  a  side  issue  in  his  life,  as 
he  prefers  to  concentrate  his  time  and  energies  upon  the  profession  of  the  law  and 
the  other  business  affairs  to  which  he  has  directed  his  attention.  Endowed  by 
nature  with  strong  intellect,  he  has  made  wise  use  of  his  time  and  talents  and  he 
is  granted  a  creditable  position  among  Davenport's  representative  men. 


E.  B.  HAYWARD. 


Among  those  who  have  come  from  eastern  districts  to  Scott  county  to  be- 
come identified  with  its  business  interests  may  be  numbered  Major  E.  B.  Hay- 
ward,  who  is  well  known  as  a  successful  lumber  manufacturer  of  Davenport. 
His  success  in  all  his  undertakings  has  been  so  marked  that  his  methods  are  of 
interest  to  the  commercial  world,  and  investigation  into  his  history  shows  that 
he  has  based  his  business  principles  and  actions  upon  strict  adherence  to  the  rules 
which  govern  economy,  industry  and  unswerving  integrity. 

Born  in  Essex  county.  New  York,  October  25,  1842,  he  comes  of  a  family 
that  has  long  lived  in  the  eastern  states  and  has  also  been  prominent  in  military 
circles.  Tracing  the  ancestry  back  through  four  generations  in  the  paternal  line, 
we  come  to  the  •  great-grandparents,  Ephraim  and  Phoebe  (Dickerson)  Hay- 
ward.  The  former  was  born  in  New  Jersey  in  1760  and  served  in  Washing- 
ton's army  throughout  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  passed  away  at  EUenburg, 
New  York,  in  1849,  when  he  had  reached  the  very  advanced  age  of  eighty-nine 
years.  His  family  included  David  Hayward,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
who  was  born  in  July,  1790,  and  was  married  to  Miss  Lucretia  Chapman.  David 
Hayward  was  a  prominent  lumberman  of  Essex  county.  The  father,  William 
J.  Hayward,  was  born  in  1813.  He  engaged  in  merchandising  and  also  followed 
the  occupation  of  farming  and  the  lumber  business,  becoming  a  very  success- 
ful man.  His  wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Betsy  Leland  and  was  a  grand- 
daughter of  Thomas  Leland,  one  of  the  Lexington  Minute  Men.  In  1876  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Hayward  left  the  east  and  removed  to  Davenport,  spending  their  re- 
maining years  in  this  city. 

E.  B.  Hayward  was  reared  under  the  parental  roof  and  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  schools  of  Essex  county.  He  enlisted  there  as  a  member  of  the 
Fifth  New  York  Cavalry  in  1861  for  service  in  the  Civil  war.  He  became  a 
private  but  was  promoted  to  captain  and  later  to  brevet  major  in  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  He  served  faithfully  and  valiantly  for  four  years,  after  which  he 
received  an  honorable  discharge. 

Following  his  return  from  the  field  of  battle,  Mr.  Hayward  engaged  in 
business  in  New  York  for  one  year  and  subsequently  removed  with  his  family 
to  Wisconsin,   where   he   spent  two  years.     He   still   sought   another  field,  in 


a' 


"a^c 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  421 

which  to  give  scope  to  his  activity  and  accordingly  made  a  permanent  location 
in  April,  1869,  at  Davenport.  He  here  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  with 
the  firm  of  Lindsay  &  Phelps  Company,  while  later  he  assisted  in  organizing 
the  Eagle  Lumber  Company  and  Hayward  Timber  Company  of  Arkansas,  the 
Hayward  Lumber  Company  of  Texas  and  the  State  Lumber  Company  of  Van- 
couver, British  Columbia.  He  seems  well  fitted  for  leadership  in  this  line  and 
has  made  a  close  study  of  the  lumber  trade  in  all  its  branches.  He  is  now 
doing  business  along  this  line  in  Davenport,  being  numbered  among  the  ic- 
cessful  merchants  in  this  particular  branch  in  this  city. 

Mr.  Hayward  was  married  on  the  7th  of  April,  1864,  to  Miss  Ellen  Phelps, 
a  daughter  of  Elihu  and  Margaret  (Cruickshank)  Phelps.  They  have  one 
daughter  and  one  son,  Elmer  Leland,  who  wedded  Miss  May  Pierce,  by  whom 
he  has  one  daughter.  Lulu ;  and  Ellen  I.,  who  married  W.  H.  Kimball  and  has 
two  children,  Herbert  H.  and  William  P. 

Mr.  Hayward  is  an  active  member  of  St.  John  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
having  been  chairman  of  the  building  committee  during  the  construction  of 
the  church  and  parsonage  on  the  corner  of  Fourteenth  and  Brady  streets.  Mr. 
Hayward  is  not  given  to  participation  to  any  great  extent  with  fraternal  orders, 
the  only  society  to  which  he  belongs  being  that  of  the  Loyal  Legion.  He  is, 
however,  a  thorough  business  man  with  a  talent  for  leading,  which  is  one  of  the 
highest  attributes  of  man  and  a  necessity  in  these  days  of  close  competition. 


CHARLES  F.  HETZEL. 

Charles  F,  Hetzel  by  a  career  of  honor  and  usefulness  has  left  an  indelible 
impress  on  the  history  of  Blue  Grass  township.  This  estimable  gentleman,  now 
deceased,  was  born  in  the  province  of  Baden,  Germany,  August  19,  1907.  Early 
in  life  he  came  to  the  United  States,  landing  in  New  York,  October  27,  1830.  In 
that  city  he  met  his  wife-to-be,  Regina  Bayha,  a  native  of  Stuttgart,  Wurtemberg, 
whose  birth  occurred  February  4,  1812.  They  were  married  in  New  York  July 
21,  1834,  and  for  some  time  resided  there.  In  1837  they  removed  to  Wheeling, 
West  Virginia,  where  they  lived  for  the  next  fourteen  years.  On  September  15, 
185 1,  they  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  of  which  they  had  heard  favorable  reports, 
and  were  so  entirely  satisfied  with  what  they  found  that  it  became  their  permanent 
home  and  that  of  the  most  of  their  children.  Mr.  Hetzel  became  quite  an  exten- 
sive landowner,  purchasing  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Blue  Grass 
township  and  eighty  in  Rockingham. 

They  were  the  parents  of  eleven  children.  Five  of  them  have  never  married 
but  live  together  on  the  old  homestead.  They  are  Rosina  C,  Minnie  R.,  Anna  B., 
Regina  S.  and  Henry  A.  Charles  L.  married  Anna  Albright  and  lives  in  Daven- 
port ;  John  C.  is  a  resident  of  Harlan,  Iowa ;  George  D.  went  west  and  is  a  citizen 
of  Grand  Island,  Nebraska ;  Frederick  G.  makes  his  home  in  Avoca,  Iowa ;  and 
Mary  E.  is  the  widow  of  Frank  Haller  of  Davenport.  One  is  deceased.  Only 
the  three  youngest  children,  Anna  B.,  Henry  A.  and  Regina  S.  were  born  in  Scott 
county,  the  others  having  first  seen  the  light  of  day  in  Wheeling,  West  Virginia. 


422  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Mr.  Hetzel  was  a  man  who  took  a  lively  interest  in  current  events  and  gave 
an  intelligent  consideration  to  all  such  problems  as  effected  the  public  welfare. 
He  served  for  a  number  of  years  as  justice  of  the  peace.  In  Wheeling  he  was 
pleasantly  affiliated  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  and  his 
family  were  all  members  of  the  Lutheran  church,  in  which  they  were  recognized 
as  faithful,  sincere  and  efficient  members.  Their  home  is  one  of  the  finest  and 
most  substantial  country  residences  in  the  locality  and  was  constructed  from 
brick  made  on  the  farm.  On  June  5,  1886,  Mr.  Hetzel  passed  to  his  reward,  his 
widow  following  August  12,  1891.  They  will  long  hold  an  enviable  place  in  the 
history  and  memory  of  Scott  county.  They  celebrated  their  golden  wedding 
at  the  old  homestead  in  1884,  at  which  time  all  the  children  and  grandchildren 
were  present. 


ASMUS  H.  LAMP. 


To  few  of  the  European  nations  which  have  contributed  to  the  citizenship  of 
this  country  do  we  owe  more  than  to  the  German.  Successful  in  business,  its 
sons  have  also  achieved  distinction  in  agriculture,  for  the  stable  qualities  of  in- 
dustry and  frugality,  which  are  dominant  in  their  makeup,  prove  to  be  the  char- 
acteristics which  win  the  largest  returns  from  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  Among 
the  Germans  who  have  settled  in  this  county  and  whose  worth  have  contributed 
so  large  a  share  to  the  general  prosperity  of  this  section  of  Iowa  is  Asmus-  H. 
Lamp,  who  retired  from  active  life  some  years  ago  and  now  lives  in  Davenport. 

He  was  born  January  18,  1836,  a  son  of  Claus  and  Celia  (Gutch)  Lamp.  The 
father  was  a  carpenter  in  Germany,  but  about  1847  decided  to  come  to  this  coun- 
try. The  family  landed  at  New  Orleans  on  Christmas  day,  after  having  spent 
twelve  weeks  and  four  days  in  crossing  the  Atlantic.  They  traveled  up  the  Mis- 
sissippi river  the  day  following  their  arrival  and  when  they  reached  St.  Louis 
spent  the  rest  of  the  winter  there.  In  the-  early  spring  they  continued  their 
journey  to  Davenport,  where  on  Fouth  street  the  father  bought  a  lot  and  erected 
a  house.  That  remained  the  home  of  the  family  for  some  years  while  he  worked 
at  his  carpenter  trade.  Later  he  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in 
Davenport  township  near  the  northwest  corner,  for  which  he  paid  one  hundred 
and  forty  dollars  as  it  was  all  raw  land.  After  having  erected  a  house  Asmus 
Lamp  and  his  brother  lived  there  during  the  summer,  but  closed  the  place  in  the 
winter,  bringing  the  cattle  to  town,  where  the  sons  attended  school.  In  this 
manner  several  years  passed,  during  which  time  the  father  continued  to  do  car- 
pentering in  the  town,  but  finally,  the  land  having  been  well  cultivated,  the  family 
moved  to  the  farm,  on  which  they  resided  until  the  death  of  the  mother  at  the  age 
of  seventy.  Thereafter  the  father  lived  with  his  children  until  his  death  at  the 
age  of  ninety- four  years.  They  had  four  children :  Trena,  the  deceased  wife  of 
Henry  Stoltenberg,  also  deceased;  Asmus  H.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Claus 
H.,  of  Davenport ;  and  Peter,  of  Port  Arthur,  Texas. 

Asmus  H.  Lamp  had  attended  school  in  Germany  before  he  came  to  this  coun- 
try and  after  he  reached  Davenport  he  spent  a  few  winters  in  the  schools.    The 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  423 

most  of  his  life  has  been  devoted  to  farming.  For  more  than  thirty  years  he 
lived  upon  the  first  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  his  father  had  bought 
in  Sheridan  township.  It  had  been  procured  from  John  Van  Patten,  who  entered 
it  from  the  government.  The  first  year  after  it  came  into  possession  of  the 
Lamp  family  Asmus  broke  it  and  the  next  year,  that  of  1858,  he  married  and 
took  up  his  permanent  residence  upon  it.  As  he  gained  large  returns  from  his 
labors  he  bought  other  land  so  that  now  he  owns  four  farms  in  Scott  county: 
one  in  Hickory  Grove  township ;  three  in  Sheridan  township,  one  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres,  the  other  two  contiguous  comprising  three  hundred  and  sixty 
acres — two  hundred  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  respectively — aggregating  a 
total  of  six  hundred  and  eighty  acres.  He  also  owns  the  valuable  town  property 
where  he  lives,  having  bought  it  about  1888,  when  he  retired  from  active  life.  In 
that  year  he  gave  his  homestead  to  one  of  his  sons  and,  moving  to  the  town,  bought 
stock  in  the  Davenport  Elevator  Company,  in  which  he  worked  for  some  time. 
Later  when  the  buildings  were  torn  down  and  a  new  company  organized  Mr. 
Lamp  became  its  president.  The  concern  has  about  thirty  elevators  operated  in 
several  states.  He  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  German  Savings  Bank,  the  Union 
Savings  Bank  and  the  Scott  Couhty  Bank  of  Davenport,  besides  being  interested 
in  sawmills  in  Louisiana  and  cement  works  in  Kansas.  As  these  large  interests 
and  the  income  of  which  they  are  productive  are  the  result  of  his  own  efforts  they 
certainly  bespeak  a  life  record  that  is  most  gratifying. 

In  April,  1858,  Mr.  Lamp  married  Miss  Wipke  Klindt,  a  daughter  of  Hans 
and  Dora  Klindt.  At  the  age  of  twenty  she  came  to  the  United  States.  Four 
children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lamp.  Minnie  married  Lon  Seaman 
and  passed  away,  leaving  four  children,  Melinda,  Nellie,  Arthur  and  Frank. 
Anna  became  the  wife  of  Charles  Frye  and  they  live  in  Seattle,  Washington, 
where  he  is  in  the  wholesale  meat  packing  business.  August  married  Miss  Mary 
Fulner.  They  live  near  Eldridge,  this  county,  and  have  four  children,  Henry, 
Hilda,  Frank  and  Francis.  Augusta  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Frye,  of  Seattle,  Wash- 
ington, who  is  engaged  in  the  wholesale  meat  business,  and  they  have  one  daughter, 
Marian. 

Mr.  Lamp  has '  consistently  given  his  support  to  the  republican  party  but 
has  himself  taken  no  part  in  local  affairs.  Indeed,  aside  from  looking 
after  his  various  interests  he  holds  little  intercourse  with  the  world  of  busi- 
ness, for  having  passed  the  allotted  age  of  three  score  years  and  ten  he  feels  he  is 
justified  in  enjoying  the  results  of  his  previous  labor. 


JOSEF  A.  LE  CLAIRE. 

Josef  A.  Le  Claire,  since  1885  a  representative  of  fire  insurance  in  Davenport 
and  also  prominent  and  active  in  political  circles,  was  born  in  St.  Charles  county, 
Missouri,  October  15,  1833.  His  father,  Francis  Le  Claire  was  a  native  of  St. 
Joseph,  Michigan.  His  father  was  Francois  Le  Claire,  a  brother  of  Antoine  Le 
Claire.  When  a  young  man  he  removed  to  St.  Charles  county,  Missouri,  and 
became  one  of  the  first  pilots  on  the  Mississippi  river,  running  between  St.  Louis 


424  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

and  Galena.  At  length,  however,  he  abandoned  the  water  and  spent  the  latter 
part  of  his  life  on  a  farm.  He  was  born  in  1793  and  lived  to  the  age  of  seventy- 
five  years,  passing  away  in  1868.  He  married  Eulalie  Manval,  a  native  of  Por- 
tage des  Sioux,  where  her  girlhood  days  were  passed.  She  was  his  second  wife 
and  by  the  first  union  was  born  a  daughter  and  two  sons. 

Josef  A.  Le  Claire  was  the  youngest  child  of  the  family.  On  the  21st  of  Oc- 
tober, 1841,  he  came  with  his  half  brother,  Henry,  to  Davenport  to  live  with 
Antoine  Le  Claire  and  here  attended  school.  He  also  looked  after  the  business 
interests  of  Antoine  Le  Claire  until  the  latter's  death  in  1861.  The  following 
year  Josef  Le  Claire  went  to  the  west,  traveling  extensively  throughout  that  sec- 
tion of  the  country.  Since  1885  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  insurance  business  in 
Davenport  and  has  one  of  the  leading  and  most  successful  agencies  of  the  city, 
writing  a  large  amount  of  insurance  annually.  He  has  always  taken  an  active 
interest  in  public  affairs  and  has  filled  a  number  of  offices,  to  which  he  has  been 
called  by  the  vote  of  his  fellow  townsmen.  In  the  early  '60s  he  served  as  alder- 
man of  the  fifth  ward  and  in  1871  he  was  elected  marshal  and  collector  for  the 
city  and  served  seven  years  as  county  recorder.  He  was  also  elected  magistrate 
and  filled  that  position  for  several  terms  and  has  figured  prominently  in  official 
circles  of  the  city,  while  his  public  service  has  brought  him  a  wide  acquaintance. 
Few  men  have  more  intimate  knowledge  of  Davenport  and  her  history  through  a 
period  of  sixty-eight  years  than  Josef  A.  Le  Claire,  who  arrived  here  in  1841 
and  through  the  intervening  years  has  been  an  interested  witness  of  all  the  great 
changes  that  have  occurred. 


HENRY  RUNGE. 


Henry  Runge  is  conducting  a  well  established  undertaking  business  at  No. 
824  West  Third  street  in  Davenport.  The  high  quality  of  goods  he  handles  and 
his  moderate  prices  have  built  up  a  good  trade  and  made  this  concern  one  of 
the  best  known  in  the  city.  Mr.  Runge  is  a  native  of  Davenport,  born  June  7, 
1861,  of  the  marriage  of  Martin  L.  and  Wilhelmina  (ScHwartz)  Runge,  in 
whose  family  were  nine  children,  but  only  two  sons  and  one  daughter  now  sur- 
vive. The  father  emigrated  from  his  native  land,  Germany,  to  the  United  States 
at  an  early  day,  the  trip  being  made  in  a  sail  boat,  which  required  fourteen  weeks 
to  cross  the  Atlantic.  Arriving  in  the  new  world  after  his  long  and  wearisome 
voyage,  he  spent  a  short  time  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  whence  he  made  his  way  to 
Davenport,  where  lived  a  half-brother  of  Mrs.  Runge.  He  was  first  engaged  in 
the  packing  business  in  this  city  but  afterward  worked  in  the  old  Davis  mill, 
where  he  continued  throughout  his  business  career.  Both  he  and  his  wife  have 
passed  away. 

Henry  Runge  was  reared  under  the  parental  roof  and  was  given  the  advantage 
of  a  common-school  education.  After  completing  his  studies  he  took  up  the  task 
of  learning  the  upholsterer's  trade  and  at  the  same  time  attended  a  night  school 
in  order  that  he  might  have  a  better  education  to  meet  the  responsibilities  of  a 
business  career.     After  learning  his  trade  he  worked  at  the  same  for  twenty 


BUILDING  OF  HENRY  ETTNGE 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  427 

years.  He  then  went  to  Des  Moines  and  pursued  a  course  in  embalming  that 
he  might  engage  in  the  undertaking  business  on  his  own  account.  Subsequently 
he  returned  to  Davenport  and  in  October,  1895,  organized  the  firm  of  Weiss  & 
Runge.  The  partnership  continued  for  but  a  brief  period,  however,  for  in  the 
following  December  Mr.  Runge  sold  his  interest  to  his  partner  and  in  February, 
1896,  engaged  in  business  alone,  since  which  time  he  has  conducted  a  successful 
enterprise.  He  possesses  excellent  business  ability,  undertands  thoroughly  the 
art  of  embalming,  and  this,  coupled  with  a  prompt  response  to  all  calls  made 
upon  him,  has  gained  for  him  an  extensive  patronage.  The  business  is  now  con- 
ducted in  a  large,  modern,  two-story  brick  structure  known  as  the  Runge  build- 
ing, which  was  erected  in  1902,  and  here  Mr.  Runge  keeps  on  hand  a  good  line 
of  burial  caskets  and  supplies  and  can  meet  all  demands  made  upon  him. 

Mr.  Runge  was  married  in  May,  1883,  to  Miss  Emma  Tess,  who  passed  away 
a  few  years  later.  There  is  a  daughter  and  son  of  this  marriage :  Augusta,  now 
the  wife  of  John  Olsen,  a  city  fireman  of  Davenport,  by  whom  she  has  a  daughter, 
Anita;  and  Louis  F.,  who  is  his  father's  assistant  in  business.  Mr.  Runge  was 
married  a  second  time  on  the  9th  of  October,  1891,  Christina  M.  Juergensen  be- 
coming his  wife.  There  are  five  children  by  this  union :  Edna,  who  is  a  high- 
school  graduate ;  Martin  L. ;  Henry,  who  has  passed  away ;  Harry  H. ;  and  Henri- 
etta. 

The  family  belong  to  the  Lutheran  church,  while  Mr.  Runge's  fraternal  con- 
nections are  with  the  Turners,  Elks,  Eagles,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Modern  Brother- 
hood of  America,  the  Germania  Society,  Claus  Groth  Gilde,  Teutonia  and  the  Odd 
Fellows,  in  all  of  which  he  is  a  valued  member.  In  the  midst  of  a  busy  life  he 
always  finds  time  for  courtesy,  and  an  opportunity  to  give  audience  to  his  friends, 
and  all  with  whom  he  is  brought  in  contact  have  for  him  high  regard. 


PETER  ARP. 


Peter  Arp,  a  retired  German  farmer  who  has  taken  up  his  residence  in  Daven- 
port, was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  February  5,  1830,  a  son  of  Peter  and  Wipke 
Arp,  both  of  whom  spent  their  entire  lives  in  the  fatherland.  The  father  was  a 
tailorby  trade.  Peter  Arp  was  about  twenty  years  of  age  when  he  decided  to 
come  to  America,  the  fame  of  whose  opportunities  had  pierced  the  most  remote 
corners  of  his  native  land.  He  disembarked  at  New  Orleans  after  crossing  the 
ocean  and  then  took  a  boat  up  the  Mississippi  to  Davenport.  It  was  two  months, 
however,  before  he  reached  his  destination  as  quantities  of  ice  in  the  river  im- 
peded their  progress. 

On  the  9th  of  March,  1850,  Mr.  Arp  landed  in  Davenport,  where  a  sister 
was  already  living,  she  having  come  to  this  country  in  1847.  After  his  advent  Mr. 
Arp  obtained  work  in  a  brickyard  and  later  secured  employment  upon  a  farm,  by 
the  month.  He  was  industrious  and  frugal  and  after  the  expiration  of  a  few 
years  he  was  able  to  buy  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  prairie  land  in  Sheri- 
dan township.  In  1853  he  married  and  that  he  and  his  wife  might  have  a  home 
he  bought  an  old  dwelling  which  he  moved  to  his  land,  making  it  serve  as  a  resi- 


428  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

dence  for  a  couple  of  years,  or  until  he  was  able  to  put  up  a  better  structure. 
The  land  he  had  secured  was  in  its  pristine  state  and  Mr.  Arp  had  to  break  the 
soil  before  he  could  plant  his  grain.  Nevertheless,  it  proved  a  valuable  property 
for  during  the  five  years  it  was  his  place  of  residence  it  made  him  gratifying  re- 
turns for  his  labors.  When  it  was  well  improved  he  traded  it  for  one  hundred 
and  sixty-five  acres  in  Winfield  township,  about  twelve  miles  from  Davenport  on 
the  Dubuque  road.  It  had  a  small  house  upon  it  and  had  been  partly  improved, 
but  Mr.  Arp  brought  it  up  to  a  higher  state  of  cultivation  and  sold  it  after  four 
years.  He  then  returned  to  Sheridan  township,  where  he  owned  a  tract  of 
fifty  acres  and  rented  some  land  from  Benjamin  Barr,  on  which  they  lived  for  a 
year.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  removed  to  his  fifty  acre  tract,  added  another 
fifty,  built  a  house  and  made  it  his  home  for  the  next  twenty-six  years,  or  during 
the  remainder  of  the  time  he  was  engaged  in  the  active  pursuit  of  farming.  Dur- 
ing that  period,  however,  he  bought  land  as  he  was  able  and  at  one  time  owned 
more  than  half  a  section,  and  in  addition  to  being  successful  he  was  also  a  con- 
spicuous figure  in  the  public  life  of  Sheridan  township,  enjoying  the  good  will 
of  his  associates.    In  October,  1892,  he  removed  to  Davenport. 

On  the  2d  of  September,  1853,  Mr.  Arp  wedded  Miss  Minnie  Fellener,  a 
daughter  of  Earnhardt  and  Fredrica  Fellener.  She  had  come  to  this  country 
from  Germany  when  about  nineteen  years  of  age.  Seven  children  were  born 
unto  the  couple.  Charles,  now  deceased,  married  Kathryn  Roenfeldt  and  they 
had  two  children,  Minnie  and  Charles.  Emma  became  the  wife  of  Henry  Jar- 
chow,  "of  Davenport,  and  they  have  two  sons,  Edward  and  William.  Henry  mar- 
ried Miss  Louisa  Petersen  and  lives  in  Minnesota,  where  he  is  rearing  his  two 
children,  Mary  and  Paul.  William  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Soil  and  lives  upon 
the  father's  farm.  They  have  two  children,  Walter  and  Viola.  John  married 
Miss  Bertha  Wiese  and  lives  on  the  old  homestead  in  Sheridan  township.  They 
have  four  children,  Ella,  Alfred,  Elmer  and  Edward.  Elizabeth  became  the  wife 
of  Henry  Soil,  of  Davenport,  and  they  have  two  children,  Hugo  and  Edna.  The 
other  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arp  celebrated  their  golden  wedding  on 
the  2d  of  September,  1903. 

When  he  became  a  citizen  of  this  country  Mr.  Arp  decided  to  give  his  sup- 
port to  the  democratic  party  and  has  since  been  stanch  in  his  allegiance  to  it, 
being  elected  upon  its  ticket  to  the  office  of  trustee  of  Sheridan  township.  So- 
cially he  is  a  member  of  the  German  Society  and  with  his  wife  is  a  member 
of  the  Lutheran  church,  in  whose  faith  he  has  conscientiously  reared  his  children 


JOSEPH  C.  METZGER. 

Joseph  C.  Metzger  is  the  genial  proprietor  of  a  hotel  in  Buflfalo  and  is  one 
of  the  most  enterprising  and  wide-awake  business  men  of  the  village.  He  was 
born  in  Buffalo,  July  23,  1875,  a  son  of  Christian  and  Mary  Metzger,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Germany,  the  former  born  in  Baden  on  the  loth  of  August, 
1829,  while  the  latter  claims  Hohenzollern  as  the  place  of  her  nativity,  and  she 
was  born  in  1831.    The  father  was  a  youth  of  thirteen  years  when  he  emigrated  to 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  429 

the  United  States  and  established  his  home  in  Baltimore,  Maryland,  where  he 
learned  and  followed  the  cooper's  trade.  Later  he  went  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where 
he  was  married,  and  in  1855  he  and  his  wife  came  west,  spending  two  years  in 
Rock  Island,  Illinois.  Subsequently,  in  1857,  they  crossed  the  border  into  Iowa, 
establishing  their  home  in  Bufifalo,  where  the  father  engaged  in  the  cooperage 
business  for  many  years. 

Joseph  C.  Metzger  is  one  of  a  family  of  eight  sons  and  three  daughters,  six 
of  whom  are  deceased.  Those  having  passed  away  are :  Mary,  John  Christian, 
Joseph,  Adolf,  Otilda,  and  one  who  died  in  infancy.  Those  living  are :  Fred,  a 
cigar  manufacturer,  of  Quincy,  Illinois;  Henry,  a  resident  of  Denver,  Colorado; 
Theodore,  of  Blue  Grass,  Scott  county ;  and  Catherine,  the  wife  of  Joseph  Mohr, 
also  of  Blue  Grass.  Joseph  C.  at  the  usual  age  entered  the  public  schools  of 
Buffalo  and  completed  his  education  in  the  Davenport  schools.  After  putting 
aside  his  text-books  he  went  to  Chicago,  in  May,  1893,  remaining  in  the  metrop- 
olis four  years.  In  March,  1897,  desirous  of  visiting  the  land  of  his  ancestors,  he 
set  sail  for  Germany,  spending  several  months  in  that  country.  Returning  once 
more  to  Buffalo,  he  engaged  in  business  pursuits  here  in  the  latter  part  of  1897. 
In  1904  he  built  a  modern  brick  residence  and  two  years  later,  in  1906,  purchased 
the  hotel  adjoining  his  residence  property  and  has  since  conducted  the  same.  He 
conducts  his  hostelry  in  the  most  modern  and  up-to-date  style,  is  continually  look- 
ing after  the  comforts  and  welfare  of  his  guests  and  is  popular  with  the  traveling 
public. 

Mr.  Metzger  was  married  in  1900  to  Miss  Sadie  Gold,  a  daughter  of  Pres- 
ton Gold,  of  Buffalo.  They  have  a  daughter.  Marguerite,  who  attends  school  in 
Davenport.  Mr.  Metzger  is  a  director  of  the  Buffalo  Savings  Bank.  He  is  a 
communicant  of  St.  Peter's  Catholic  church,  while  his  fraternal  relations  are  with 
Banner  Lodg,  No.  16,  K.  P.,  and  with  lodge  No.  235,  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles, 
at  Davenport.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Metzger  are  well  known  in  Buffalo,  for  they  have 
spent  their  entire  lives  here  and  their  social  qualities  have  won  them  many 
friends. 


W.  G.  NOTH. 


W.  G.  Noth,  who  has  been  the  capable  incumbent  in  the  office  of  city  treasurer 
of  Davenport  since  1906,  was  born  in  this  city  on  the  13th  of  May,  1870,  his 
parents  being  John  and  Wilhelmina  (Keis)  Noth,  the  former  a  native  of  Ger- 
many and  the  latter  of  Quincy,  Illinois.  It  was  late  in  the  '40s  that  John  Noth 
crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States,  locating  in  Quincy,  Illinois,  while  in 
1869  he  accompanied  his  father,  George  W.  Noth,  to  Davenport,  Iowa.  The  lat- 
ter here  established  Noth's  Brewery  and  thus  became  one  of  the  pioneer  repre- 
sentatives of  brewing  interests  in  this  part  of  the  state.  John  Noth,  who  had  been 
in  charge  of  the  brewery,  abandoned  that  line  of  activity  after  his  father's  demise 
and  turned  his  attention  to  the  grain  business,  with  which  he  is  still  successfully 
identified.  He  is  highly  respected  as  a  prosperous  business  man  and  substantial 
citizen  and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  well  known  and  esteemed  throughout  Daven- 
port, having  now  resided  here  for  a  period  of  forty  years. 


430  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

W.  G.  Noth,  who  was  the  eldest  in  a  family  of  six  children,  supplemented 
his  preliminary  education  by  a  course  in  the  Davenport  high  school.  After  put- 
ting aside  his  text-books  he  entered  the  service  of  the  Citizens  National  Bank 
and  continued  with  that  financial  institution  for  eight  years.  He  was  then  made 
deputy  county  treasurer  and  capably  served  in  that  position  for  four  years,  after 
which  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  county  clerk,  discharging  the  duties  devolving 
upon  him  in  that  connection  for  two  years.  In  1906  he  was  elected  city  treasurer 
and  still  remains  in  that  position,  proving  by  his  able  administration  of  the  af- 
fairs of  the  office  that  the  confidence  and  trust  reposed  in  him  by  his  constituents 
was  not  misplaced.  He  is  a  popular  and  unassuming  young  man  and  has  won 
an  extensive  circle  of  warm  friends  in  the  city  where  his  entire  life  has  been  spent. 


WILLIAM  GARDNER  SMITH. 

William  Gardner  Smith  during  the  years  of  his  manhood  in  Davenport  was 
a  familiar  figure  in  those  circles  where  the  intelligent  and  interesting  men  of 
the  city  were  wont  to  gather.  He  was  long  closely  associated  with  commercial 
interests  here  and  sustained  an  unassailable  reputation,  owing  to  the  fact  that 
he  never  made  engagements  that  he  did  not  keep  nor  incur  obligations  that  he 
did  not  meet.  He  enjoyed  to  the  fullest  extent  the  respect  of  his  contemporaries 
and  associates. 

Mr.  Smith  was  born  in  this  city,  July  19,  1861,  a  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  J. 
Smith,  long  prominent  and  honored  residents  here.  After  attending  the  schools 
of  Davnport  and  acquiring  therein  a  good  English  education,  well  fitting  him 
for  life's  practical  and  responsible  duties,  he  went  to  North  Dakota,  but  after 
a  year  returned  home  and  accepted  the  position  of  bookkeeper  with  the  firm  of 
Smith  &  McCullough,  furniture  dealers,  his  father  being  the  senior  member. 
This  was  one  of  the  oldest  and  best  established  houses  of  the  city  and  after  the 
death  of  Mr.  McCullough  William  G.  Smith  entered  into  partnership  relations 
with  his  father,  the  enterprise  being  then  conducted  under  the  firm  name  of  A. 
J.  Smith  &  Son.  Following  the  father's  death  in  1898  the  business  was  incor- 
porated and  William  G.  Smith  remained  at  its  head,  occupied  with  the  interests 
of  successful  management,  until  1901,  when  his  health  failed  and  he  disposed 
of  the  store.  He  was  a  man  of  good  business  judgment,  very  accurate,  system- 
atic and  methodical,  and  his  enterprise  led  him  to  continually  broaden  the  scope 
of  his  activities  and  thereby  increase  his  usefulness.  A  short  time  prior  to  his 
death  he  aided  in  organizing  and  establishing  the  E.  W.  Gates  Lumber  Company. 
With  keen  sagacity  he  saw  and  utilized  opportunities  that  others  passed  by  heed- 
lessly and  in  his  entire  business  career  he  exemplified  the  truth  of  the  old  adage 
that  "honesty  is  the  best  policy." 

On  the  nth  of  November,  1887,  Mr.  Smith  was  married  to  Miss  Cora  Scott, 
a  daughter  of  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Scott,  of  Davenport.  The  marriage  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  was  blessed  with  one  child,  Eugene  Gardner,  who  is  at  home 
with  his  mother. 


WILLIAM  G.   SMITH 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  433 

Mr.  Smith  was  an  active  member  of  the  Business  Men's  Association  of  Daven- 
port and  cooperated  in  all  its  various  projects  for  the  benefit  of  the  city  and  the 
extension  of  its  trade  relations.  He  likewise  belonged  to  the  Irrawaddy  Canoe 
Club  and  was  always  a  popular  factor  in  the  outings  of  that  organization.  His 
genial  manner,  unfailing  courtesy  and  ready  adaptability  won  him  many  friends, 
while  his  enterprise  in  business  circles  gained  him  high  standing  among  the 
prominent  representatives  of  commercial  and  industrial  interests  of  Davenport. 


HENRY  L.  HOLLAND. 

Henry  L.  Holland  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  respected  and  worthy  citi- 
zens of  Scott  county  and,  though  he  has  now  passed  away,  he  is  yet  remembered 
by  many  who  knew  him  and  who  prized  his  friendship.  He  was  born  in  Meck- 
lenburg, Germany,  November  24,  1840,  and  was  a  son  of  Adolph  and  Carolina 
(Schutz)  Holland.  The  family  came  to  the  United  States  in  1851,  landing  at  New 
York,  whence  they  made  their  way  direct  to  Scott  county,  casting  in  their  lot 
with  its  early  settlers.  They  remained  for  two  weeks  in  Davenport  and  then  took 
up  their  abode  in  Winfield  township,  the  father  purchasing  the  farm  upon  which 
Mrs.  Henry  L.  Holland  now  resides.  He  at  first  bought  one  hundred  and  fifty-five 
acres  of  land  and  energetically  began  its  development  and  improvement.  For  a 
long  period  he  successfully  carried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits  but  at  length 
retired  from  active  business  life.  His  death  occurred  in  Davenport  and  his  wife 
died  while  a  patient  in  Mercy  Hospital. 

Henry  L.  Holland  spent  his  entire  life  from  the  age  of  eleven  years  in  this 
county  and  was  reared  to  the  work  of  the  farm,  early  becoming  familiar  with 
the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  He  had  attended 
school  in  Germany  and  had  learned  to  talk  English  there,  having  been  provided 
with  liberal  educational  advantages.  After  coming  to  the  United  States  he  spent 
two  years  as  a  pupil  in  the  high  school  in  Davenport  and  a  good  education  thus 
quahfied  him  for  the  careful  and  successful  conduct  of  business  interests.  He 
remained  upon  the  home  farm  all  his  life  and  after  his  father's  retirement  took 
charge  of  the  business,  continuing  to  cultivate  and  manage  the  farm  until  his 
own  demise. 

Mr.  Holland  was  united  in  marriage  April  30,  1871,  to  Miss  Sophia  Meewes, 
who  was  bom  in  Ransberg,  Schleswig,  Germany,  September  26,  1852,  a  daughter 
of  George  and  Anna  (Krahm)  Meewes.  Her  mother  died  when  Mrs.  Holland  was 
but  nine  months  old  and  she  then  lived  with  an  aunt  until  fourteen  years  of  age, 
when  she  came  to  the  United  States  in  company  with  a  friend.  Her  father  had 
previously  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  had  become  the  owner  of  a  farm  in  Butler 
township,  this  county.  Later  he  sold  that  property  and  removed  to  Liberty  town- 
ship, where  he  became  the  owner  of  three  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  rich  and 
productive  land.    There  he  made  his  home  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1890. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Holland  were  born  three  children :  Henry  F.,  Walter  W. 
and  Hilda,  all  of  whom  are  at  home  with  their  mother.  The  death  of  the  husband 
and  father  occurred  October  16,  1903,  and  it  was  the  occasion  of  deep  and  wide- 


434  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

spread  regret  not  only  to  his  immediate  family  but  also  to  many  friends.  He  was 
an  enterprising  and  progressive  citizen,  public-spirited  in  all  of  his  relations  to 
the  community  at  large.  He  served  as  a  trustee  and  school  director,  holding  the 
latter  office  for  sixteen  consecutive  years.  He  also  served  as  constable  and  as 
road  supervisor  and  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  was  ever  prompt  and  faithful. 
His  political  allegiance  was  given  to  the  republican  party  and  he  was  a  member 
of  the  Turners  Society  of  Eldridge.  He  wisely  used  the  talents  with  which  na- 
ture endowed  him  and  in  the  conduct  of  his  business  affairs  won  a  reputation  as 
an  honorable,  upright  man  and  at  the  same  time  gained  a  substantial  measure  of 
success. 


LOUIS  MAACK. 


Louis  Maack,  the  present  mayor  of  Walcott  and  the  secretary  of  the  firm  of 
Stockdale  &  Dietz  Company,  is  one  of  Scott  county's  native  sons,  his  birth  having 
occurred  in  Davenport  on  the  30th  of  June,  1873.  He  is  a  son  of  John  and  Doro- 
thea (Rump)  Maack,  both  natives  of  Germany,  the  father  having  been  born  in 
Mecklenburg,  in  1825,  while  the  mother's  birth  occurred  November  23,  1838. 
They  were  married  in  the  fatherland  and  came  to  America  in  1866,  locating  in 
Davenport,  where  the  father  was  engaged  principally  in  the  lumber  business. 
He  passed  away  on  the  6th  of  January,  1902,  but  his  wife  still  survives  at  the 
advanced  age  of  seventy-one  years. 

In  the  public  schools  of  Davenport  Louis  Maack  acquired  his  early  education 
and  he  later  pursued  a  course  of  study  in  the  Tri-City  Business  College,  from 
\vhich  institution  he  was  graduated  in  1893.  In  September  of  that  year  he  came 
to  Walcott  and  accepted  a  position  as  bookkeeper  for  the  Stockdale  &  Dietz 
Company.  He  was  diligent,  capable  and  faithful  in  the  conduct  of  his  duties  and 
that  his  efforts  were  appreciated  by  his  employers  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  in 
1901  he  was  appointed  secretary  of  the  firm  at  Harris,  Iowa.  There  his  ability 
and  true  worth  were  soon  recognized  and  in  1901  he  was  appointed  to  serve  out 
an  unexpired  term  as  mayor  of  that  city.  In  1902  he  was  regularly  elected  to 
that  office  and  no  better  proof  of  the  excellence  of  his  service  in  that  capacity  can 
be  offered  than  his  reelection  as  chief  executive  in  1904.  In  that  year  he  returned 
to  Walcott,  at  which  time  the  Stockdale  &  Dietz  Company,  which  had  been  or- 
ganized in  1857,  was  incorporated  with  Mr.  Maack  as  secretary,  in  which  capacity 
he  has  since  served.  This  is  one  of  the  important  enterprises  of  the  town  and 
his  well  directed  efforts  and  intelligently  applied  labors  in  its  behalf  have  been  no 
small  force  in  its  continuous  and  steady  growth.  He  is  today  one  of  the  pros- 
perous and  influential  citizens  of  Walcott,  and  his  success  indicates  clearly  the 
business  ability  which  he  has  displayed  and  the  honest  methods  which  have  ever 
been  his. 

It  was  in  1897  that  Mr.  Maack  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Tillie  Benne- 
witz,  a  daughter  of  Louis  Bennewitz,  of  whom  extended  mention  is  made  else- 
where in  this  volume.  Unto  this  union  has  been  born  one  son,  Roland,  who  is  at 
home  and  is  the  light  and  life  of  the  household. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  435 

Fraternally  Mr.  Maack  holds  membership  with  Walcott  Lodge,  No.  312,  K. 
P.,  and  is  likewise  connected  with  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  of  Lake  Park,  Iowa. 
Politically  he  has  given  stalwart  support  to  the  principles  of  democracy  since  age 
conferred  upon  him  the  right  of  franchise,  and  on  that  ticket  in  1908  was  elected 
to  the  office  of  mayor.  He  at  once  bent  his  energies  to  the  performance  of  his 
official  duties  with  the  same  thoroughness  that  has  ever  characterized  his  business 
career.  He  has  never  allowed  partisanship  to  influence  him  but  has  given  Wal- 
cott a  businesslike,  progressive  and  beneficial  administration,  in  which  he  has 
inaugurated  various  needed  reforms  and  improvements,  nor  has  he  failed  to 
check  those  movements  which  he  deems  inimical  to  the  best  interests  of  the  city. 


W.  F.  FIDLAR. 


That  W.  F.  Fidlar  occupies  a  conspicuous  and  honorable  position  in  commer- 
cial circles  in  Davenport  is  due  entirely  to  his  own  efforts.  At  the  outset  of  his 
career  he  realized  that  energy  and  determination  constitute  indispensable  factors 
in  success  and  therefore  putting  forth  strenuous  and  intelligently  directed  effort 
he  has  reached  the  prominent  place  which  he  now  occupies  in  business  circles  as 
senior  partner  of  the  firm  of  Fidlar  &  Chambers. 

A  native  of  Ohio,  Mr.  Fidlar  was  born  in  Hebron,  Licking  county,  on  the  30th 
of  August,  1841.  His  father,  Samuel  P.  Fidlar,  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania 
and  at  an  early  day  removed  to  Ohio.  In  1859  he  came  to  Davenport  and  was 
United  States  mail  agent  on  the  Mississippi  in  the  early  '60s,  his  time  being  thus 
occupied  until  his  Hfe's  labors  were  ended  in  death  in  1864.  He  had  married 
Maria  M.  Moore,  who  survived  him  until  1891. 

While  spending  his  youthful  days  under  the  parental  roof  in  Ohio,  W.  F. 
Fidlar  there  acquired  his  education  and  on  coming  to  Davenport,  when  in  his 
eighteenth  year,  he  entered  the  employ  of  Luse,  Lane  &  Company,  bookbinders 
and  printers,  under  whose  direction  he  learned  the  trade.  He  remained  with  the 
house  when  the  business  was  taken  over  by  the  firm  of  Griggs,  Watson  &  Day, 
remaining  with  the  latter  firm  as  an  employe  until  1868,  when  the  business  was 
reorganized  and  he  entered  into  partnership  relations  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Day,  Egbert  &  Fidlar.  In  1880  a  change  in  partnership  led  to  the  adoption  of  the 
name  of  Egbert,  Fidlar  &  Chambers  and  on  the  death  of  Mr.  Egbert  the  firm 
became  Fidlar  &  Chambers.  The  success  of  Mr.  Fidlar  is  due  undoubtedly  in 
part  to  the  fact  that  he  has  always  continued  in  the  same  line  in  which  he  embarked 
as  a  young  tradesman,  concentrating  his  energies  upon  this  particular  field,  so  that 
he  soon  gained  intimate  and  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the  business  in  every  de- 
partment and  was  therefore  able  to  intelligently  direct  any  phase  of  the  enter- 
prise. Under  his  capable  management  the  business  has  become  one  of  Daven- 
port's most  successful  industrial  enterprises,  with  a  patronage  of  large  and  profit- 
able proportions. 

Mr.  Fidlar  is  not  a  politician  in  the  commonly  accepted  sense  of  the  term  but 
at  all  times  manifests  that  deep  interest  in  public  questions  which  every  American 
citizen  should  display,  and  has  served  as  alderman  of  his  ward.     He  is  a  very 


436  HISTORY  OF  SGOTT  COUNTY 

prominent  Mason  and  much  respected  in  the  fraternity.  He  became  a  member 
of  Davenport  Lodge'  in  1864,  has  always  been  most  loyal  to  the  teachings  of  the 
order  and  when  the  Masonic  Temple  was  erected  he  was  made  one  of  its  first 
directors.  He  has  taken  all  the  degrees  up  to  the  thirty-third  and  has  filled  the 
various  chairs  in  the  blue  lodge,  chapter  and  commandery.  He  is  a  man  of  high 
character,  exemplifying  in  his  life  the  beneficent  spirit  of  the  craft  and  is  held  in 
highest  respect  socially  and  in  a  business  way,  for  the  policy  which  he  pursues 
has  always  been  in  harmony  with  high  commercial  ideals.  In  the  conduct  of  his 
business  he  has  ever  felt  that  the  output  of  the  house  should  be  its  best  adver- 
tisement and  therefore  has  maintained  the  highest  standard  of  excellence  in 
product.  Close  application  and  energy  have  enabled  him  to  overcome  all  diffi- 
culties and  obstacles  in  his  path  and  his  capable  utilization  of  opportunity  and 
coordination  of  forces  have  brought  him  into  important  relations  with  the  busi- 
ness interests  of  his  adopted  city. 


HENRY  THUENEN. 


Henry  Thuenen,  occupying  a  position  of  distinction  as  a  representative  of 
the  Davenport  bar,  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  this  city,  where  his  birth  occurred 
July  9,  1868.  His  father,  Henry  Thuenen,  as  the  name  indicates,  was  a  native 
of  Germany.  He  was  born  in  Prussia,  May  19,  1832,  and  came  to  Davenport  in 
1855,  when  a  young  man  of  twenty-three  years.  The  following  year  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Elizabeth  Busch,  who  was  born  in  Germany,  June  30,  1829,  and  died 
on  the  23d  of  February,  1907.  Henry  Thuenen,  St.,  was  a  wagon  maker  and 
blacksmith  and  after  working  for  a  time  at  his  trade  in  the  employ  of  others, 
engaged  in  business  for  himself  and  in  the  course  of  years  earned  a  comfortable 
competence  which  now  enables  him  to  live  retired.  His  family  numbered  twelve 
children,  of  whom  four  daughters  and  two  sons  lived  to  years  of  maturity. 
These  are  all  yet  living  in  Davenport. 

Entering  the  public  schools  at  the  usual  age,  Henry  Thuenen  continued  his 
education  through  successive  grades  until  he  was  graduated  from  the  high  school 
of  Davenport  with  the  class  of  1887.  He  determined  to  concentrate  his  efforts 
upon  professional  interests  and  to  this  end  became  a  law  student  in  the  office  and 
under  the  direction  of  Judge  French.  His  thorough  preliminary  reading  was 
followed  by  admission  to  the  bar  in  October,  1890,  after  successfully  passing 
the  required  examinations  before  the  supreme  court.  He  has  since  engaged  in 
practice  and  his  ability  and  learning  have  carried  him  into  important  relations 
with  the  legal  profession  in  Davenport.  His  mind  is  analytical  and  logical  in 
its  turn  and  his  thorough  preparation  of  his  cases  and  his  correct  application  of 
legal  principles  have  constituted  him  one  of  the  most  forceful  factors  at  the 
Davenport  bar.  He  has  also  figured  actively  in  political  circles,  serving  for 
three  years  as  alderman  from  the  sixth  ward,  his  election  occurring  in  1895.  In 
1899  he  was  chosen  to  represent  his  district  in  the  lower  house  of  the  twenty- 
eighth  general  assembly  but  resigned  at  the  adjournment  of  the  session  in  order 
to  accept  the  office  of  city  attorney,  which  position  he  filled  most  creditably  and 


HENKY  THUENEN,  JR. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  439 

faithfully  for  six  years.  He  is  now  concentrating  his  energies  solely  upon  his 
professional  duties  but  still  takes  the  interest  in  politics  which  every  good  citi- 
zen should  feel  and  keeps  thoroughly  informed  concerning  the  questions  and  is- 
sues of  the  day. 

In  1892  Mr.  Thuenen  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  Neumiller,  a  native  of 
Davenport  and  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Marie  Neumiller.  The  six  children  of 
this  marriage  are  Joseph  H.,  Harold  F.,  Henry  W.,  Millie,  Helen  and  Edna. 

Mr.  Thuenen  is  identified  with  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the  Benevolent  and 
Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  other  societies,  the  basic  principles  of  which  find 
exemplification  in  his  life.  In  a  profession  where  progress  depends  entirely  upon 
individual  merit,  he  has  worked  his  way  steadily  upward  and  in  the  twenty 
years  of  his  connection  with  the  law  his  efforts  have  been  of  an  important  char- 
acter, indicative  of  his  ability  and  his  unfaltering  devotion  to  the  interests  of 
his  clients. 


LUDWIG  W.  SCHMIDT. 

Prominent  among  Scott  county's  esteemed  and  substantial  citizens  is  Ludwig 
W.  Schmidt.  He  holds  the  splendid  farm  upon  which  he  is  now  living  in  especial 
affection,  for  it  was  here  that  he  was  born,  May  26,  1857.  As  his  name  indicates, 
Mr.  Schmidt  is  of  German  origin,  his  father  being  Carl  F.  Schmidt,  of  Schleswig- 
Holstein,  born  April  30,  1828.  His  grandfather,  Fritz  Schmidt,  was  a  German 
school  teacher,  who  in  the  year  1848  came  to  America  with  his  five  sons  of  whom 
Carl  was  next  to  the  eldest.  With  the  idea  of  engaging  in  farming  they  settled  in 
Blue  Grass  township  on  land  which  they  purchased  from  the  government,  and 
proceeded  to  enjoy  success  in  the  land  of  their  adoption.  This  property  is  still  in 
the  possession  of  the  family,  Richard  Schmidt  at  the  present  time  residing  upon 
it.  When  twenty-six  years  of  age  Carl  Schmidt  left  the  parental  abode  and  took 
possession  of  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  upon  which  his  son  Ludwig 
was  born  and  which  he  afterward  possessed.  In  1855  he  married  Miss  Sophie 
Moeller  and  Ludwig  is  the  eldest  of  the  five  children  born  to  them.  His  brothers 
are  Benjamin  L.  and  Franz  L.  Schmidt,  and  his  sisters  Mrs.  August  F.  Martz- 
hahn  and  Mrs.  John  Kohrs,  all  four  of  whom  reside  in  Davenport.  The  father 
died  in  1886,  but  his  wife  survives  him  and  makes  her  home  with  one  of  her 
daughters  in  Davenport. 

When  Ludwig  Schmidt  was  about  nine  years  of  age  his  father  removed  from 
his  farm  to  the  vicinity  of  Davenport,  where  in  the  public  schools  he  with  the 
other  children  received  their  education.  Upon  leaving  school  he  entered  upon 
a  life  of  usefulness  by  assisting  his  father,  who  at  that  time  was  conducting  a  vine- 
yard. After  his  marriage  he  took  possession  of  his  father's  homestead  and  is 
still  living  amid  the  associations  of  his  early  boyhood. 

When  twenty-three  years  of  age  Mr.  Schmidt  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Emma  Martzhahn,  a  daughter  of  Fritz  Martzhahn,  of  Scott  county.  Their  union 
has  been  blessed  by  the  birth  of  eight  children :  Fritz  C,  aged  twenty-seven,  still  at 
home;  Louisa,  aged  twenty-five;  Bruno  L.  and  Ella,  twins,  twenty-three  years 


440  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

of  age ;  Sophie,  the  wife  of  George  Wichmann,  of  Davenport ;  Alfreda,  aged  six- 
teen ;  Benno  F.,  aged  fourteen ;  and  Minnie,  aged  twelve. 

Mr.  Schmidt  is  a  public-spirited  citizen  who  enjoys  the  confidence  of  his  fel- 
lowmen.  He  has  done  efficient  public  service,  having  been  president  of  the  school 
board  and  is  now  treasurer  of  the  school  board  of  Blue  Grass  township.  Besides 
his  agricultural  interests  he  is  a  director  of  the  Davenport  Slaughtering  &  Ren- 
dering Company ;  a  stockholder  in  the  Blue  Grass  Savings  Bank  and  the  Home  Sav- 
ings Bank  of  Davenport,  and  is  connected  with  his  brothers'  business,  the  Schmidt 
Brothers  Ice  Shipping  Company,  of  Davenport. 


WILLIE  M.  MOELLER. 

Willie  M.  Moeller  is  one  of  those  citizens  of  Cleona  township  who  have  re- 
mained true  to  the  locality  throughout  the  entire  course  of  their  lives.  He  was 
born  October  6,  1875,  upon  the  homestead  where  he  still  resides  and  is  thus  bound 
to  it  by  stronger  ties  than  fall  to  the  lot  of  many  men.  His  parents,  Henry  and 
Caroline  (Feuerbach)  Moeller,  at  the  time  of  their  relinquishment  of  the  farm, 
removed  to  Walcott,  where  they  still  reside.  The  management  of  the  farm  now 
devolves  upon  our  subject  and  his  keeping  in  touch  with  the  latest  in  scientific 
agricultural  investigation  has  been  productive  of  the  most  satisfactory  results. 
The  Moeller  property  consists  of  one  hundred  and  ninety-six  acres  on  section 
25,  Cleona  township,  on  the  Hickory  Grove  township  line.  The  subject  of  the 
sketch  has  been  very  successful  in  the  breeding  of  shorthorn  polled  Durham  cat- 
tle, of  which  he  owns  about  one  hundred  head. 

Mr.  Moeller  received  his  early  education  in  the  schools  of  his  district  and 
gained  a  practical  training  by  assisting  his  father  in  the  manifold  duties  which 
every  well  improved  farm  presents.  Later  he  engaged  in  school  teaching,  pro- 
perly directing  the  course  of  the  young  idea.  He  is  well  and  favorably  known  in 
the  community  in  which  he  has  lived  for  something  over  thirty  years.  He  is  the 
eldest  in  a  family  of  seven  children,  and  one  of  these,  his  brother  Ferdinand,  is 
associated  with  him  in  the  cultivation  of  the  estate. 


EDWARD  AND  THEODORE  BRUS. 

One  of  the  extensive  farms  in  Buffalo  township  is  that  cultivated  by  Edward 
and  Theodore  Brus,  sons  of  Jacob  Brus,  who  was  one  of  the  prosperous  German 
farmers  of  Scott  county.  He  was  born  in  Prussia,  November  29,  1829,  and  was 
about  eighteen  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  America  with  his  father,  John  H. 
Brus,  for  his  mother,  who  was  Miss  Mary  Schluter  in  her  maidenhood,  had  died 
in  the  old  country.  Jacob  Brus  reached  Scott  county  about  1850  and  with  his 
father  engaged  in  farming.  The  latter  died  in  1879.  In  1861  Jacob  Brus  began 
farming  for  himself.  He  was  married  on  the  7th  of  January,  that  year,  to  Miss 
Eliza  J.  Robinson,  a  daughter  of  John  H.  and  Mary  E.   (Oswald)   Robinson, 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  441 

and  they  became  the  parents  of  eleven  children :  John  H. ;  Anna  M. ;  Charley  H. ; 
Rosa  A. ;  Willie ;  Edward  T. ;  Ella  E. ;  Ida  J. ;  Flora  M.,  who  died  in  1878 ;  Theo- 
dore J.;  and  Lena  E. 

In  his  agricultural  pursuits  the  father  was  especially  successful  for  he  owned 
five  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Buffalo  township  and  three  hundred  and  twenty 
in  Blue  Grass  township,  making  over  eight  hundred  acres  which  were  under  his 
control.  He  was  one  of  the  most  enterprising  as  well  as  successful  men  in  his 
locality  and  his  influence  was  widely  felt  in  the  township  for  he  served  most 
efficiently  as  trustee  and  school  director  and  was  also  supervisor  of  the  county. 
He  resigned  the  heavier  responsibilities  of  his  life  even  before  his  death,  many  of 
which  have  been  assumed  most  ably  by  his  sons,  Edward  and  Theodore. 

Edward  and  Theodore  Brus,  native  sons  of  Scott  county,  are  by  their  daily 
life  and  the  return  they  win  from  their  labor  upholding  the  reputation  for  pros- 
perity enjoyed  by  this  section  of  Iowa.  With  their  sister  Miss  Ella  they  live 
upon  the  extensive  tract  of  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Buffalo  township. 
Keeping  the  example  of  their  father  before  them,  they  have  continued  in  his  foot- 
steps, enlarged  the  number  of  improvements  upon  the  farm  and  increased  its  cul- 
tivation, so  that  it  is  one  of  the  excellent  farms  of  the  whole  township,  not  only 
in  size  but  in  the  fertility  of  the  soil.  Both  are  members  of  Banner  Lodge,  No. 
16,  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  Theodore  is  also  connected  with  the  Modern  Wood- 
men. They  are  democrats  in  their  political  sympathies,  interested  in  local  af- 
fairs, though  not  aspirants  for  official  preferment.  Edward,  however,  has  been 
a  member  of  the  school  board  for  a  number  of  years. 


MRS.  HATTIE  STICHTER. 

Mrs.  Hattie  Stichter,  who  throughout  the  period  of  her  married  life  has  lived 
in  Princeton  township,  where  since  her  husband's  death  she  has  continued  to 
make  her  home,  was  bom  in  Germany,  September  27,  1846.  Her  father,  Andrew 
Walter,  was  also  a  native  of  that  country,  born  in  1801.  After  arriving  at  years 
of  maturity  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ina  Schoenhanken  and  they  spent 
their  entire  lives  in  Germany,  where  the  father  was  a  gardener  and  fruit  grower. 
In  accordance  with  the  laws  of  the  country,  he  also  served  for  three  years  in  the 
German  army.    Both  he  and  his  wife  are  now  deceased. 

Mrs.  Stichter  remained  in  Germany  through  the  period  of  her  girlhood  and  in 
June,  1865,  when  a  young  lady  of  eighteen  years,  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America, 
landing  in  New  York.  After  a  few  days  spent  in  that  city  she  continued  on  her 
way  to  Chicago  and  from  that  point  proceeded  to  Clinton,  Iowa,  where  for  two 
years  she  worked  for  her  brother.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  on  the  ist  of  Sep- 
tember, 1867,  she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  John  Stichter.  He,  too,  was  of 
German  birth,  his  natal  day  being  May  6,  1829.  On  crossing  the  Atlantic  he 
landed  at  New  York  and  for  many  years  was  a  respected  and  worthy  citizen  of 
Scott  county,  where  he  engaged  in  farming,  making  his  home  in  Princeton  town- 
ship, where  he  secured  one  hundred  and  seventy-four  acres  of  land.    As  the  years 


442  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

passed  by  he  converted  the  tract  into  rich  and  productive  fields,  making  his  farm 
a  valuable  property,  from  which  he  annually  gathered  good  harvests. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stichter  were  born  eight  children.  Annie,  who  was  born 
March  5,  1874,  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Graham,  a  resident  of  Pfinceton  township, 
where  he  follows  farming.  They  have  three  children:  Elmer,  Ward  and  Louis 
Graham.  Frank  Stichter,  who  was  born  December  18,  1875,  married  Nellie 
Schaffer  and  is  also  engaged  in  farming  in  Princeton  township.  Edward,  who 
was  born  October  15,  1877,  is  a  Mason  and  resides  in  Le  Oaire.  He  wedded 
Ella  Morey,  and  they  have  one  child  living,  Lela ;  and  one  child  deceased,  Louis 
Frank.  Andrew  Stichter,  born  March  4,  1879,  married  Tracy  Bissick  and  re- 
sides in  Le  Claire.  Henry,  born  December  20,  1881,  and  living  in  Le  Claire, 
where  he  is  engaged  in  teaming,  married  Lila  Sweeney  and  has  two  children, 
Henry  and  Flora.  Louis,  who  was  born  April  20,  1883,  resides  with  his  mother 
on  the  home  farm,  which  he  now  operates  for  her.  Katie,  born  August  20,  1884, 
is  the  wife  of  Floyd  Bickle  and  they  have  one  child,  Louis.  They  reside  in  Prince- 
ton township  and  Mr.  Bickle  is  pathmaster  of  the  township.  May,  born  July  24, 
1 888,  is  yet  at  home  with  her  mother. 

Mr.  Stichter  was  a  republican  in  his  political  views  and  always  exercised  his 
right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  measures  of  that  party  but  never 
sought  nor  desired  office,  as  he  preferred  to  concentrate  his  energies  upon  his 
farming  interests.  He  attended  the  German  Lutheran  church  and  his  life  was 
an  upright,  honorable  one,  winning  him  the  respect  and  good  will  of  all  with 
whom  he  was  associated.  For  a  great  many  years  he  was  identified  with  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  died  January  29,  1891,  and  many  friends 
as  well  as  his  immediate  family  felt  deep  regret  over  his  loss.  His  widow,  one 
son  and  a  daughter  yet  remain  upon  the  old  homestead  farm,  while  the  other 
children  are  all  married  and  have  gone  to  homes  of  their  own. 


HENRY  STOLTENBERG. 

Among  the  enterprising,  progressive  and  successful  farmers  of  Qeona  town- 
ship, who  have  also  taken  an  active  and  influential  part  in  community  affairs, 
is  numbered  Henry  Stoltenberg,  one  of  Scott  county's  native  sons,  his  birth  oc- 
curring in  Davenport  township  on  the  4th  of  January,  1856.  His  parents,  Hans  and 
Eliza  (Wiese)  Stoltenberg,  were  both  natives  of  Holstein,  Germany,  the  for- 
mer's birth  there  occurring  on  the  20th  of  September,  1828.  The  father  came 
to  America  with  his  parents  when  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  the  family  home 
being  established  in  Scott  county.  Here  the  grandfather  of  our  subject  secured 
enough  land  at  the  purchase  price  of  one  dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre  to  give  each 
of  his  fourteen  children  a  tract  of  eighty  acres.  Upon  his  farm  Hans  Stolten- 
berg located  and  continued  to  follow  the  occupation  of  farming  until  about 
twenty-five  years  ago,  when  he  retired  from  active  business,  and  has  since 
made  his  home  in  Davenport.  His  business  career  was  one  of  continuous  activ- 
ity, in  which  was  accorded  due  recognition  of  honest  labor  and  that  he  was  suc- 
cessful in  his  undertaking  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  at  the  time  of  his  retire- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  445 

ment  he  was  the  owner  of  fifteen  hundred  acres  of  valuable  land,  all  in  Scott 
county,  constituting  him  one  of  the  extensive  property  owners  of  the  locality. 
He  has  since  divided  this  property  among  his  children. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  in  the  new  world,  in  1853,  Hans  Stoltenberg  was  united 
in  marriage  in  Davenport  to  Eliza  Wiese,  who  passed  away  in  1873  at  the  age  of 
forty-eight  years.  Later  he  wedded  Elsabel  Hass,  also  a  native  of  Germany, 
and  they  traveled  life's  journey  happily  together  for  twenty-nine  years,  or  until 
her  death,  which  occurred  in  1902.  In  their  family  were  eight  children,  namely : 
Minnie,  the  wife  of  William  H.  Petersen,  of  Central  Park;  Henry,  of  this  review; 
William,  residing  in  western  Iowa ;  Theresa,  the  wife  of  Herman  D.  Moeller,  of 
Worthington,  Minnesota ;  Laura,  who  passed  away  at  the  age  of  ten  years ;  Louis, 
of  Lake  Park,  Iowa ;  Edward,  who  makes  his  home  in  Blue  Grass  township ;  and 
CarHe,  the  wife  of  W.  F.  Mann,  of  Lake  Benton,  Minnesota. 

'Amid  the  busy  activities  of  rural  life  Henry  Stoltenberg  spent  the  period  of 
his  boyhood  and  youth,  attending  the  district  schools  in  the  acquirement  of  his 
education,  and  when  not  busy  with  his  text-books  assisted  in  the  work  of  the 
fields.  Here  he  early  learned  lessons  concerning  the  value  of  industry,  energy  and 
integrity,  and  these  lessons,  combined  with  the  thorough  and  comprehensive 
practical  experience  which  he  received,  formed  an  excellent  foundation  stone 
upon  which  to  rear  a  future  successful  career.  He  remained  with  his  parents 
until  twenty-one  years  of  age,  when,  seeking  to  enter  the  buiness  world,  he  took 
up  agricultural  pursuits  on  his  own  account  as  a  renter  upon  one  of  his  father's 
farms.  He  was  thus  engaged  for  three  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which  period 
he  took  a  trip  to  the  Pacific  coast,  spending  two  years  in  sight-seeing  in  the  far 
west.  Returning  home  he  again  took  up  farming  on  the  place  which  he  had 
previously  operated  in  the  capacity  of  renter  and  here  has  continued  to  make  his 
home  to  the  present  time.  It  is  a  highly  cultivated  farm  of  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres,  located  on  sections  35  and  36,  Cleona  township,  and  contains  twa 
sets  of  good  buildings,  one  of  which  is  occupied  by  his  son,  Rudolph.  Mr.  Stol- 
tenberg has  devoted  considerable  time  to  the  improvement  of  this  farm,  erecting 
good  modern  buildings  and  equipping  the  place  with  all  of  the  accessories  and 
conveniences  known  to  facilitating  farm  labor,  so  that  today  it  is  one  of  the 
most  highly  improved  and  valuable  farms  of  the  township.  He  carries  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  stock  raising,  and  both  branches  of  his  business  are  proving 
gratifying  sources  of  remuneration.  As  he  has  prospered  he  has  been  able  to 
add  to  his  real  estate  holdings  and  is  now  the  owner  of  five  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  acres  of  land  in  Dickinson  county  aside  from  his  home  place,  which  prop- 
erty has  been  in  his  possession  for  the  past  twelve  years  and  is  an  additional 
source  of  revenue. 

It  was  on  the  4th  of  December,  1883,  that  Mr.  Stoltenberg  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Matilda  Specht,  who  was  born  in  Walcott,  Scott  county,  on 
the  17th  of  August,  1864,  and  is  a  daughter  of  William  and  Dorothea  (Schap- 
per)  Specht.  Her  father  was  born  in  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  i  rth 
of  August,  1835,  and  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  Hanover,  Germany,  on  the 
4th  of  May,  1841.  They  were  married  in  Scott  county  and  made  their  home  on 
a  farm  near  Walcott,  where  their  remaining  years  were  spent,  he  passing  away 
on  the  isth  of  January,  1885,  and  she  on  the  nth  of  March,  1908.    On  coming 


446  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

to  this  county  they  were  both  employed  on  the  same  farm  until  their  marriage 
and  then  located  on  a  rented  farm,  which  Mr.  Specht  operated  until  he  was  able 
to  buy  a  place.  So  successful  was  he  in  his  farming  operation  that  at  his  death 
he  owned  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Qeona  township  and  also  a  farm 
of  the  same  size  in  Blue  Grass  township.  In  his  family  were  two  children, 
namely:  Louis,  of  Hartley,  Iowa;  and  Matilda,  the  wife  of  our  subject.  Eight 
children  came  to  bless  the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stoltenberg,  namely :  Rudolph, 
carrying  on  farming  on  one  of  his  father's  farms  near  the  old  homestead ;  Emil, 
Harry,  Lillie  and  Luella,  all  at  home ;  Walter,  who  was  born  on  the  30th  of  April, 
1893,  and  passed  away  February  27,  1894;  and  Mabel  and  Leona,  who  are  also 
yet  under  the  parental  roof. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Stoltenberg  holds  membership  with  the  Walcott  Lodge,  No. 
312,  K.  P.,  while  politically  he  gives  stalwart  support  to  the  republican  party. 
That  he  stands  high  in  the  regard  of  the  community  and  enjoys  the  respect,  con- 
fidence and  trust  of  his  f ellowmen  is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  he  has  been  called 
to  positions  of  importance  and  honor,  having  been  elected  township  assessor  of 
■Qeona  township  in  the  fall  of  1890,  occupying  that  position  for  seven  years.  In 
the  fall  of  1898  he  was  elected  township  clerk,  serving  in  that  capacity  for  two 
years,  while  for  one  term,  from  1903  until  1906,  he  acted  as  county  supervisor. 
For  twenty-two  years  he  was  secretary  of  the  Cleona  township  schools,  and  for 
eleven  years  served  as  director  of  district  No.  7,  the  cause  of  education  finding 
in  him  a  stalwart  champion.  In  every  instance  he  entered  upon  his  official  duties 
with  the  same  spirit  of  thoroughness  and  diligence  that  characterized  him  in  the 
conduct  of  his  business  affairs,  and  met  the  responsibilities  that  rested  upon  him 
in  his  official  capacity  in  a  way  that  not  only  brought  honor  to  himself  but  reflected 
credit  upon  his  constituents.  Public-spirited  in  citizenship,  his  devotion  to  the 
public  good  has  ever  remained  unquestioned,  and  Cleona  township  has  profited 
by  his  efforts  in  her  behalf  and  numbers  him  among  her  most  valued  and  re- 
spected citizens. 


WALTER  H.  PETERSEN. 

Although  one  of  the  younger  members  of  the  Davenport  bar,  Walter  H.  Pe- 
tersen has  made  a  creditable  record  as  one  whose  ability  enables  him  to  success- 
fully cope  with  the  intricate  problems  of  jurisprudence  and  to  meet  in  forensic 
combat  those  who  have  long  been  established  in  practice.  He  was  born  in  Daven- 
port, October  6,  1877,  ^"d  is  a  son  of  Max  D.  ancl  Caroline  (Runge)  Petersen, 
by  whom  excellent  educational  privileges  were  afforded  him.  After  passing 
through  consecutive  grades  in  the  public  schools  to  his  graduation  from  the  high 
school  with  the  class  of  1895,  he  pursued  an  academic  course  in  the  State  Uni- 
versity and  afterward  entered  the  law  school  of  the  same  institution,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  with  the  Bachelor  of  Law  degree  in  the  class  of  1901.  He  fur- 
ther prepared  for  his  profession  in  the  Harvard  Law  School  at  Cambridge,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  he  won  his  diploma  in  1902. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  447 

In  October  of  the  same  year  Mr.  Petersen  opened  an  office  in  Davenport  and 
soon  formed  a  partnership  with  Victor  L.  Littig,  under  the  firm  style  of  Littig 
&  Petersen.  Subsequently  he  was  associated  with  W.  M.  Chamberlin  and  the 
firm  of  Chamberlin  &  Petersen  enjoyed  a  growing  practice  until  June  15,  1907, 
when  they  severed  their  interests  and  Mr.  Petersen  has  since  practiced  alone. 
Success  has  attended  him  and  he  credits  any  such  favors  of  fortune  to  the 
habits  of  careful  preparation,  study  of  his  cases  from  the  side  of  law  and  evidence, 
the  arrangement  of  the  points  of  argument  and  strict  attention  to  business.  He 
possesses,  moreover,  superior  oratorical  ability,  his  fine  voice  giving  power  to 
his  natural  eloquence  and  thus  he  has  won  the  reputation  of  being  remarkably 
successful  with  juries  and  a  skillful  cross  examiner.  He  is  a  young  man  of  high 
ideals  in  his  profession  and  in  the  seven  years  of  his  practice  in  Davenport  has 
made  steady  progress.  He  is  seldom,  if  ever,  at  fault  in  the  application  of  a  legal 
principle  and  his  careful  analysis  enables  him  to  readily  determine  the  salient 
points  in  the  case  and  to  give  relative  value  to  each  point  in  his  argument  before 
court  or  jury. 

On  the  loth  of  June,  1903,  Mr.  Petersen  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Cass, 
a  native  of  Chicago.  He  belongs  to  the  Commercial  Club  and  to  various  social 
organizations,  including  the  Rock  Island,  the  Outing,  Automobile  and  Arsenal 
Golf  Clubs — associations  which  indicate  much  of  the  nature  of  his  interests  and 
recreation.  He  is  also  identified  with  business  organizations  and  he  attends  the 
Episcopal  church.  In  his  political  views  he  is  a  pronounced  republican  and  has 
done  much  active  campaign  work.  He  does  with  all  of  his  might  and  with  a 
sense  of  conscientious  obligation  whatever  his  hand  finds  to  do'  and  is  a  social, 
genial,  generous  man,  enthusiastically  devoted  to  the  interests  of  his  native  city 
and  taking  a  share  in  all  of  its  business  and  social  Hfe. 


JOHN  ARP. 


John  Arp,  who  is  engaged  in  general  farming  in  Winfield  township,  owning 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  productive  land  on  section  36,  started  out  in  busi- 
ness as  a  farm  hand  and  was  employed  at  breaking  prairie.  Gradually  he  has 
won  success,  however,  and  is  now  in  comfortable  financial  circumstances.  He 
was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  October  19,  1838,  and  is  a  son  of  Peter  and 
Wipke  Arp.  The  father  was  a  tailor  in  Germany  and  served  with  the  army  of 
that  country,  participating  in  the  Napoleonic  war.  He  remained  a  resident  of 
Germany  until  after  several  of  his  children  sought  homes  in  the  new  world. 
The  first  of  the  family  to  come  to  the  United  States  was  his  daughter  Anna, 
who  married  Henry  Bushna,  and  worked  for  Antoine  LeClaire.  Later  his  sons, 
Henry  and  Peter  Arp,  sought  a  home  in  the  new  world  and  in  1855  the  father 
with  the  others  of  the  family  crossed  the  briny  deep,  landing  at  Galveston,  Texas, 
whence  they  made  their  way  to  New  Orleans  and  from  that  point  up  the  Missis- 
sippi river  to  Davenport,  being  about  three  weeks  in  ascending  the  stream.  The 
father  never  engaged  in  business  after  coming  to  the  United  States  and  both  he 
and  his  wife  died  in  this  county 


448  •  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

John  Arp  acquired  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Germany  and  was  a  youth 
of  seventeen  years  at  the  time  of  the  emigration.  After  arriving  in  Scott  county 
he  secured  employment  as  a  farm  hand  and  at  breaking  prairie,  so  that  he  soon 
became  familiar  with  the  arduous  task  of  bringing  land  under  cultivation  for  the 
first  time.  In  1862  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account,  renting  a  place  in 
Winfield  township  from  Henry  Armil,  constituting  a  part  of  the  farm  which  is 
now  his  property.  Later  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  from  Mr.  Dow  and  sub- 
sequently purchased  eighty  acres  from  Mr.  Armil,  so  that  his  holdings  comprise 
a  quarter  section,  which  is  a  valuable  and  productive  property.  He  has  made 
all  of  the  extensive  improvements  upon  the  place  and  the  farm  is  lacking  in  none 
of  the  equipments  and  accessories  usually  found  on  a  model  farm  of  the  twen- 
tieth century.  Year  by  year  he  carefully  tilled  the  fields  but  at  a  more  recent 
date  practically  retired  from  farm  work,  employing  others  to  till  and  cultivate 
the  soil  and  harvest  the  crops,  although  he  gives  general  supervision  to  all  the 
work  that  is  carried  on. 

On  the  2d  of  May,  1864,  Mr.  Arp  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sophia 
D.  Vogt,  a  daughter  of  Carl  W.  and  Mary  Vogt,  of  Davenport,  who  came  from 
Germany  to  Scott  county  in  1864.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arp  have  become  the  parents 
of  four  children:  Mary,  the  wife  of  William  Fellener,  by  whom  she  has  seven 
children — ^Anna,  Alice,  Nettie,  Hattie,  Helen,  William  and  Mamie;  Wilhelmina, 
the  wife  of  William  Mohr,  of  Sheridan  township,  by  whom  she  has  four  children 
— ^Anna,  Alfred,  Elmer  and  Wilbert;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Henry  Gertz,  of  Eld- 
ridge,  by  whom  she  has  two  sons,  Harvey  and  Darwin;  and  Johannes,  at  home, 
who  wedded  Rose  Bluhm,  by  whom  he  has  two  daughters,  Thelma  and  Corinne. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arp  hold  membership  in  the  Lutheran  church  and  are  well  known 
in  this  community,  where  he  has  lived  for  fifty-five  years,  while  his  wife  has  been 
a  resident  of  Scott  county  for  forty-six  years.  His  life  has  been  one  of  untiring 
diligence,  crowned  with  success  and,  though  his  start  in  life  was  a  humble  one, 
he  has  come  to  be  recognized  as  one  of  the  substantial,  worthy  and  respected 
farmers  of  Winfield  township. 


JOHN  H.  BRUS. 


One  of  the  enterprising  farmers  of  Buffalo  township  is  John  H.  Brus,  who 
was  bom  in  Muscatine  county,  Iowa,  and  is  a  son  of  Rudolph  and  Adelheid 
(Bockhorst)  Brus.  The  father  was  born  in  Holland,  July  19,  1838,  and  at  the 
age  of  eight,  in  1846,  he  came  with  his  parents  to  this  country.  Like  so  many 
of  their  compatriots  the  family  landed  at  New  Orleans,  thence  made  their  way 
by  boat  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis,  where  they  disembarked  and  spent 
six  months,  so  that  it  was  not  until  the  spring  of  1847  that  they  reached  Scott 
county.  Here  in  Blue  Grass  township,  Theodore  Brus,  the  paternal  grandfather, 
bought  a  farm,  which  has  remained  in  the  possession  of  his  descendants  to  the 
present  and  is  the  home  of  a  grandson  Theodore  and  his  mother.  On  that  place 
Rudolph  Brus  grew  to  young  manhood,  witnessing  and  participating  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  county,  which  was  rapidly  progressing  during  those  years. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  449 

In  1864,  in  Davenport  he  wedded  Miss  Adelheid  Bockhorst,  who  was  bom  in 
Prussia,  Germany,  in  1843,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Henry  Bockhorst,  who  had  come 
to  this  country  and  taken  up  his  residence  in  Scott  county,  Iowa.  In  1874  Mr. 
Brus  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  upon  the  Hne  between  Blue 
Grass  and  Hickory  Grove  townships.  That  farm  remained  his  home  throughout 
the  rest  of  his  life  and  is  now  the  residence  of  his  widow  and  their  two  sons, 
Frank  and  Bernard,  and  their  daughter.  Rudolph  Brus  died  in  1892,  and  with 
his  demise.  Blue  Grass  township  lost  one  of  its  valued  citizens  and  successful 
agriculturists. 

John  H.  Brus  was  reared  upon  the  farm  his  father  had  bought.  He  was  en- 
rolled as  a  pupil  in  the  public  schools  of  his  district,  although  no  more  time  than 
was  necessary  was  devoted  to  the  preparation  of  lessons,  for  there  was  always 
labor  to  be  accomplished  around  the  home.  He  lived  with  his  family,  operating 
the  place  after  the  death  of  his  father  until  1900,  when,  having  married,  he  was 
desirous  of  establishing  a  home  of  his  own.  Accordingly  he  went  to  Hickory 
Grove  township,  where  he  rented  property,  and  then,  after  two  years'  experience, 
came  to  Buffalo  township,  where  he  purchased  the  fine  farm  he  and  his  wife  own 
and  which  has  been  their  home  since.  He  has  cultivated  the  soil  with  skill  and 
profit  and  is  rapidly  rising  to  a  position  of  importance  among  the  men  engaged 
in  a  similar  occupation. 

It  was  in  1900  that  Mr.  Brus  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lena  Brus,  a 
daughter  of  Jacob  Brus,  from  whom  the  young  couple  acquired  their  home.  They 
have  become  the  parents  of  five  children,  namely:  Adeline,  Raymond,  Velma, 
Walter  and  Marie. 

Since  old  enough  to  exercise  the  franchise  right  of  an  American  citizen,  Mr. 
Brus  has  adhered  to  the  principles  of  the  republican  party,  and  on  its  ticket  was 
elected  to  membership  on  the  school  board,  which  he  still  holds.  While  he  was 
still  a  resident  of  Blue  Grass  township  he  was  also  identified  with  public  interests, 
for  then  he  served  as  road  supervisor.  A  member  of  the  Catholic  faith,  he  be- 
longs to  the  congregation  of  St.  Joseph's  in  the  city  of  Davenport.  Having  ful- 
filled the  pubhc  trust  imposed  upon  him  with  credit  to  himself  and  the  satisfac- 
tion of  his  fellow  citizens,  Mr.  Brus  enjoys  the  respect  of  those  associated  with 
him  in  occupation,  while  the  success  which  has  come  to  him  has  won  their  admir- 
ation. 


A'.  E.  WALSH. 


Prominent  among  the  energetic,  farsighted  and  successful  business  men  of 
Davenport  is  A.  E.  Walsh,  whose  ability  has  been  demonstrated  both  in  connec- 
tion with  the  profession  of  the  law  and  in  the  establishment  and  control  of  im- 
portant financial  interests.  He  is  now  best  known  to  the  general  public  as  the  vice 
president  of  the  Citizens  Trust  &  Savings  Bank.  His  birth  occurred  in  Clinton, 
Iowa,  January  24,  1874.  His  father,  Anthony  Walsh,  a  native  of  Ireland,  came 
to  the  United  States  in  1852  and  settled  in  Davenport,  where  for  a  few  years  he 
was  connected  with  the  law  offices  of  Judge  Grant.  He  afterward  removed  to 
Clinton  county,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  for  a  few  years  and  then  took  up 


450  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

his  abode  in  the  city  of  Clinton  in  order  to  provide  his  children  with  better  educa- 
tional facilities.  There  he  turned  his  attention  to  merchandising  and  for  many 
years  has  been  numbered  among  the  progressive  and  prosperous  business  men  of 
that  place.  He  married  Josephine  Carroll,  who  was  born  in  Ireland  and  in  her 
girlhood  days  accompanied  her  parents  when  they  settled  in  Le  Claire,  this 
county. 

Spending  his  boyhood  days  under  the  parental  roof,  A.  E.  Walsh  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools  of  Clinton  and  after  completing  his  more  specifically 
literary  course  took  up  the  study  of  law  in  the  University  of  Iowa,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1896.  There  were  six  children  in  the  family,  all 
of  whom  became  lawyers.  They  maintain  an  office,  although  they  are  men  of 
many  affairs  and  do  nothing  in  law  practice  except  corporation  work.  They  are 
men  in  whom  the  initiative  spirit  is  strong,  leading  to  the  establishment  and  oper- 
ation of  successful  business  ventures,  and  in  1906  they  assisted  in  organizing  the 
Citizens  Trust  &  Savings  Bank,  of  which  E.  C.  Walsh  is  the  president,  A.  E. 
Walsh  vice  president,  W.  T.  Brownlie  cashier  and  C.  J.  Calnan  assistant  cashier. 

A.  E.  Walsh  is  also  prominent  in  fraternal  and  club  circles.  He  is  lecturer  of 
the  Knights  of  Columbus,  treasurer  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians  and  dep- 
uty high  chief  ranger  of  the  Foresters.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Commercial  Club 
of  Davenport  and  to  the  Davenport  Outing  Qub  and  takes  active  interest  as  a 
cooperant  factor  in  many  projects  and  movements  which  are  instituted  for  the 
benefit  of  the  city  and  the  development  of  its  business  connections. 


STUTELEY  P.  STAGEY. 

Stuteley  P.  Stacey  was  numbered  among  the  early  settlers  of  Scott  county, 
where  he  arrived  in  1850.  Only  four  years  before  had  the  state  been  admitted 
to  the  Union  and,  while  settlements  had  been  made  along  the  Mississippi  and  in 
central  Iowa,  there  were  still  great  undeveloped  and  unimproved  districts  in 
western  Iowa.  Mr.  Stacey  was  bom  June  19,  1822,  at  West  Point,  New  York, 
and  pursued  his  education  there,  retaining  his  residence  in  the  east  until  about 
twenty-eight  years  of  age,  when  he  came  to  this  county  and  established  his  home 
in  Pleasant  Valley  township.  There  he  purchased  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  and  brought  his  fields  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation, 
carefully  carrying  on  his  work  as  the  years  passed  by.  He  studied  the 
soil,  understood  the  requirements  of  different  grains  and  by  the  careful  rota- 
tion and  care  of  his  crops  succeeded  in  gathering  good  harvests  each  year.  The 
greater  part  of  his  life  was  given  to  general  farming  and  upon  his  original  home- 
stead he  resided  for  thirty-eight  years,  or  until  1888,  when  he  sold  the  property 
to  Mr.  Hess. 

While  residing  upon  the  farm  Mr.  Stacey  served  for  a  long  period  as  asses- 
sor of  his  township.  He  was  also  a  member  of  ^the  school  board  and  was  inter- 
ested in  all  measures  and  movements  for  the  benefit  of  the  community. 

Mr.  Stacey  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Agnes  Van  Epps,  who  came  to  this 
county  with  her  father,  Charles  Van  Epps,  from  Schenectady  county.  New  York, 


STTTKLEY   1'.   STACEY 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  453 

where  she  was  born.  They  arrived  in  1853  but  the  father  was  not  long  permitted 
to  enjoy  his  new  home,  for  a  year  afterward  he  passed  away.  His  widow,  how- 
ever, survived  for  many  years  and  was  long  a  resident  of  Scott  county.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stacey  were  born  three  children,  but  all  died  in  infancy.  Mrs. 
Stacey  has  spent  the  greater  part  of  her  life  in  Scott  county  and  since  her  hus- 
band's death  has  made  her  home  in  Davenport.  She  enjoys  a  wide  acquaintance 
and  has  a  large  circle  of  warm  friends.  She  has  long  been  an  earnest  champion 
of  the  cause  of  temperance  and  is  an  active  worker  in  the  Women's  Christian 
Temperance  Union. 

Mr.  Stacey  was  a  devoted  member  and  loyal  supporter  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  his  life  conformed  to  its  teachings.  For  forty  years  he  was  an  ex- 
emplary member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  in  politics  he 
was  a  republican  from  the  organization  of  the  party.  His  life  was  character- 
ized by  a  worthy  charity  that  prompted  him  ever  to  extend  a  helping  hand  to  the 
poor  and  needy.  He  died  May  21,  i88g,  and  thus  closed  a  life  record  that  in  all 
of  its  relations  measured  up  to  the  full  standard  of  upright,  honorable  manhood. 
While  he  never  sought  to  figure  prominently  in  public  affairs,  he  never  neglected 
the  performance  of  his  daily  duties,  nor  was  he  ever  inconsiderate  or  forgetful 
of  the  rights  and  privileges  of  others.  On  the  contrary,  he  was  always  willing  to 
aid  a  fellow  traveler  on  life's  journey  and  his  life  record  was  crowned  with  the 
memory  of  many  good  deeds  as  well  as  unassailable  honor  and  integrity  in 
business  affairs. 


JAMES  PAUSTIAN. 


James  Paustian,  a  successful  farmer  of  Hickory  Grove  township,  is  one  of 
its  native  sons,  for  here  his  birth  occurred  October  25,  1863.  His  parents,  Fred- 
erick and  Christian  (Roehs)  Paustian,  were  natives  of  the  fatherland,  the  former 
having  been  born  in  Holstein,  January  14,  1820,  the  latter  in  the  same  province, 
August  25,  1825.  In  the  place  of  their  birth  they  were  reared  to  maturity  and 
were  there  married,  coming  to  this  country  in  1851  shortly  after  their  union. 
They  settled  on  a  farm  in  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  Mr.  Paustian  devoted  himself 
assiduously  to  tilling  the  soil,  although  for  the  first  years,  in  conjunction  with  it, 
he  followed  his  trade  as  a  mason  to  some  extent.  As  the  years  passed  he  became 
a  prosperous  man,  who  enjoyed  the  respect  of  his  fellow  citizens  and  especially 
of  those  pioneers  of  Scott  county  who  had  watched  his  labors  in  the  early  days. 
He  died  January  27,  1885,  while  his  wife  survived  until  July  21,  1900.  They 
were  both  well  advanced  in  age  when  their  lives  were  ended. 

Twelve  children  were  bom  to  them,  ten  of  whom  now  survive,  namely :  Caro- 
line, who  is  the  wife  of  Martin  Greenwood,  of  Cleona  township;  Fred,  who 
resides  in  Minnesota ;  August,  of  Hickory  Grove  township ;  Emma,  the  wife  of 
Christ  Paustian,  of  Cleona  township ;  Louis,  who  resides  in  Cedar  county,  Iowa ; 
Sophii,  the  wife  of  William  Buhmann,  of  Bryan,  Ohio;  James,  subject  of  this 
sketch;'  Charles,  a  farmer  of  Hickory  Grove  township;  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Her- 


454  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

man  Meinert,  of  Cleona  township;  and  Bertha,  the  wife  of  Henry  Paulsen,  of 
Muscatine  county,  Iowa. 

As  well  as  being  his  birthplace  Hickory  Grove  township  has  also  been  the 
home  of  James  Paustian  throughout  life.  In  the  district  schools  here  he  received 
his  early  education  and  at  the  same  time  he  was  fitted  for  the  responsibilities  of 
life  practically  through  the  assistance  he  rendered  his  father  in  the  operation  of 
the  homestead.  Upon  the  death  of  the  latter,  when  James  Paustian  was  twenty- 
one  year  of  age,  he  and  his  brother  assumed  the  management  of  the  paternal 
farm,  which  they  conducted  for  the  next  four  years.  At  the  expiration  of  that 
period,  they  severed  their  partnership  and  James  Paustian  came  to  the  place  on 
which  he  now  lives.  It  is  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  19,  Hickory  Grove  township.  Here  he  pursues  general  farm- 
ing, raising  a  quantity  of  stock  for  the  market  in  addition.  While  these  occu- 
pations demand  a  great  deal  of  his  time  and  thought,  he  is  also  interested  as  a 
stockholder  in  the  Farmers  Elevator  at  Walcott  and  has  been  able  to  render  effi- 
cient service  to  his  fellow  citizens,  for  during  a  period  of  three  years  he  was 
school  director. 

On  the  27th  of  February,  1895,  Mr.  Paustian  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Anna  Martens,  who  was  born  in  Mecklenburg,  Germany,  September  6,  1874. 
Upon  the  24th  of  October,  1881,  she  and  her  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fritz  Mar- 
tens, came  to  Scott  county,  which  has  since  been  their  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Paustian  have  eight  children:  Minnie  C,  Sophia  M.,  Bernhard  P.,  Caroline  A'., 
Walter  E.,  Harry  F.,  Bertha  D.  and  Edna  A. 

Mr.  Paustian  belongs  to  the  lodge  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  at  Walcott,  tak- 
ing a  vital  interest  in  its  affairs.  The  improvements  upon  his  farm  and  the  con- 
dition of  the  fields,  rather  than  their  extent,  evince  his  skill  as  a  farmer,  and  he 
has  the  respect  and  good  will  of  those  who  are  associated  with  him. 


W.  R.  MAINES. 


W.  R.  Maines,  for  fifteen  years  a  member  of  the  Davenport  bar  and  now 
serving  as  justice  of  the  peace,  to  which  position  he  was  elected  in  1906,  was  bom 
in  Ashland,  Kentucky,  May  10,  1874.  His  father,  P.  M.  Maines,  was  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania  and  when  a  young  man  went  to  Kentucky,  being  employed  as  a 
steamboat  engineer  during  his  residence  there.  In  1875  he  came  to  Iowa  and 
after  one  year  spent  in  Clinton  removed  to  Le  Claire,  Scott  county,  where  he 
resided  for  a  few  years.  He  then  took  up  his  abode  in  Princeton,  this  county, 
later  coming  to  Davenport,  where  he  continued  as  a  steamboat  engineer  until  his 
death  in  February,  1909.  He  was  a  well  known  river  man,  having  a  wide  ac- 
quaintance from  St.  Paul  to  New  Orleans,  being  on  the  river  in  the  palmy  and 
exciting  days  of  steamboating  when  the  Mississippi  was  the  principal  means  of 
travel  from  north  to  south  and  the  vessels  which  plied  its  waters  were  well  termed 
floating  palaces.    He  married  Nannie  E.  Gray,  a  native  of  Virginia. 

Brought  to  Iowa  when  but  a  year  old,  W.  R.  Maines  largely  pursued  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  of  Princeton  and  completed  his  more  specifically  lit- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  455 

erary  course  in  Cornell  College,  at  Mount  Vernon,  Iowa.  Wishing  to  make  the 
practice  of  law  his  life  work,  he  began  reading  in  the  office  of  W.  M.  Chamberlin, 
and  later  entered  the  State  University  at  Iowa  City,  where  he  spent  one  year. 
In  1895  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  immediately  afterward  opened  an  office  in 
Davenport,  where  he  has  since  remained.  For  five  years  he  engaged  in  practice 
with  Fred  VoUmer,  under  the  firm  style  of  Maines  &  Vollmer,  but  since  that  time 
has  been  alone.  In  1906  he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  and  now  presides  in 
fair  and  impartial  manner  over  the  justice  court  in  addition  to  attending  to  the 
duties  of  his  law  practice.  Earnest  application  and  unflagging  diligence  have 
constituted  the  basis  of  his  progress  and  success.  He  chose  as  a  life  work  a  pro- 
fession in  which  advancement  depends  entirely  upon  individual  effort  and,  realiz- 
ing this  fact,  has  labored  intelligently  and  persistently  to  attain  the  creditable 
position  which  he  now  occupies  as  a  strong  representative  of  the  Davenport  bar. 
Mr.  Maines  has  always  been  an  active  politician  but  not  an  office  seeker.  He 
belongs  to  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  is  a  Past  Worthy 
President  of  the  local  aerie  of  Eagles.  He  is  likewise  connected  with  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  the  Woodmen  of  the  World,  the 
Order  of  Owls  and  Knights  of  the  Maccabees.  In  1903  he  married  Louise  A. 
Koch,  a  native  of  Rock  Island  and  a  daughter  of  Anthony  Koch  of  that  city. 


FREDERICK  LAMBACH,  M.  D. 

■fs. 

Dr.  Frederick  Lambach,  commissioner  of  insanity  for  Scott  county  and  one 
of  the  successful  and  well  known  members  of  the  medical  fraternity  of  Daven- 
port, was  born  in  Le  Claire,  Iowa,  April  4,  1866.     He  represents  one  of  the  old 
pioneer  families  of  this  part  of  the  state.     His  father,  Frederick  Lambach,  was 
born  in  Germany  and  in  1848,  when  a  young  man,  came  to  the  new  world  with 
his  sister  Elnora.     They  made  their  way  to  Scott  county,  where  their  two  broth- 
ers, Christian  and  Henry,  had  already  preceded  them,  being  located  in  Le  Claire. 
Two  other  brothers,  Charles  and  Francis,  afterward  came  and  likewise  settled 
in  Le  Claire,  where  all  engaged  in  farming.     Frederick  Lambach,  Sr.,  was  an 
engineer  and  master  builder,  as  was  his  father  before  him,  and  in  fact  the  family 
have  been  connected  with  building  and  engineering  projects    for    generations. 
Frederick  Lambach  continued  to  engage  in  business  along  that  line  for  a  number 
of  years  and  in  1870  turned  his  attention  to  general    agricultural    pursuits    in 
Princeton  township.     He  was  identified  with  farming  until  1894,  when  he  retired 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport,  where  he  passed  away  in  1895  at  the  age  of 
seventy-one  years.     In  politics  he  was  a  republican  but  the  honors  and  emolu- 
ments of  office  had  no  attraction  for  him.     Well  known,  he  was  also  uniformly 
respected,  for  his  life  was  the  exemplification  of  those  principles  and  characteris- 
tics which  in  every  land  and  clime  command  regard.     His  wife,  who  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Sophia  Puis,  was  a  native   of    Mecklenburg,    Germany.     Her 
father,  Christian  Puis,  settled  in  Blue  Grass  in  1850,  and  in  this  state  she  gave  her 
hand  in  marriage  to  Mr.  Lambach.     Her  death  occurred  in  1900,  when  she  had 


456  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

reached  the  age  of  sixty-one  years.  In  the  family  were  four  children,  Ida,  Gus- 
tav.  Frederick  and  Robert,  but  the  last  named  died  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years. 

To  the  public  school  system  Dr.  Lambach  is  indebted  for  his  early  educational 
privileges.  He  attended  the  country  schools  of  Princeton  township  and  after- 
ward entered  the  Davenport  high  school,  from  which  he  was  graduated  with  the 
class  of  1884.  He  had  already  determined  upon  the  practice  of  medicine  as  his 
life  work  and  in  the  same  year  matriculated  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1887.  He  then  spent  one  year  in  St.  Mary's 
Hospital  in  Philadelphia  and  the  broad  and  varied  experience  of  hospital  prac- 
tice well  qualified  him  for  the  onerous  duties  which  devolved  upon  him  when  he 
took  up  the  private  practice  of  medicine  in  Le  Claire.  There  he  remained  for 
nine  years  and  in  1897  came  to  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  resided.  His 
ability  is  evidenced  in  the  liberal  patronage  accorded  him,  for  he  now  has  a  good 
general  practice.  He  served  as  county  coroner  from  1897  until  1908  and  was 
again  called  to  office  on  the  death  of  the  late  Dr.  Middleton,  being  appointed  as 
successor  in  the  position  of  commissioner  of  insanity.  He  keeps  in  touch  with 
the  progress  of  the  medical  fraternity  through  his  membership  in  the  County, 
State  and  National  Medical  Societies. 

In  1888  Dr.  Lambach  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  'Allen,  a  representative  of  a 
leading  New  Jersey  family  and  of  Revolutionary  stock.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Lambach 
have  one  son,  Carl  H.  Fraternally  the  Doctor  is  connected  with  Trinity  Lodge, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  Davenport  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.  He  is  also  a  popular  member 
of  the  Shooting  Club  and  other  societies  and  has  those  traits  of  character  which 
readily  win  friends,  while  his  genuine  worth  enables  him  to  retain  the  high  regard 
that  is  at  once  tendered  him.  He  has  worked  earnestly  to  secure  the  success  that 
is  his,  becoming  worthy  of  a  liberal  patronage  by  comprehensive  study  and  con- 
scientious performance  of  every  professional  duty. 


FRITZ  BERNICK. 


Fritz  Bernick  is  successfully  engaged  in  farming  in  Buffalo  township  and  is 
well  known  as  a  raiser  of  Scotch  shorthorn  cattle,  to  which  line  of  business  he 
gives  much  of  his  time.  A  farm  in  Blue  Grass  township,  Scott  county,  was  the 
place  of  his  nativity,  his  natal  day  being  December  29,  1857.  His  father,  Moritz 
Bernick,  was  born  in  Germany,  November  24,  1818.  He  was  married  in  that 
country  to  Miss  Catherine  E.  Reckler,  who  was  born  July  26,  1826,  the  wedding 
ceremony  being  performed  in  the  year  1846.  They  began  their  domestic  life  in 
the  land  of  their  birth  and  there  remained  until  1857,  when,  the  father  believing 
he  could  provide  a  better  living  for  himself  and  family  in  the  new  world,  they 
set  sail  for  America  and  upon  their  arrival  here  at  once  made  their  way  to  Scott 
county,  Iowa.  The  father  rented  land  of  a  Mr.  Newcomb  in  Blue  Grass  town- 
ship and  continued  its  operation  until  1866,  when  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land 
in  Muscatine  county,  this  state,  to  which  he  removed.  He  was  very  successful 
in  his  farming  operations  and  became  a  prominent  and  influential  citizen  of  that 
section  of  the  state.    There  are  four  living  members  of  the  family,  those  beside 


FKIl'Z   J!El;XI(  l\ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  459 

our  subject  being:  Moritz,  a  farmer  of  Muscatine  county;  Adolf,  who  lives  in 
Cedar  county,  Iowa;  and  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Charles  Sheelie,  a  resident  of 
Davenport. 

Fritz  Bernick'  was  reared  on  the  farm  in  Blue  Grass  township  to  the  age  of 
nine  years,  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal  to  their  newly  ac- 
quired tract  of  land  in  Muscatine  county,  and  it  was  in  the  district  schools  of  the 
latter  place  that  he  acquired  his  early  education,  completing  his  studies  in  Daven- 
port in  1871.  On  putting  aside  his  text-books  he  returned  to  the  home  farm  in 
Muscatine  county  and  for  a  decade  worked  for  his  father.  During  this  time  he 
gained  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  best  methods  of  farming  so  that  when  he 
started  out  independently  he  was  well  qualified  for  carrying  on  a  successful 
business. 

In  1881  he  established  a  home  of  his  own  by  his  marriage  to  Miss  Melinda 
.  Harsch,  a  daughter  of  Emanuel  Harsch,  who  was  born  in  Wurtemburg,  Ger- 
many, November  7,  1823,  and  located  in  Scott  county  in  1852.  He  still  owns  a 
farm  in  Buffalo  township,  which  is  operated  by  Mr.  Bernick,  and  he  makes  his 
home  with  his  daughter  and  her  husband. 

Mr.  Bernick  prior  to  his  marriage  had  made  arrangements  to  farm  his 
father-in-law's  place  and  immediately  after  that  important  event  in  his  life  he 
took  up  his  abode  thereon.  He  has  since  purchased  land  in  the  same  neighbor- 
hood and  altogether  has  under  his  supervision  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres, 
most  of  which  is  under  cultivation  but  a  portion  of  the  land  is  devoted  to  pastur- 
age, for  he  is  engaged  in  breeding  and  raising  Scotch  shorthorn  cattle,  making  a 
specialty  of  this  branch  of  business.  Mr.  Bernick  also  owns  a  section  of  land 
in  Kansas,  buying  this  in  1886,  and  he  likewise  owns  a  section  in  Canada. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bernick  has  been  blessed  with  five  sons  and 
one  daughter,  namely:  Fritz,  who  is  an  electrical  engineer  in  the  employ  of  the 
Ames  Electric  Company  at  Ames,  Iowa;  Emanuel  H.,  who  is  in  Downey,  this 
state ;  and  Benjamin  H.,  Henry  H.,  Charlie  and  Lulu  M.,  all  at  home. 

Mr.  Bernick  is  a  democrat  and  takes  an  active  interest  in  public  affairs.  In 
1906  he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  while  for  the  past  ten  years  he  has 
served  as  township  trustee  and  school  director.  He  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the 
Blue  Grass  Savings  Bank.  His  life  has  been  one  of  continuous  activity,  in 
which  has  been  accorded  due  recognition  of  labor,  and  today  he  is  numbered 
among  the  substantial  citizens  of  Scott  county.  His  interests  are  thoroughly 
identified  with  those  of  his  county  and  at  all  times  he  is  ready  to  lend  his  aid 
and  cooperation  to  any  movement  calculated  to  benefit  this  section  of  the  coun- 
try or  advance  its  wonderful  development. 


JAMES  G.  MADDEN. 


James  G.  Madden  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  capable  and  enterprising  business 
men  of  Scott  county,  now  engaged  in  buying  and  selling  stock  in  partnership  with 
the  Brownlee  brothers.  All  his  life  has  been  devoted  to  farming  and  stock-rais- 
ing and  he  has  labored  diligently  and  earnestly  to  attain  the  success  which  is 


460  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

now  his,  making  him  recognized  as  one  of  the  substantial  residents  of  Winfield 
township. 

It  was  in  that  township  that  his  birth  occurred  May  i8,  1858,  his  parents  being 
John  and  Ellen  (Spencer)  Madden,  who  were  early  settlers  here  and  were  long 
numbered  among  the  highly  respected  residents  of  the  county.  The  father  was 
born  in  Wigton,  Cumberland,  England,  August  8,  1817,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen 
years  became  apprenticed  to  a  boot  and  shoemaker  of  Liverpool,  serving  for  a 
seven  years'  term.  It  was  the  custom  in  those  days  for  the  parents  to  pay  to  have 
their  sons  instructed  in  a  trade  and  such  were  the  terms  of  Mr.  Madden's  appren- 
ticeship. After  he  had  completed  the  term  of  service  he  began  business  on  his 
own  account  in  Liverpool,  having  a  store  near  the  famous  Royal  theater  in  that 
city.  There  he  made  a  specialty  of  furnishing  "leather  wear"  for  actors  and 
actresses.  He  made  everything  in  the  line  of  leather  goods  used  by  the  pro- 
fession and  in  that  way  became  acquainted  with  all  the  eminent  players  and  sing- 
ers of  that  period — the  '40s.  He  knew  Charles  Kean,  Ellen  Tree,  Macready  Cres- 
wick,  Phelps,  Anderson  and  Mrs.  Warner  among  the  actors,  and  Adelaide  Kem- 
ble,  Jenny  Lind,  Persiam,  Grise,  Mario,  Rubini,  Sontag,  Henry  Phillips,  Lablache 
and  Clara  Novilio  among  the  singers.  He  was  acquainted  with  the  stage  man- 
agers of  the  Theater  Royal  and  was  often  behind  the  scenes  on  big  nights.  His 
reminiscences  of  those  days  and  of  the  famous  players  and  singers  were  most  in- 
teresting, for  he  had  met  many  of  them  personally  and  could  relate  many 
anecdotes  concerning  them.  Moreover,  he  was  an  excellent  critic  of  both  acting 
and  singing.  In  February,  1843,  John  Madden  wedded  Miss  Ellen  Spencer,  of 
Liverpool,  who  had  almost  as  extended  an  acquaintance  with  the  people  on  the 
stage  as  her  husband. 

In  the  spring  of  1850  Mr.  Madden  carried  out  the  plan  that  he  had  cherished 
for  some  time  of  coming  to  the  United  States  and  investing  his  savings  in  a  good 
farm.  He  landed  at  New  Orleans  on  the  20th  of  April,  accompanied  by  his  wife 
and  children,  and  proceeded  at  once  up  the  river,  arriving  at  Davenport  ten  days 
later.  He  then  purchased  the  farm  in  Winfield  township,  two  miles  west  of  Long 
Grove,  which  he  occupied  until  his  death.  He  took  out  his  first  naturalization 
papers  immediately  after  his  arrival  here  and  in  May,  1855,  received  his  second 
papers,  and  on  that  day  was  elected  township  clerk.  He  had  already  won  the 
high  regard  and  esteem  of  his  neighbors,  who  expressed  their  confidence  in  and 
regard  for  him  by  choosing  him  for  public  office.  From  that  time  forward, he  was 
almost  continuously  in  township  or  county  offices  and  for  more  than  twenty  years 
was  a  school  director.  In  business  he  was  an  energetic,  progressive  man,  in  his 
relations  with  his  fellowmen  was  kind  and  charitable  and  a  benevolent  spirit 
prompted  him  to  give  generous  aid  to  the  poor  and  needy.  He  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Scott  County  Agricultural  Society,  which  holds  its  fairs  at  Mount 
Joy,  served  as  a  director  of  the  society  for  four  years  and  as  its  secretary  for  three 
years.  His  first  wife  died  in  January,  1881,  and  in  February,  1882,  Mr.  Madden 
wedded  Mrs.  Rebecca  L.  Greer.  There  were  eleven  children  of  the  first  marriage, 
eight  of  whom  were  living  at  the  time  of  the  father's  death,  but  all  have  now 
passed  away  with  the  exception  of  Mrs.  Greer,  James  G.  Madden  of  this  review 
and  George  M.  The  death  of  Mr.  Madden,  in  September,  1884,  was  occasioned  by 
an  accident.    He  was  driving  home  from  Donahue  when  it  was  thought  his  horse 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  461 

became  frightened,  reared,  turned  and  ran,  going  westward  until  it  came  to  the 
house  of  Henry  Madden,  brother  of  the  deceased,  where  it  entered  the  yard.  The 
family  recognized  the  horse  and,  fearing  an  accident,  started  out  to  investigate, 
finding  Mr.  Madden  lying  dead  at  the  side  of  the  road.  His  demise  was  the  oc- 
casion of  very  deep  and  widespread  regret,  for  he  was  held  in  high  esteem  by 
all  who  knew  him.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Eastern  Iowa  and  Central  Illi- 
nois Bee  Keepers  Association  and  in  that  organization  he  made  many  friends 
and,  in  fact,  won  high  regard  wherever  he  went. 

James  G.  Madden,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  has  spent  his  entire 
life  in  Winfield  township  and  at  the  usual  age  entered  the  public  schools,  where- 
in he  pursued  his  education.  His  school  days  over,  he  remained  at  home  until 
his  marriage,  after  which  he  rented  the  farm  from  his  father,  who,  retiring  from 
active  business  life,  yet  continued  to  live  upon  the  old  homestead,  he  and  his  wife 
occupying  a  part  of  the  house.  For  four  years  after  his  father's  death  James 
G.  Madden  continued  to  rent  the  farm  from  the  other  heirs  and  then  purchased 
the  place,  comprising  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  rich  and  productive  land. 
He  devoted  his' energies  to  its  further  cultivation  until  the  holiday  season  of  1909, 
when  he  removed  to  his  present  home  in  Long  Grove,  which  he  purchased  from 
W.  T.  Brownlee.  During  the  greater  part  of  his  life  he  has  carried  on  general 
agricultural  pursuits,  but  is  now  concentrating  his  energies  upon  the  business  of 
stock  buying  in  partnership  with  the  Brownlee  brothers.  In  this  undertaking  he 
is  meeting  with  excellent  success.  He  is  also  one  of  the  stockholders  of  the 
Stockmens  Bank  of  Long  Grove  and  is  serving  on  its  advisory  board. 

On  the  15th  of  February,  1881,  Mr.  Madden  was  married  to  Miss  Maria 
Whistler,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Taylor)  Whistler.  Her  father 
was  born  in  the  county  of  Norfolk,  England,  September  30,  1813,  became  a  farmer 
of  that  country  and  was  married  in  England  in  September,  1845.  In  December, 
1854,  he  came  with  his  family  to  the  United  States,  landing  at  New  York,  whence 
he  made  his  way  direct  to  Scott  county,  where  he  resided  continuously  until  his 
death.  At  that  time  there  were  two  children  in  the  family,  Sarah  Ann  and  Chris- 
topher. On  reaching  Iowa  Mr.  Whistler  settled  in  Buffalo  township,  where  he 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  prairie  land,  on  which  he  built  a  house,  making  it  his 
home  for  a  number  of  years.  He  then  sold  out  in  1865  and  invested  in  eighty 
acres  in  Aliens  Grove  township.  Upon  that  farm  both  he  and  his  wife  spent 
their  remaining  days,  Mrs.  Whistler  passing  away  June  9,  1883,  at  the  age  of 
fifty-three  years,  while  Mr.  Whistler  died  February  21,  1891.  In  their  family 
were  five  children :  Sarah  Ann,  deceased ;  Christopher  S.,  who  is  living  in  Dona- 
hue; Mrs.  Jane  E.  Maw,  of  Donahue;  Mrs.  Madden;  and  Mrs.  AHce  Jackson, 
of  Nebraska.  At  the  time  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Whistler  one  of  the  local  papers 
said:  "In  the  death  of  Mr.  Whistler  the  community  has  lost  a  good  neighbor 
and  true  friend,  who  retained  his  trust  in  God's  holy  word  and  was  a  faithful 
believer  to  the  end."  His  daughter  Maria  was  bom  in  Buffalo  township,  this 
county,  October  7,  1857,  and  by  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Madden  has  become  the 
mother  of  three  children.  The  eldest,  Raymond  J.,  who  was  born  February  12, 
1882,  married  Anna  Johnson  and  has  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in 
Winfield  township,  whereon  he  resides  with  his  wife  and  two  sons,  Ralph  J.  and 
Clyde  R.    Emery  C.  Madden,  who  was  bom  December  2T,  1883,  married  Amanda 


462  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Elmergreen  and  lives  upon  the  old  home  place.    Nellie  M.,  bom  July  21,  1894, 
died  in  infancy  and  was  buried  in  the  Long  Grove  cemetery. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Madden  have  a  wide  acquaintance  in  Long  Grove  and  through- 
out the  county,  and  their  many  good  traits  of  heart  and  mind  have  won  for  them 
the  friendship  and  regard  of  all  with  whom  they  have  been  associated.  The 
hospitality  of  the  best  homes  is  cordially  extended  to  them  and  they  are  well 
worthy  of  mention  in  the  history  of  the  county  where  they  have  always  lived. 


CARL  F.  HASS. 


In  the  quarter  of  a  century  in  which  Carl  F.  Hass  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Davenport  bar  his  constantly  expanding  powers  have  brought  him  distinction  and 
honors.  He  is  now  senior  partner  of  the  law  firm  of  Hass  &  Hamann,  whose  cli- 
entage is  surpassed  by  none  in  extent  or  in  the  nature  of  the  litigated  interests  in- 
volved. Like  many  of  Davenport's  most  prominent  and  forceful  citizens,  Carl 
F.  Hass  was  a  native  of  Germany,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Lutjenburg,  Hol- 
stein,  on  the  3d  of  April,  1857.  He  spent  the  first  seven  years  of  his  life  in  that 
country  and  in  1864  came  to  America  with  his  father,  John  F.  Hass,  who  was 
born  in  Lutjenburg  in  1823.  He  had  there  married  Dorothea  Buhman  and  ere 
crossing  the  Atlantic  their  family  numbered  a  daughter  and  son.  A  number  of 
their  German  neighbors  accompanied  them,  so  that  there  was  quite  a  little  colony 
that  left  the  fatherland  for  the  United  States.  John  F.  Hass  was  a  shoemaker 
and  followed  his  trade  industriously  until  1885,  when  he  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness life,  spending  fourteen  years  in  the  enjoyment  of  well  earned  rest,  after 
which  he  was  called  to  his  final  home  in  1899.  His  widow  still  survives,  as  do 
the  daughter  and  son,  the  former  being  Mrs.  Caroline  Stieger,  of  this  city. 

After  coming  to  Davenport  with  his  parents  Carl  F.  Hass  entered  the  public 
schools,  graduated  at  a  comparatively  early  age  and  began  clerking  in  a  mercan- 
tile establishment.  He  determined,  however,  to  obtain  a  thorough  business  edu- 
cation and  to  this  end  attended  the  Montague  &  Lillibridge  Business  College.  In 
1874  he  became  a  clerk  in  the  law  office  of  Bills  &  Block  and  utilized  his  leisure 
hours  for  the  study  of  law,  being  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1882.  He  remained  with 
the  firm,  however,  until  January  i,  1883,  when  he  entered  the  office  of  W.  J. 
Birchard,  clerk  of  the  district  and  circuit  courts,  as  his  deputy,  there  continuing 
until  April  i,  1884.  On  that  date  he  returned  to  the  office  in  which  he  had  for- 
merly been  a  student  and  clerk,  there  remaining  until  the  dissolution  of  the  firm, 
when  he  was  admitted  to  partnership  relations  by  Mr.  Bills,  the  new  firm  of 
Bills  &  Hass  maintaining  a  continuous  existence  until  the  death  of  the  senior  part- 
ner in  1897.  Mr.  Hass  was  then  alone  in  practice  two  years,  or  until  the  31st  of 
July,  1899,  when  he  was  joined  by  A.  W.  Hamann  in  forming  the  present  firm 
of  Hass  &  Hamann.  The  trend  of  his  mind  is  analytical,  logical  and  inductive. 
He  readily  sees  the  relation  of  cause  and  efifect,  his  application  of  legal  principles 
is  seldom,  if  ever,  at  fault  and  his  legal  opinion  and  statements  are  seldom  ques- 
tioned seriously.  His  legal  practice  is  directed  more  particularly  to  the  settle- 
ment and  management  of  estates. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  463 

In  1883  Mr.  Hass  was  married  to  Miss  Minnie  M.  Wriedt,  a  native  of  Scott 
county  and  a  daughter  of  Claus  and  Anna  (Behrens)  Wriedt.  Mr.  Hass  belongs 
to  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  the  Turners  Society.  He  is 
interested  in  the  problems  of  politics  but  not  in  the  active  work  of  the  party  to  the 
extent  of  giving  much  time  to  effort  for  the  election  of  its  candidates.  However, 
he  is  not  unmindful  of  the  gravity  of  many  municipal  problems  and  the  weight  of 
his  influence  is  cast  on  the  side  of  reform,  improvement  and  continuous  progres- 
sion. He  has  been  characterized  as  "quiet,  reflective,  reticent ;  a  doer  rather  than 
a  talker,  direct  and  lucid  in  conversation ;  steady,  sure  and  safe."  Such  an  ex- 
pression from  those  who  have  long  known  him  is  perhaps  the  best  summary  of  his 
character. 


BEN  HARVEY  SCHMIDT,  M.  D. 

With  determined  and  commendable  purpose  to  reach  a  worthy  place  in  the 
medical  profession  in  his  native  city.  Dr.  B.  H.  Schmidt  entered  upon  active 
practice  in  Davenport'  in  1898,  since  which  time  his  course  has  been  marked  by  a 
steady  progression  that  has  won  him  an  extensive  clientele  in  the  tri-cities.  He 
was  born  in  Davenport,  June  15,  1875,  and  is  the  youngest  of  the  six  living  chil- 
dren of  Hugo  and  Zella  (Koehler)  Schmidt,  who  were  natives  of  the  province 
of  Westphalia,  in  Germany.  They  came  to  America  in  their  childhood  days  and 
were  niarried  in  Davenport.  In  the  maternal  line  the  ancestry  of  the  family  is 
traced  back  to  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century.  The  father  figured  for 
a  number  of  years  as  one  of  the  leading  and  distinguished  bankers  and  merchants 
of  this  city.  He  was  at  dififerent  times  connected  as  cashier  with  the  Citizens 
and  First  National  Banks,  on  which  his  personality  left  a  deep  and  lasting  bene- 
ficial impress.  Later  he  became  the  owner  and  manager  of  an  extensive  cracker 
business  and  continued  in  that  line  until  his  death,  which  was  occasioned  by  an 
accident.     His  children  are  all  yet  residents  of  this  city. 

Dr.  Schmidt,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  pursued  his  literary  course 
in  the  public  schools  of  Davenport,  passing  through  the  grammar  grades  to  the 
high  school.  He  early  determined  to  become  a  physician  and,  with  this  end  in 
view,  when  fifteen  years  of  age  entered  the  office  of  Dr.  Hageboeck  as  a  student. 
Subsequently  he  matriculated  in  Rush  Medical  College  at  Chicago  and  was  grad- 
uated therefrom  with  the  class  of  1897,  after  which  he  went  to  pursue 
post-graduate  work  in  Vienna  and  Berlin.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1898  he 
returned  to  America  and  opened  an  office  in  Davenport.  From  the  beginning  his 
success  was  assured  because  he  had  in  him  those  qualities  which  overcame  all 
difficulties  and  obstacles  and  pressed  steadily  forward  to  the  goal.  Added  to  a 
thorough  preparatory  training  he  had  a  natural  adaptability  and  his  energy  and 
industry  were  moreover  numbered  among  his  chief  characteristics.  Under  Mayor 
Waldo  Becker  he  was  made  city  physician  in  1901  and  served  until  1903.  This 
entailed  membership  in  the  board  of  health  and  constituted  him  adviser  thereto. 
Smallpox  becoming  epidemic  in  Davenport  during  his  term  of  office,  his  skill  as  a 
physician  and  as  an  official  received  rigorous    test   and   the    result    redounded 


464  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

greatly  to  his  credit.  He  has  always  devoted  his  attention  to  the  general  prac- 
tice of  medicine  and  surgery,  having  many  patrons  in  the  tri-cities,'  while  his  pro- 
fessional service  is  constantly  increasing  in  volume  and  importance.  Progress 
is  the  keynote  of  his  life  and  through  close  study  and  earnest  purpose  he  has 
made  continuous  advance.  He  is  very  careful  in  the  diagnosis  of  his  cases  and 
in  the  application  of  remedial  agencies  and  thus  he  has  come  to  be  recognized  as 
one  of  the  most  reliable  physicians  of  Davenport.  Aside  from  an  extensive  pri- 
vate practice  he  is  examining  and  consulting  physician  to  the  Germania  Life, 
Pacific  Mutual,  Danish  Brotherhood  and  Merchants  of  Burlington  insurance 
companies  and  contract  physician  to  the  Mutual  Manufacturers  Accident  Asso- 
ciation. 

In  1899  Dr.  Schmidt  was  married  to  Miss  Helen  Reith,  a  native  of  this  city 
and  the  daughter  of  Henry  Reith,  who  came  from  Germany  in  the  '60s.  They 
now  have  one  child,  Kurt,  who  was  born  March  16,  1904. 

Dr.  Schmidt  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias  society  and  Woodmen  of 
America,  in  both  of  which  he  is  examining  physician.  He  is  likewise  connected 
with  the  Turner  Society,  the  German  Free  School,  the  Ethical  Society,  the  Shoot- 
ing Association,  the  Arsenal  Golf  and  the  Schuetzen  Clubs,  all  of  which  indicate 
the  nature  of  his  interests  and  his  recreation.  He  likewise  belongs  to  the  County, 
State  and  National  Medical  Associations  and  is  interested  in  every  onward  step 
made  by  the  profession  in  the  effort  to  secure  for  man  a  key  to  that  complex 
mystery  which  we  call  life.  His  deep  interest,  his  ambition  and  his  natural  in- 
clination are  bound  up  in  his  profession,  to  which  he  is  an  honor  and  in  which  he 
has  achieved  distinction. 


HENRY  KAHLER. 


Henry  Kahler,  who  is  now  living  retired  at  No.  422  Marquette  street  in 
Davenport,  was  in  former  years  prominently  identified  with  building  interests 
as  a  carpenter  and  contractor  and  his  labors  in  this  connection  contributed  ma- 
terially to  the  growth  and  development  of  the  city.  His  birth  occurred  in  Hol- 
stein,  Germany,  on  the  20th  of  June,  1834,  his  parents  being  Hans  and  Charlotta 
Kahler.  The.  father,  who  was  a  laborer  and  also  engaged  in  farming  on  a  small 
scale,  participated  in  the  Schleswig-Holstein  wars  from  1848  to  1850.  In  1855, 
in  company  with  his  wife  and  children,  he  embarked  on  a  sailing  vessel  bound 
for  American  shores  and  landed  at  Galveston,  Texas,  after  an  ocean  voyage  of 
about  eight  weeks.  They  remained  in  Galveston  for  only  two  days  and  then 
boarded  a  cattle  ship  for  New  Orleans,  whence  they  took  passage  on  a  boat  which 
brought  them  to  Davenport  on  the  26th  of  June,  1855.  Hans  Kahler  continued 
to  reside  in  this  city  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life,  passing  away  on  the 
1st  of  April,  1900,  when  he  had  attained  the  venerable  age  of  ninety-four  years. 
The  period  of  his  residence  here  covered  almost  forty-five  years  and  he  became 
well  known  and  highly  esteemed  as  a  substantial  and  representative  citizen.  The 
demise  of  his  wife  had  occurred  soon  after  their  arrival  in  Davenport.  Their 
children  were  six  in  number,  as  follows:  Henry,  of  this  review;  Charles  F.,  a 


5i 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  467 

retired  agriculturist  residing  in  Davenport;  Dora,  who  is  deceased;  Mary,  the 
wife  of  John  Hill,  of  Davenport;  Louisa,  who  has  also  passed  away;  and  August, 
who  makes  his  home  in  Ottumwa. 

Henry  Kahler  spent  the  first  twenty  years  of  his  life  in  the  land  of  his  na- 
tivity, turning  his  attention  to  farm  work  after  he  had  completed  his  education. 
In  1854  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States  in  company  with  friends, 
landing  at  New  Orleans,  Louisiana.  He  then  made  his  way  up  the  Mississippi 
river  to  Davenport,  stopping  for  a  few  days  at  St.  Louis  while  enroute.  After 
arriving  in  this  county  he  secured  employment  as  a  farm  hand  during  the  har- 
vest season  but  as  his  wages  were  only  eleven  dollars  per  month,  he  soon  aban- 
doned the  position  and  began  learning  the  carpenter's  trade.  To  that  occupation 
he  devoted  his  time  and  energies  throughout  his  active  business  career  and  many 
evidences  of  his  skill  as  a  builder  are  seen  in  the  residences  of  Davenport  and 
vicinity.  In  1862  he  journeyed  westward  to  California,  where  he  remained  for 
two  years,  working  at  his  trade  and  also  in  a  quartz  mill.  On  returning  to  this 
city  he  enlisted  for  service  in  the  Union  army,  joining  Company  C,  Fourteenth 
Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry,  in  August,  1864.  He  did  detail  duty  around  Daven- 
port until  the  close  of  hostilities  and  was  honorably  discharged  on  the  14th  of 
May,  1865.  On  once  more  taking  up  the  pursuits  of  civil  life  he  resumed  his 
business  as  a  carpenter  and  contractor  and  thus  remained  an  active  and  success- 
ful representative  of  building  interests  until  the  time  of  his  retirement. 

On  the  5th  of  May,  1866,  Mr.  Kahler  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Julia 
Beyer,  who  was  bom  in  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois,  on  the  2d  of  November, 
1846,  and  was  a  representative  of  one  of,  the  oldest  families  in  Scott  county. 
Her  father,  William  Beyer,  who  was  a  native  of  Hildesheim,  Germany,  emigrated 
to  the  United  States  in  1845  and  ten  years  later  located  on  a  farm  in  Hickory 
Grove  township,  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  he  made  his  home  until  the  time  of 
his  death.  In  the  fall  of  1878  he  was  awakened  one  night  by  the  glare  and  crack- 
lingof  fire  and  found  his  bam  in  a  mass  of  flames.  He  entered  the  burning  build- 
ing in  an  attempt  to  save  at  least  a  few  of  his  horses  and  on  leaving  the  barn  one 
of  the  horses  stepped  on  him,  pinning  him  to  the  ground  and  breaking  one  of 
his  legs.  He  managed  to  escape  from  the  barn  but  died  after  several  months  of 
suffering,  passing  away  in  1879,  when  sixty-five  years  of  age.  Mrs.  Henrietta 
Beyer,  who  survived  her  husband  for  many  years,  was  called  to  her  final  rest  on 
the  2d  of  May,  1907,  her  demise  occurring  in  Davenport.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Kahler  were  born  ten  children,  the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows.  Amelia,  whose 
birth  occurred  May  26,  1867,  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Richard  Calkins,  of 
Davenport.  Charles,  who  was  born  in  1868,  passed  away  in  1894.  Minnie,  whose 
natal  day  was  May  4,  1871,  wedded  Herman  Bergert  and  has  a  son,  Harold, 
who  was  born  on  the  i6th  of  November,  1895.  Henrietta,  whose  birth  occurred 
in  1873,  was  called  to  her  final  rest  in  1892.  Louie,  who  was  bom  April  10, 
187s,  is  a  resident  of  Davenport.  By  his  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  Malone 
he  has  four  children,  namely:  Henrietta,  LeRoy,  Edna  and  Vesta.  Henry, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  1876,  died  in  the  year  1881.  Qara,  who  first  opened 
her  eyes  to  the  light  of  day  on  the  22d  of  August,  1878,  is  the  wife  of  Otto  Hasse, 
of  Davenport.  Paula,  born  February  12,  1883,  wedded  Charles  Nutting,  of  Rock 
Island,  Illinois.    Ella,  who  was  bom  June  9,  1885,  married  Otto  Bath  of  Daven- 


468  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

port  and  has  a  daughter,  Loretta.  Leander,  whose  natal  day  was  November 
15,  1887,  lives  in  Davenport.  Mrs.  Julia  Kahler,  the  mother  of  these  children, 
passed  away  on  the  28th  of  February,  1909,  and'  her  demise  was  the  occasion  of 
deep  and  widespread  regret. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Kahler  is  identified  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  he  still  maintains  pleasant  relations  with  his  old  army  comrades  through 
his  membership  in  August  Wentz  Post,  G.  A.  R.  He  also  belongs  to  the  old  vol- 
unteer fire  department  and  is  a  well  known  member  of  the  German  Pioneers 
Association.  He  is  widely  and  favorably  known  throughout  the  community 
which  has  been  his  home  for  more  than  a  half  century,  having  won  the  un- 
quahfied  confidence  and  regard  of  all  with  whom  business  or  social  relations  have 
brought  him  in  contact.  The  hope  that  led  him  to  leave  his  native  land  and 
seek  a  home  in  America  has  been  more  than  realized,  for  through  the  wise  utili- 
zation of  his  opportunities  he  has  steadily  worked  his  way  upward  and  has  won 
a  competence  that  now  enables  him  to  spend  his  remaining  days  in  well  earned 
ease,  surrounded  by  all  the  comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 


WILLIAM  M.  LILLIS. 


William  M.  Lillis,  who  throughout  the  period  of  his  connection  with  business 
affairs  of  Davenport  has  been  a  representative  of  commercial  interests,  is  now 
secretary  of  the  Halligan  Coffee  Company,  an  enterprise  of  large  and  growing 
proportions  which  owes  its  success  in  no  small  degree  to  the  business  discern- 
ment, energy  and  acumen  of  Mr.  Lillis. 

William  M.  Lillis  is  one  of  Davenport's  native  sons.  His  father,  John  Lillis, 
was  born  in  county  Clare,  Ireland,  June  10,  1834,  and  in  1845  came  to  America 
with  his  father,  Martin  Lillis,  who  in  that  year  emigrated  with  his  family  to 
Canada.  There  he  remained  for  several  years,  during  which  period  John  Lillis 
was  a  pupil  in  the  Canadian  schools.  In  1850  the  family  home  was  established 
in  Scott  county,  Martin  Lillis  settling  on  a  farm  at  Long  Grove  upon  the  Wapsip- 
inicon  river.  He  became  not  only  a  diligent  and  industrious  farmer  but  also  a 
highly  respected  citizen.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  character,  who  fearlessly 
advocated  whatever  he  believed  to  be  right,  while  in  his  business  affairs  his  ac- 
tivity was  such  that  he  contributed  to  general  prosperity  as  well  as  to  individual 
success.    He  died  in  1888. 

His  son,  John  Lillis,  determined  to  follow  merchandising  and  established  a 
grocery  and  dry-goods  store  in  Davenport.  As  the  years  passed  he  won  pros- 
perity, carefully  directing  his  busihess  affairs  and  closely  studying  the  needs 
and  wishes  of  the  public,  so  that  he  was  able  to  anticipate  and  meet  the  wants  of 
his  patrons.  He  was  a  man  of  unswerving  honesty,  whose  success  was  never 
won  at  the  cost  of  another's  advancement  and  wrherever  known  he  was  esteemed 
and  respected.  In  politics  an  ardent  democrat,  he  was  one  of  the  small  but  en- 
thusiastic band  that  kept  the  party  alive  during  the  troublous  period  of  the  Civil 
war.  He  was  in  fact  recognized  as  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  democracy  in  Daven- 
port and  was  called  to  several  local  offices,  serving  as  city  clerk  for  two  terms 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  469 

and  also  as  alderman.  He  was  a  devoted  churchman  yet  was  not  aggressive  in 
his  religious  views,  according  to  others  the  right  of  personal  opinion  which  he 
reserved  for  himself.  He  died  in  January,  1896.  His  wife,  who  in  her  maiden- 
hood was  Bridget  P.  Grace,  was  a  native  of  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  and  in  her  girl- 
hood days  came  to  the  United  States  with  her  parents.  Her  mother  died  in  Buf- 
falo, New  York,  while  the  family  were  en  route  to  their  destination  in  the  middle 
west.  Her  father,  James  Grace,  settled  in  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  and  his  daughter 
Bridget  was  reared  in  the  Mississippi  valley.  She  became  a  devoted  wife  and 
mother  and  spared  no  effort  in  preparing  her  children  for  places  of  usefulness  in 
society.  She  died  in  1892.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Lillis  there  were  born  four 
children,  William  M.  being  the  eldest  and  the  only  son.  His  three  sisters  are: 
Mary,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Thomas  F.  Halligan ;  Genevieve,  the  wife  of  Joseph 
F.  Volz ;  and  Mattie,  the  wife  of  M.  J.  KHnnally. 

William  M.  Lillis  acquired  his  early  education  in  private  and  parochial  schools 
and  afterward  attended  the  Davenport  high  school.  Early  environment  naturally 
turned  his  attention  to  a  mercantile  career  and  after  putting  aside  his  text-books 
he  joined  his  father  in  business,  since  which  time  he  has  been  a  representative  of 
commercial  interests  in  this  city.  In  1887  he  became  his  father's  successor  and 
carried  on  the  business  until  1889,  when  he  joined  the  Halligan  Coffee  Company 
and  has  since  been  its  secretary.  The  business  has  enjoyed  a  steady  and  substan- 
tial growth  and  is  today  one  of  the  important  mercantile  enterprises  of  the  city. 
The  business  methods  employed  are  such  as  will  bear  the  closest  investigation  and 
scrutiny  and  the  energy  and  enterprise  of  Mr.  Lillis  and  the  other  officers  of 
the  company  constitute  the  attributes  of  the  success  of  the  house. 

In  June,  1889,  occurred  the  marriage  of  William  M.  Lillis  and  Miss  Bridget 
O'Donnell,  of  Bloomington,  Illinois,  and  of  Irish  parentage.  Their  three  children 
are  John  Hugh,  Irene  Grace  and  Carmel.  While  a  citizen  of  notable  patriotism 
and  loyal  to  every  project  which  he  deems  of  public  benefit,  Mr.  Lillis  is  not  a 
politician  nor  has  he  any  desire  for  office,  preferring  to  devote  his  time  and  en- 
ergies to  his  business  affairs.  He  cooperates  in  progressive  public  movements, 
however,  as  a  member  of  the  Commercial  Club,  is  a  member  of  the  Davenport 
Academy  of  Sciences  and  belongs  also  to  the  Knights  of  Columbus.  Honored 
and  respected  by  all,  there  is  no  man  who  occupies  a  more  enviable  position  in 
commercial  circles  nor  more  justly  merits  the  regard  and  esteem  which  are  uni- 
formly accorded  him. 


EDWIN  PARMELE. 


Edwin  Parmele,  deceased,  who  is  numbered  among  Davenport's  earliest  set- 
tlers, was  born  in  Cattaraugus  county.  New  York,  and  in  1838  arrived  at  the  small 
town  on  the  Mississippi  then  known  as  Rockingham,  which  gave  little  prophecy 
of  the  thriving  city  into  which  it  has  since  grown.  The  journey  was  made  in  a 
flatboat  in  company  with  his  father  and  mother  and  four  brothers.  His  father 
was  Moses  Parmele  and  his  mother  was  a  Miss  Treat  before  her  marriage.     The 


470  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

five  sons  were  as  follows :  Henry,  Walter,  Edwin,  William  and  James,  the  three 
first  named  being  now  deceased. 

Until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  Edwin  Parmele  earned  his 
livelihood  by  farming.  He  was  interested  in  his  life  work  by  this  great  crisis  in 
national  affairs  and  after  its  termination  he  began  dealing  in  farm  implements,  in 
which  he  enjoyed  no  small  amount  of  success.  He  became  representative,  or 
general  agent,  for  a  large  concern  and  was  well  known  throughout  a  wide  terri- 
tory into  which  his  business  took  him.  Mr.  Parmele  passed  on  to  his  reward 
some  years  ago,  his  death  occurring  March  13,  1887,  but  his  wife  is  still  living  in 
Davenport.  These  worthy  people  were  the  parents  of  four  children,  three  sons 
and  one  daughter.  They  are  F.  M.,  a  dentist;  William  M.,  superintendent  for  a 
paint  company ;  Myrtle,  now  Mrs.  E.  J.  G.  Peterson ;  and  Edwin  T.,  commercial 
manager  of  the  Iowa  Telephone  Company. 

Edwin  T.  Parmele  is  a  native  of  Davenport,  having  first  seen  the  light  of 
day  April  24,  1870,  and  his  education  was  received  in  Davenport's  excellent 
schools.  In  1890,  when  he  had  scarcely  attained  his  majority,  he  took  up  the 
study  of  the  telephone  business  and  became  so  well  versed  in  it  that  he  served  in 
various  capacities,  each  being  an  advance  upon  its  predecessor.  Beginning  at  the 
bottom  and  asking  only  a  fair  field  and  no  favors  he  has  by  sheer  force  of  ability 
climbed  to  his  present  responsible  position  of  commercial  manager,  and  his  effi- 
ciency and  worthiness  are  recognized  in  the  business  world. 

Edwin  T.  Parmele  was  married  October  10,  1900,  to  Miss  Ella  J.  Jamison. 
Their  home  at  1322  Bridge  avenue  is  brightened  by  the  presence  of  one  child,  a 
daughter,  Martha  J.  Mr.  Parmele  as  a  descendant  of  one  of  Davenport's  pio- 
neers is  able  to  feel  more  than  the  usual  sense  of  proprietorship  in  the  fair  city 
in  which  he  has  always  made  his  home. 


ALBERT  L.  BOLLINGER.  • 

In  looking  over  the  past  history  of  Davenport  with  regard  for  the  citizens 
whose  earnest  lives  contributed  in  no  small  measure  to  raising  the  standard  of 
manhood  in  the  city,  respect  must  be  paid  to  Albert  L.  Bollinger,  who  before  his 
death  was  one  of  the  well  known  business  men  here  and  also  one  of  those  who, 
as  an  old  soldier,  was  ever  an  inspiration  to  the  patriotic  young  men. 

He  was  born  in  Lancaster,  Peoria  county,  Illinois,  May  14,  1839,  ^  son  of 
Samuel  F.  and  Catherine  (Bauman)  Bollinger,  both  natives  of  Lancaster  county, 
Pennsylvania.  In  the  town  of  his  birth  he  was  reared  and  received  his  early 
education,  later  attending  college  at  Abingdon,  Illinois.  In  his  yoimg  manhood 
he  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  at  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  war  and  throughout  the 
struggle  was  engaged  in  active  service,  although  his  duties  were  frequently  not 
upon  the  scene  of  battle.  He  was  particularly  useful  in  recruiting,  for  he  had 
a  fine  tenor  voice  and,  being  able  to  play  several  musical  instruments,  could 
accompany  others  or  inspirit  the  troops  with  the  sound  of  martial  music.  He 
had  also  the  power  of  eloquent  speech  and  on  many  occasions  he  fired  the  pa- 
triotism of  the  soldiers  by  his  noble  words  in  support  of  the  Union  cause.    For  a 


ALBJ'^RT  L.   P,OLLIN(iER 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  473 

time  he  also  served  as  secretary  to  General  Sherman  at  the  latter's  headquarters 
so  that,  if  the  bullets  but  seldom  whizzed  by  his  head  and  the  dangers  of  engage- 
ments were  infrequently  his,  he  performed  as  invaluable  service  as  those  who 
were  not  so  well  endowed  with  talents  and  could  only  prove  their  devotion  to 
their  country  through  valor  in  front  of  danger.  He  was  taken  ill  after  the  battle 
of  Perryville  and  was  subsequently  taken  prisoner  but  being  a  non-combatant 
he  was  paroled. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Bollinger  went  to  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  where 
he  learned  the  finishing  part  of  carriage-making,  and  then  returned  to  Illinois, 
opening  a  carriage  factory  at  Geneseo,  which  he  conducted  with  success  for  a 
number  of  years.  In  1873  he  came  to  Davenport  and  accepted  a  position  as 
traveling  salesman  for  the  Seig  Iron  Company,  with  which  he  was  connected 
until  his  death.  He  advanced  rapidly  becoming  vice  president  and  secretary  of 
the  company  in  1887,  and  in  November,  1890,  was  made  president,  treasurer 
and  business  manager,  serving  as  such  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
Through  steady  and  unremitting  toil  he  had  proved  worthy  of  the  highest  re- 
sponsibilities and  in  guiding  the  reins  of  this  important  business  he  proved  himself 
a  man  capable  of  great  things.  In  the  small  affairs  of  life,  as  in  the  larger  ones, 
his  word  was  as  good  as  his  bond,  honor  and  integrity  distinguishing  all  of  his 
relations  in  the  business  world. 

On  the  i8th  of  June,  1866,  Mr.  Bollinger  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Emily  D.  Wills,  a  daughter  of  James  Wills,  who  lived  and  died  in  Canton.  Her 
mother  was  Miss  Charlotte  Smith  before  her  marriage  and  a  cousin  of  Mary 
Livermore,  of  Vermont.  Three  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bollinger: 
Judge  James  W.  Bollinger,  of  Davenport;  Mrs.  Louis  Block;  and  Mrs.  Waldo 
Becker. 

Mr.  Bollinger  was  always  a  stanch  advocate  of  the  principles  of  the  repub- 
lican party  and,  while  he  never  aspired  to  official  distinction,  he  was  always  in- 
terested in  questions  of  national  or  local  importance  and  was  preeminently  pub- 
lic-spirited. A  man  of  broad  views,  he  found  the  tenets  of  the  Unitarian  church 
most  in  accord  with  his  own  ideas  of  progress  and  development.  Energetic, 
ambitious,  endowed  with  large  ability  and  the  traits  of  character  which  com- 
mand the  respect  of  and  admiration  of  others,  he  was  deeply  mourned  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  September  11,  1901,  especially  by  his  family  and  those  who  knew 
him  most  intimately. 


JOHN  BERWALD. 


A  lifelong  resident  of  Davenport,  John  Berwald  needs  no  introduction  to  the 
readers  of  this  volume,  for  from  his  boyhood  days  he  has  been  identified  with 
that  class  which  has  upheld  the  political  status  of  the  community  and  promoted 
its  material,  social  and  benevolent  interests.  He  is  a  man  of  generous  aims  and 
honorable  purposes  and  is  both  widely  and  favorably  known  in  this  city.  He 
was  born  July  28,  1852,  in  the  city  which  is  yet  his  place  of  residence.  His 
parents  were  Edward  and  Carolina  (Sandleben)  Berwald,  both  of  whom  were 


474  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

natives  of  Hamburg,  Germany.  Coming  to  America,  the  father  landed  at  New 
Orleans,  whence  he  made  his  way  northward  to  Davenport,  arriving  in  this  city 
in  1851.  Here  he  conducted  a  profitable  business  in  books,  stationery  and  toys. 
The  family  of  which  he  was  a  representative  was  connected  with  German  affairs 
through  many  generations  and  John  Berwald  now  has  in  his  possession  an  old 
picture  printed  in  1577  at  Leipsic,  Germany,  by  one  of  his  ancestors,  Jacob  Ber- 
wald, showing  a  bear  coming  out  of  the  forest.  This  is  a  symbol  of  the  family 
name:  ber,  bear,  and  wald,  forest.  The  picture  is  of  the  ancient  German  type 
and  the  spelling  is  also  of  the  old  form. 

John  Berwald  was  educated  in  private  German  schools  of  Davenport  and  in 
Bryant  &  Stratton  Commercial  College.  After  putting  aside  his  text-books  he 
became  his  father's  assistant  in  business,  also  engaged  in  carrying  papers  and 
did  much  work  in  connection  with  the  store.  When  his  father  was  on  a  visit  to 
Germany  in  1866,  and  John  Berwald  was  only  fourteen  years  of  age,  he  sold 
his  first  steamship  ticket  and  since  that  time  has  been  continuously  connected 
with  the  steamship  business.  In  these  years  he  has  secured  passage  for  many 
patrons  of  the  steamboat  lines,  but  has  not  confined  his  attention  solely  to  this 
business.  Up  to  1889  he  was  connected  with  his  father's  store  as  a  dealer  in 
books,  stationery  and  toys  and  also  maintained  the  steamship  agency.  From 
that  year  until  1904  he  was  engaged  in  the  fire  insurance  and  real-estate  business, 
and  from  1904  until  1908  gave  his  attention  to  the  life  insurance  business  in  ad- 
dition to  the  steamship  agency.  In  the  latter  year  he  was  chosen  secretary  of  the 
Brick  &  Tile  Company  and  also  has  important  financial  interests  in  other  corpora- 
tions. In  all  vital  business  matters  his  judgment  is  sound,  his  discrimination  keen 
and  his  enterprise  unfaltering,  and  his  efforts  and  opinions  therefore  have  always 
been  counted  valuable  factors  in  the  attainment  of  desirable  results  in  business 
lines. 

In  Davenport  Mr.  Berwald  was  united  in  marriage,  on  the  i6th  of  May,  1879, 
to  Miss  Sophie  Brauch,  a  native  of  Scott  county,  Iowa,  whose  parents  were  in- 
dustrious German  people  identified  with  the  farming  interests  of  the  community. 
The  brother  saw  active  service  in  the  Civil  war.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brauch 
were  born  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  including  Mrs.  Berwald,  who  by  her 
marriage  has  become  the  mother  of  two  children,  Anna  Elfrieda  and  Walter 
Edward. 

Mr.  Berwald  has  taken  active  interest  in  matters  of  public  importance,  co- 
operating in  many  measures  for  the  general  good.  He  was  alderman  of  the 
city  in  1897-8  and  is  a  democrat  of  the  gold  standard  school.  In  1880  he  became 
a  member  of  the  Davenport  Tumgemeinde,  of  which  he  was  presiding  officer  in 
1903-4-  In  that  year  the  society  attained  its  highest  point  in  membership,  eight 
hundred  and  four  names  being  on  the  roll.  Mr.  Berwald  strongly  pushed  the 
matter  of  obtaining  new  members,  so  that  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  were  se- 
cured that  year.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Klaus  Groth  Gilde,  of  which  he  was 
presiding  officer  for  several  years,  during  which  time  the  membership  was  in- 
creased from  one  hundred  and  forty-two  to  three  hundred  seventy-four,  while 
the  indebtedness  was  greatly  reduced.  This  society  was  organized  for  the  benefit 
of  the  sick.  Mr.  Berwald  is  likewise  connected  with  the  Saengerfest  of  the  North- 
westland  and  in  1898  the  ten  singing  societies  in  convention  in  Davenport  elected 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  475 

him  to  the  presidency  for  a  term  of  two  years.  He  has  been  secretary  of  the 
German-American  Pioneer  Society  of  Scott  county  since  1904  and  has  advanced 
the  membership  from  seventy-seven  to  two  hundred  and  ninety-two.  He  has 
served  on  several  committees  of  the  Business  Men's  Association,  was  twice  chair- 
man of  the  advertising  committee  and  was  once  secretary  of  the  Carnival  Associa- 
tion, during  which  time  they  voted  him  a  donation  of  one  hundred  dollars,  which 
he  refused,  however,  to  accept.  For  a  year  he  acted  as  secretary  of  the  Daven- 
port Outing  Club  and  assisted  them  strongly  in  advancing  their  financial  affairs. 
That  Mr.  Berwald  has  been  again  and  again  called  to  office  in  these  different 
organizations  is  an  indication  of  the  confidence  and  respect  entertained  for  him 
and  also  of  the  trust  reposed  in  his  ability.  He  has  been  associated  with  no  or- 
ganization that- has  not  felt  the  stimulus  of  his  efforts  and  enterprise,  and  his 
activity  in  business  lines  makes  him  one  of  the  foremost  residents  of  Davenport. 


HANS  J.  BROCKMANN. 

Hans  J.  Brockmann  has  since  1906  been  living  retired  in  Eldridge,  Iowa,  in 
the  enjoyment  of  the  fruits  of  thirty-five  years  of  agricultural  activity.  He  is  a 
native  of  Holstein,  Germany,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  the  town  of  Louder- 
beck,  December  19,  1843,  ^^'^  is  a  son  of  John  and  Anna  Brockmann,  the  former 
being  a  blacksmith  by  trade.  Mr.  Brockmann  attended  the  German  schools  and 
spent  his  early  manhood  in  his  native  land. 

In  1872  he  with  a  company  of  friends,  concluded  to  come  to  America, 
accounts  of  whose  marvellous  natural  resources,  equality  of  rank  and  general 
opportunity  had  been  widely  circulated  in  the  old  country  They  landed  in  New 
York  and  eventually  came  on  to  Davenport,  settling  in  this  locality.  Mr.  Brock- 
mann secured  a  position  on  a  farm,  which  he  held  for  one  year.  At  the  end  of 
that  time  he  rented  two  acres  of  land  and  he  and  his  wife  lived  upon  this  place  for 
five  years.  By  the  exercise  of  thrift  and  economy  they  were  then  able  to  rent  a 
farm  of  eighty  acres  and  for  three  years  devoted  their  energies  to  its  cultivation. 
Then  removing  to  the  vicinity  of  Mount  Joy,  Scott  county,  they  rented  the  Meyer 
farm  for  four  years,  after  which  they  took  the  management  of  the  Christ  Hage- 
dorn  property  in  Lincoln  township  and  remained  there  for  eleven  years.  By  this 
time  their  patient  industry  was  to  be  rewarded.  They  had  reached  the  coveted 
goal  of  independence  and  they  bought  the  present  homestead  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  for  which  they  paid  twelve  thousand  two  hundred  dollars.  Here 
they  lived  for  the  ensuing  decade,  making  many  improvements  and  yearly  increas- 
ing the  value  of  the  property.  Three  years  ago  Mr.  Brockmann  relinquished 
farming  and,  having  built  a  fine  residence  in  Eldridge,  removed  there  with  the 
idea  of  making  it  his  permanent  home. 

In  January,  1873,  Mr.  Brockmann  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lena 
Evaldt,  a  native  of  Germany,  her  parents  having  lived  and  died  in  the  fatherland. 
Five  children  have  grown  up  beneath  the  home  roof:  Amelia  married  Lewis 
Klindt,  of  Sheridan  township,  and  is  the  mother  of  four  children,  Harry, 
Amanda,  Leona  and  a  baby ;  Clara  married  John  Lensch,  of  Sheridan  township. 


476  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

and  has  five  children,  Amanda,  Emiel,  Leona,  Raymond  and  Edna ;  Rudolph  is  a 
resident  of  Eldridge ;  and  Meta  and  Harry  are  at  home. 

Mr.  Brockmann  enjoys  the  esteem  of  those  who  know  him,  and  he  served  for 
a  number  of  years  as  road  superintendent  while  living  upon  his  farm.  Iowa  un- 
doubtedly owes  much  of  her  wealth  and  progress  to  her  agricultural  interests 
and  it  is  to  such  men  as  our  subject,  self-made,  prudent,  thrifty  and  upright,  that 
she  is  particularly  indebted. 


CAPTAIN  H.  B.  DOOLITTLE. 

Captaiii  H.  B.  Doolittle,  who  was  for  a  long  period  one  of  the  postmen  of 
Davenport,  died  in  Marshalltown,  Iowa,  August  12,  1896,  when  he  was  fifty-six 
years  of  age.  He  had  been  a  resident  of  Scott  county  since  1857,  and  took  part  in 
the  great  development  of  this  section  of  Iowa.  From  the  time  of  his  advent 
until  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  he  was  a  clerk  in  a  crockery  store  in  Daven- 
port, but  at  the  first  call  for  troops  which  was  sent  through  the  country  he  en- 
listed in  Company  C,  Second  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry.  From  the  very  first  he 
was  always  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight  and  with  his  regiment  participated  in  many 
of  the  more  important  engagements.  It  was  the  battle  of  Fort  Donelson,  how- 
ever, that  left  the  strongest  impress  upon  his  memory.  In  that  memorable 
struggle  he  held  a  position  in  the  front  rank  of  his  regiment  and  when  one  of  his 
comrades  was  struck  with  a  Confederate  bullet  he  seized  the  flag  from  him  and 
was  in  the  act  of  carrying  it  over  the  breastworks  of  the  enemy  when  he,  too, 
was  wounded  twice  and  had  to  be  carried  from  the  field  of  battle.  Captain 
Thomas  Twombly,  who  was  beside  him,  thereupon  seized  the  flag  and  carried  it 
on.  As  soon  as  his  wounds  were  healed  he  rejoined  his  company,  of  which  he 
was  now  captain,  and  on  more  than  one  occasion  distinguished  himself  for  his 
bravery.  He  knew  no  fear  in  the  face  of  duty.  When  the  war  was  brought  to  a 
close  Captain  Doolittle  returned  to  Davenport,  where  he  secured  a  position  as 
postman  on  the  mail  delivery  force.  For  thirty  years  he  was  known  to  the  citi- 
zens of  this  city  until  1895,  when  he  was  compelled  to  give  up  his  work. 

In  his  early  manhood  Captain  Dolittle  married  Miss  Rebecca  Goodwin.  Hen 
father,  Hiram  Goodwin,  was  born  in  Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  September  22, 
1819,  and  was  a  son  of  James  and  Nancy  (Faulkner)  Goodwin.  Early  in  the 
'40s  he  came  to  Scott  county,  locating  upon  a  farm  in  Lincoln  township,  on 
which  he  lived  until  1897.  During  that  period,  he  also  gained  some  experience  as 
a  pilot  on  the  Mississippi  river.  When  he  came  here  the  land  he  secured  had 
not  been  cultivated  so  that  he  had  to  break  it  as  well  as  prepare  it  for  cultivation, 
and  the  buildings  which  adorned  it  in  later  years  were  the  results  of  his  own 
labors.  The  tract  comprised  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  acres  and  from  it 
Mr..  Goodwin  derived  a  handsome  income  that  enabled  him  to  give  his  family 
every  comfort  and  start  his  children  well  in  life.  He  was  married  June  14,  1842, 
to  Miss  Delilah  Hibbetts,  a  native  of  Knox  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  they  had 
nine  children :  Mrs.  Emily  Highley,  Alonzo  L.,  Mrs.  Theodica  Murray,  Mrs.  Me- 
lissa McMurray,  Thomas,  Theodore  W.,  Rebecca,  Hiram  P.   and  Orville  F. 


H.   B.   DOOLITTLE 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  479 

Unto  Captain  and  Mrs.  Doolittle  was  born  one  daughter,  Gertrude  A.,  who  is 
living  with  her  mother  in  Davenport.  They  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church, 
to  which  the  Captain  also  belonged,  and  fraternally  he  was  identified  with  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  and  the  Masonic  order.  In  politics  he  was  a  re- 
publican. He  was  one  of  those  men  who  lived  quietly  but  in  strict  accordance 
with  the  highest  principles  of  manhood  and  whose  every  act  was  marked  by 
that  nobility  which  springs  from  a  large  and  broad  mind. 


CASPAR  FRIES. 


Among  the  business  men  whose  years  of  well  directed  activity  and  enterprise 
have  brought  them  success,  enabling  them  now  to  live  retired,  is  numbered  Caspar 
Fries,  and  his  record  is  an  interesting  one  inasmuch  as  it  is  that  of  a  self-made 
man  who  owes  his  success  entirely  to  his  own  labors.  As  the  architect  of  his 
fortunes  he  has  builded  wisely  and  well  and  has  always  enjoyed  the  full  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  those  with  whom  business  and  social  relations  have  brought 
him  in  contact. 

Mr.  Fries  was  born  in  Prussia,  January  i,  1833,  and  is  a  son  of  Peter  and 
Savilla  Fries,  who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  that  land.  The  father  was  a  black- 
smith and  wagon  maker  in  Prussia  and  served  for  three  years  in  the  army. 

Spending  his  youthful  days  in  his  parents'  home,  Caspar  Fries  attended  the 
public  schools  of  Prussia  and  afterward  learned  the  trade  of  wagon  making  and 
blacksmithing  under  the  direction  of  his  father  in  the  village  of  Bevengen.  Com- 
parison of  the  business  opportunities  of  the  new  and  the  old  world  led  him  to  the 
belief  that  he  would  more  readily  win  success  on  the  western  side  of  the  Atlantic 
and  so  he  made  preparations  to  leave  his  native  country  and  in  1862  landed  at 
New  York.  From  the  metropolis  he  proceeded  direct  to  Buffalo,  New 
York,  where  he  remained  for  seven  months,  working  for  one  month  at  his 
trade  and  then  for  six  months  as  a  farm  hand.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period 
he  removed  to  Kenosha,  Wisconsin,  where  he  was  employed  for  three  months, 
after  which  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  two  and  a 
half  years.  In  1865  he  arrived  in  Davenport,  reaching  this  city  on  the  ist  of 
February.  He  then  began  work  at  his  trade,  continuing  in  the  employ  of  others 
for  a  year,  after  which  he  started  in  business  on  his  own  account  on  Fifteenth 
street,  where  he  maintained  his  shop  for  eight  years.  He  next  opened  a  shop 
on  Thirteenth  street,  at  the  corner  of  Harrison,  and  there  remained  for  four 
years.  He  then  came  to  his  present  place  at  the  corner  of  Locust  and  Harrison, 
where  he  built  his  present  shop,  remaining  here  continuously  throughout  the 
intervening  years.  As  a  wagon  maker  and  blacksmith  he  has  done  a  good  busi- 
ness. His  workmanship  has  been  characterized  by  thoroughness,  his  business 
dealings  by  honesty,  and  as  the  years  have  passed  he  has  enjoyed  a  liberal  patron- 
age that  enables  him  now  in  his  later  years  to  largely  live  retired. 

While  in  St.  Louis  Mr.  Fries  was  married  on  the  28th  of  July,  1864,  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Bartmeier,  the  wedding  ceremony  being  performed  by  Father  Liborius 
Zweihoff.     Mrs.  Fries  was  born  in  Prussia,  November  20,  1843,  a  daughter  of 


480  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Frederick  and  Elizabeth  Bartmeier.  She  came  to  the  United  States  with  her 
mother  in  i860,  her  father  having  previously  crossed  the  Atlantic.  They  landed 
at  New  Orleans  in  October,  1861,  and  lived  for  a  time  in  the  south  but  afterward 
made  their  way  northward  to  St.  Louis.  Subsequently  they  became  residents  of 
Davenport,  where  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bartmeier  continued  to  make  their  home 
until  called  to  their  final  rest.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fries  have  been  born  eleven 
children:  Elizabeth,  the  eldest,  is  the  wife  of  John  Conklin,  of  Davenport,  and 
they  have  eight  children — George,  Caspar,  Joseph,  Eva,  Antoinette,  Leo,  Bemice, 
and  Bernard ;  Mary  is  the  wife  of  Rufus  Lock,  of  Arkansas,  and  they  have  one 
child,  Bessie;  Sophia  is  at  home;  John,  who  with  his  brother  Peter  carries  on 
their  father's  shop,,  married  Anna  Brumm  and  they  have  three  children — Elsie, 
Raymond  and  Edward;  Lucy  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Sutton  of  Davenport  and 
they  have  one  daughter,  Lillian ;  Joseph,  now  of  Chicago,  married  Loretta  Conk- 
lin; Peter  wedded  Katherine  Harman  and  they  have  five  children — Dorothy, 
Harold,  Lester,  Helen  and  Lucile ;  Anthony,  living  in  Davenport,  married  Mabel 
Fulcher  and  they  have  three  children — Evelyn,  Ruby  and  Althea;  Theresa  is  the 
wife  of  George  Ellinghouse,  of  Bellevue,  Iowa,  and  they  have  one  child,  Mar- 
garet ;  Frederick  and  Theodore  both  died  in  childhood. 

Mr.  Fries  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  German  Catholic  church.  He  is 
thoroughly  a  self-made  man,  for  whatever  of  success  he  has  achieved  is  attrib- 
utable to  his  own  efforts  and  he  has  won  his  prosperity  by  diligence,  unremitting 
industry  and  honorable  dealings. 


CAPTAIN  DE  FORREST  DORRANCE. 

Princeton  numbers  Captain  De  Forrest  Dorrance  as  one  of  her  representa- 
tive and  valued  citizens.  Throughout  almost  his  entire  business  life  he  has  given 
his  attention  to  river  navigation.  He  was  born  in  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois, 
October  5,  1843,  and  comes  of  an  old  New  England  family  in  both  the  paternal 
and  maternal  lines.  His  father,  Pascal  Dorrance,  was  a  native  of  Rhode  Island 
and  died  when  his  son  De  Forrest  was  a  lad  of  only  eleven  years.  The  mother, 
who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Betsey  Clarke,  was  bom  in  Massachusetts  and 
passed  to  her  final  rest  when  the  Captain  was  a  youth  of  seventeen  years.  Two 
sons  of  the  family  were  soldiers  in  the  Civil  war. 

As  his  name  indicates  Captain  Dorrance  is  of  Irish  lineage.  He  acquired 
his  education  in  the  district  schools  and  throughout  his  life  has  remained  in  the 
Mississippi  valley.  His  proximity  to  the  water  made  it  a  logical  sequence  that  he 
should  be  interested  in  navigation  and  from  his  youth  his  life  has  been  that  of  a 
mariner,  covering  a  long  service  as  pilot  and  as  captain  on  the  Mississippi.  He 
has  commanded  a  vessel  since  1864  and  now  stands  at  the  head  of  his  calling.  He 
has  owned  several  steamboats  on  the  river.  There  is  in  this  locality  no  man  more 
thoroughly  versed  upon  marine  affairs  nor  more  widely  or  favorably  known  as  a 
representative  of  shipping  interests  on  the  Mississippi, 

Captain  Dorrance  was  married  on  Thanksgiving  day,  when  twenty-four 
years  of  age,  to  Miss  Eliza  Lancaster,  a  daughter  of  Henthom  Lancaster.    Two 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  481 

children  were  born  of  this  marriage:  Hushel,  who  wedded  Miss  Lila  Smith 
and  has  one  child,  named  for  his  father;  and  Irene,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Isaac  Spinsby.  They  have  eight  children:  D.  R,  Thelma,  John,  Court,  George, 
Blanche,  Ruth  and  Pauline. 

Captain  Dorrance  was  for  twenty  years  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows  but  does  not  keep  up  active  connection  with  the  lodge  at  the 
present  time.  In  his  political  views  he  is  an  earnest  republican  but  has  never 
aspired  to  office.  His  time  and  attention  have  been  fully  given  to  his  business 
affairs,  and  as  the  years  have  worn  on  he  has  gained  a  wide  acquaintance  and  won 
the  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact  through  his  courtesy  and 
business  reliability. 


ISAIAH  CALVIN  YOCUM. 

Isaiah  Calvin  Yocum,  deceased,  was  at  one  time  numbered  among  Scott 
county's  worthy  and  representative  farmers.  He  was  born  August  21,  1845,  ^^ 
the  marriage  of  William  and  Sarah  (Dopp)  Yocum.  His  birth  occurred  in  Hunt- 
ingdon county,  Pennsylvania,  and  he  began  his  education  in  the  public  schools 
there,  but  when  nine  years  of  age  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal  to 
the  middle  west.  They  settled  upon  the  farm  which  is  now  the  home  of  his 
widow.  It  was  then  all  prairie  land,  wild  and  unimproved,  which  the  father  pur- 
chased from  Mr.  Stacey. 

After  arriving  in  this  county  Isaiah  C.  Yocum  continued  his  education  in 
schools  here  and  also  attended  a  business  college  in  Davenport.  He  then  re- 
turned to  the  old  homestead,  where  he  carried  on  farming  up  to  the  time  of  his 
marriage,  when  he  removed  across  the  road,  settling  on  another  part  of  the  farm. 
There  he  continued  to  reside  until  his  death,  which  occurred  December  4,  1902. 
He  was  always  an  energetic,  enterprising  farmer,  carrying  on  his  work  diligently 
and  persistently  and  meeting  with  that  success  which  ever  follows  earnest  effort. 
He  was  also  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Farmers  Mutual  Insurance  Company,  and 
in  addition  to  tilling  his  fields  he  dealt  in  stock  and  found  that  a  profitable  source 
of  income. 

Mr.  Yocum  was  first  married  in  Davenport,  January  20,  1869,  to  Miss  Han- 
nah C.  Pollock,  who  died  on  the  30th  of  May,  1871,  and  their  only  child,  William 
James  H.,  who  was  born  in  May,  1871,  died  on  the  6th  of  the  following  August. 
On  the  lOth  of  February,  1875,  Mr.  Yocum  was  married  to  Miss  Martha  Ellen 
Pollock,  a  sister  of  his  first  wife  and  a  daughter  of  James  and  Mary  (Logue) 
Pollock,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  at  Titusville,  Pennsylvania.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Yocum  were  born  four  children,  but  the  eldest,  Eva,  died  in  infancy.  Sarah 
Alice,  who  is  a  graduate  of  the  Davenport  high  school,  was  married  August  25, 
1909,  to  Hugo  A.  Briceland  and  they  reside  upon  the  farm  with  her  mother. 
Mary  E.,  a  graduate  of  the  Highland  Park  College  of  Des  Moines,  has  taught  in 
a  number  of  schools  in  Scott  county.  Samuel  Carey  was  a  student  in  the  high 
school  at  the  time  of  his  death.  Both  son  and  father  were  suffocated  in  the  Lin- 
coln Hotel  in  Chicago,  to  which  city  they  had  gone  to  attend  a  stock  show.    This 


482  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

double  calamity  was  almost  unbearable  to  the  family,  who  were  left  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  husband  and  son,  father  and  brother. 

Mr.  Yocum  had  taken  an  active  part  in  community  affairs,  had  served  as 
school  director  for  fourteen  years  and  was  also  treasurer  of  the  school  board  and 
filled  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace.  He  held  membership  with  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen,  with  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  and  with  the  Legion 
of  Honor,  and  belonged  to  the  Summit  Presbyterian  church,  in  which  he  held 
different  offices.  His  parents  were  charter  members  of  that  church  and  its  first 
meetings  were  held  in  the  old  Yocum  home.  His  life  was  an  upright  and  hon- 
orable one,  in  harmony  with  his  professions,  and  he  left  to  his  family  an  untar- 
nished name.  Mrs.  Yocum  still  resides  upon  the  old  home  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixteen  acres  of  fine  land  in  Lincoln  township.  She  and  her  children  are 
members  of  the  Summit  church  and  her  daughters  are  very  active  and  efficient 
workers  in  both  the  Sunday  school  and  the  church. 


JOHN  H.  MOHR. 


John  H.  Mohr,  who  since  1894  has  lived  retired  in  Davenport,  is  one  of  the 
oldest  German-American  settlers  of  this  county  and  a  valued  member  of  the 
German  Pioneers  Association.  For  many  years  he  was  actively  and  successfully 
identified  with  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  is  still  the  owner  of  four  hundred 
acres  of  fine  farming  land  in  Sheridan  and  Lincoln  townships  as  well  as  some 
town  property.  He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  26th  of  December, 
1828,  his  parents  being  Paul  and  Katherine  Mohr,  who  spent  their  entire  Uves 
in  the  fatherland. 

John  H.  Mohr  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land  and 
there  also  learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  He  served  as  a  soldier  from  1848'  until 
1850,  loyally  defending  the  interests  of  his  country  in  the  war  with  Denmark. 
In  the  year  1852,  influenced  by  the  many  favorable  reports  which  he  had  heard 
concerning  the  advantages  of  the  new  world,  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the 
United  States,  landing  at  New  Orleans.  Thence  he  made  his  way  up  the  Mis- 
sissippi river  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  and  here  worked  at  his  trade  for  about  six 
years,  assisting  in  the  erection  of  many  residences,  a  large  number  of  which  are 
still  standing.  About  1858  he  turned  his  attention  to  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits, purchasing  a  partly  improved  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Lincoln  township, 
on  which  he  made  his  home  for  five  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period 
he  disposed  of  the  property  and  bought  another  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
five  acres  in  Lincoln  township,  erecting  thereon  a  new  residence  as  well  as  all 
necessary  barns  and  outbuildings  for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  As  time 
passed  he  brought  the  place  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  improvement 
and  there  continued  to  carry  on  his  agricultural  interests  until  he  put  aside  the 
active  work  of  the  fields  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport  in  1894.  As  his 
financial  resources  increased,  owing  to  his  well  directed  labor  and  capable  man- 
agement, he  added  to  his  landed  holdings,  purchasing  a  tract  of  one  hundred 
and  ten  acres  at  one  time  and  later  a  farm  of  three  hundred  and  eighty  acres. 


o 
3 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  485 

He  has  sold  a  portion  of  his  land  to  his  sons  but  still  retains  possession  of  four 
hundred  acres  in  Sheridan  and  Lincoln  townships.  Having  eventually  won  a 
handsome  competence  through  his  labors  as  an  agriculturist,  he  retired  from 
active  life  and  for  the  past  fifteen  years  has  lived  in  Davenport,  enjoying  in 
well  earned  ease  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Iowa 
National  Bank  and  the  Davenport  Grain  &  Malting  Company  and  is  widely 
recognized  as  a  most  respected  and  substantial  citizen. 

On  the  loth  of  September,  1853,  Mr.  Mohr  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Catherine  Dau,  whose  parents  died  in  Germany  and  who  came  to  the  United 
States  when  nineteen  years  of  age.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mohr  reared  a  family  of  ten 
children,  the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows:  Amelia,  the  eldest,  gave  her  hand 
in  marriage  to  Fritz  Petersen,  of  Avoca,  Iowa,  by  whom  she  has  five  children : 
Katie,  Elsie,  Carl,  Paula  and  Leona.  Henry,  living  in  Sheridan  township,  mar- 
ried Miss  Laura  Boge,  by  whom  he  has  five  children :  Wilma,  Alice,  Jessie,  Rob- 
ert and  Anna.  Gustavus,  likewise  a  resident  of  Sheridan  township,  married  Miss 
Emma  Fellner  and  has  three  children:  Martha,  Alfreda  and  Herbert.  Anna 
Mohr,  the  next  in  order  of  birth,  is  deceased.  William,  who  makes  his  home  in 
Sheridan  township,  wedded  Miss  Minnie  Arp  and  has  four  children:  Anna, 
Alphonse,  Elmer  and  Wilbert.  Adolph,  living  in  Lincoln  township,  married  Miss 
Laura  Hagedorn  and  now  has  four  children:  John,  Selma,  Ralph  and  Edna. 
Catherine  became  the  wife  of  Henry  Schroder,  of  Lincoln  township,  and  is 
now  the  mother  of  four  children :  Hattie,  Harry,  Edwin  and  Mabel.  Emma,  who 
gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  C.  M.  Emeis,  resides  with  her  father.  Emil  wedded 
Miss  Elizabeth  Ranch,  of  Lincoln  township,  and  has  three  children :  Leona,  Norma 
and  Frances.    Herman  Mohr  has  passed  away. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Mohr  is  a  stalwart  democrat,  and  for  two  years  he 
capably  served  in  the  office  of  township  trustee.  Fraternally  he  is  identified  with 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  has  never  had  occasion  to  regret 
his  determination  to  seek  a  home  in  the  new  world  and  has  gradually  worked 
his  way  upward,  enjoying  the  advantages  offered  in  this  country,  which  is  un- 
hampered by  caste  or  class.  He  has  now  reached  the  venerable  age  of  eighty- 
one  years  and,  having  made  his  home  in  Scott  county  for  fifty-seven  years,  has 
an  extensive  circle  of  friends  here  who  give  him  their  unqualified  regard  and 
esteem. 


FRANK  J.  SCHEBLER. 


The  belief  that  favorable  environment  and  influence  are  usually  factors  in 
success  finds  no  proof  in  the  life  history  of  Frank  J.  Schebler,  whose  progress  in 
the  business  world  is  attributable  entirely  to  his  own  efforts.  That  he  has  won 
prosperity  is  due  to  the  fact  that  close  application,  unfaltering  energy  and  firm 
purpose  have  been  the  salient  features  in  his  life.  He  was  formerly  well  known 
as  a  grain  dealer  of  Scott  county  but  is  now  living  retired  in  Davenport,  enjoying 
well  earned  rest.  He  has  passed  the  seventieth  milestone  on  life's  journey,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  June  7,  1839.  His  parents  were 
John  and  Margaret  Schebler,  the  former  a  baker  who  learned  his  trade  in  Vienna, 


486  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Kustria,  and  in  other  European  cities,  being  employed  in  that  way  in  Paris,  Mu- 
nich, Frankfort,  Berlin  and  other  places.  The  greater  part  of  his  life,  however, 
was  spent  in  the  fatherland. 

Frank  J.  Schebler  attended  school  in  Germany  to  the  age  of  thirteen  year."?, 
when  he  came  to  the  United  States,  landing  at  New  York  city  in  1852.  After 
two  months  passed  in  Williamsburg,  New  York,  he  came  west  to  Davenport  with 
an  older  brother,  John,  and  a  sister,  Mary.  The  brother  had  just  completed  a 
term  of  service  in  the  Bavarian  army  and  at  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  in  this 
country  he  joined  the  Forty-fourth  Illinois  Infantry  as  a  musician,  being  thus 
connected  with  the  regiment  for  a  year.  He  afterward  served  for  three  years  in 
the  Twentieth  Iowa  Infantry  and  was  thus  with  the  army  throughout  the  period 
of  hostilities  between  the  north  and  the  south.  After  arriving  in  Davenport  Frank 
J.  Schebler  attended  school  for  one  winter  and  then  started  out  to  earn  his  own 
living,  securing  employment  in  John  Cannon's  sawmill.  He  afterward  worked  in 
different  places  until  1859,  and  all  the  time  was  actuated  by  the  laudable  ambition 
of  one  day  engaging  in  business  on  his  own  account.  At  length  this  course  was 
made  possible  by  his  economy  and  industry.  He  had  first  become  identified  with 
the  grain  business,  however,  as  an  employe  of  August  StefFens,  but  later  he  was 
employed  by  James  D.  Burrows  until  1868.  From  that  time  until  1901  he  was 
connected  with  the  Davenport  Elevator  Company  btit  in  May  of  the  latter  year 
he  opened  a  feed  store  on  Ripley  street  in  Davenport,  of  which  he  is  still  the 
owner,  although  the  business  is  now  being  carried  on  by  his  son  Lewis  on  account 
of  the  illness  of  the  father.  , 

Having  arrived  at  years  of  maturity,  Frank  J.  Schebler  was  married  to  Miss 
Katherine  E.  Weigand,  a  daughter  of  Adam  and  Magdalena  Weigand,  who  were 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Davenport,  coming  in  April,  1843,  from  Indiana. 
Mrs.  Schebler  was  born  in  Cumberland,  Indiana,  February  24,  1842,  while  her 
parents  were  natives  of  Hessen,  Germany.  Her  father  was  one  of  the  first  alder- 
men of  Davenport,  serving  in  1850.  From  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  the  new 
world  until  his  death  he  continued  his  residence  in  this  city,  where  he  long  con- 
ducted business  as  a  butcher  and  teamster.  He  was  born  in  181 1  and  passed 
away  at  the  age  of  seventy-one  years,  while  his  wife,  who  was  born  August  15, 
1809,  died  on  the  30th  of  January,  1892.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scheb- 
ler was  celebrated  April  17,  i860,  the  wedding  ceremony  being  performed  by 
Father  Niermann,  the  old  Catholic  priest  who  is  still  here  and  in  the  old  stone 
church.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schebler  have  been  born  twelve  children.  The  eld- 
est, Agnes,  is  now  deceased.  Frank  J.  C,  who  is  engaged  in  the  confectionery 
business  in  Davenport,  married  Catherine  Moss  and  they  have  seven  children: 
Celia,  Vincent,  Carl,  Paul,  Antone,  Angela  and  Frank.  Bernhard,  the  third,  has 
passed  away.  Agnes  M.  is  the  wife  of  Aloysius  Hiegel  and  they  have  nine  chil- 
dren :  Josephine,  Antone,  Clara,  Marie,  Frank,  Leo,  Agties,  Christina  and  Gertrude. 
Joseph  A.,  of  Davenport,  married  Barbara  Ranch,  who  died,  leaving  two  children, 
Josephine  and  Edward,  and  for  his  second  wife  he  chose  Adeline  Muellenbeck. 
Rudolph  W.,  of  Davenport,  married  Katie  Wachter  and  they  had  five  children: 
Clara;  Eugene,  deceased;  Agnes;  Aloysius;  and  Bernadine.  Theodore,  of  this 
city,  married  Rosie  Sief red  and  their  children  are  Margaret,  Lena,  Arthur,  Theo- 
dore, Lawrence  and  Rose  M.    Albert,  the  next  of  the  family,  is  at  home.    Julitts 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  487 

died  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years.  Lewis  is  also  still  under  the  parental  roof ; 
George  died  when  seven  months  old,  while  Charles,  the  youngest,  was  nine  years 
old  at  the  time  of  his  demise. 

Frank  J.  Schebler  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church  and  of  the  St.  Joseph's 
Benevolent  Society.  With  one  exception  he  is  the  oldest  communicant  of  the 
Catholic  faith  in  Davenport  and  Father  Niermann  not  only  officiated  at  his  mar- 
riage but  has  also  baptized  and  married  all  of  his  children  and  grandchildren  and 
conducted  the  burial  services  of  his  parents,  who  arrived  in  this  city  in  1858.  He 
was  instrumental  in  securing  the  services  of  Father  Niermann  for  the  Catholics 
of  Davenport  in  1857  and  has  been  numbered  among  his  parishioners  since  that 
day.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schebler  have  spent  nearly  their  entire  lives  in  Daven- 
port and  have  occupied  their  present  home  for  half  a  century.  He  began  build- 
ing the  house  in  1858,  erecting  at  first  but  two  rooms,  but  now  it  is  a  comfortable 
residence  of  nine  rooms.  He  has  lived  to  witness  many  changes  here,  seeing  the 
city  grow  from  a  small  town  into  one  of  the  important  commercial  centers  of  the 
Mississippi  valley,  and  at  all  times  he  has  rejoiced  in  what  has  been  accomplished 
and  has  borne  his  full  part  in  the  work  of  general  progress  and  improvement. 


MRS.  ANNA  CHRISTINA  SCHMALZ. 

Mrs.  'Anm  Christina  Schmalz,  well  known  in  Princeton,  where  she  has  many 
friends,  was  bom  in  Aprote,  Germany,  November  11,  1831,  and  is,  therefore,  in 
her  seventy-ninth  year.  Her  parents  were  Johannas  and  Anna  Christina  Wool- 
enhaupt,  also  natives  of  Germany,  in  which  country  the  father  followed  the  shoe- 
maker's trade. 

Mrs.  Schmalz  spent  her  girlhood  days  in  her  native  country  and  was  a  young 
lady  of  eighteen  years  when  she  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America  in  the  spring  of 
1849,  landing  in  New  York.  She  then  made  her  way  to  Davenport,  where  she 
lived  for  two  years,  after  which  she  came  to  Princeton  and  since  that  time  has 
lived  in  this  section  of  the  county.  On  the  26th  of  April,  1854,  she  gave  her  hand 
in  marriage  to  Christian  Schmalz,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  in  Newburgh, 
New  York.  They  became  the  parents  of  nine  children :  Louise ;  Catherine  and 
Gusta,  twins ;  George,  Otto,  Emma,  Andrew,  Anna  and  Ella. 

Mr.  Schmalz  was  for  thirty  years  engaged  in  merchandising  in  Princeton, 
being  numbered  among  the  leading  and  enterprising  business  men  of  the  town, 
and  on  his  retirement  from  commercial  pursuits  he  removed  to  a  farm  in  Prince- 
ton township.  For  a  while  he  carried  on  the  work  of  the  fields  but  later  retired 
and  was  enjoying  a  period  of  well  earned  rest  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  on  the  Sth  of  July,  1904. 

Mr.  Schmalz  was  a  republican  in  his  political  views  but  never  aspired  to  office, 
preferring  to  concentrate  his  energies  upon  his  business  affairs,  in  which  he  met 
with  signal  and  well  merited  success.  His  life  was  ever  upright  and  honorable 
and  commanded  the  trust  and  confidence  of  his  f  ellowmen.  He  held  membership 
in  the  German  Lutheran  church,  in  which  he  was  confirmed  when  a  child. 
Throughout  his  life  his  actions  were  in  harmony  with  his  Christian  professions 


488  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

and  he  ever  attempted  to  follow  the  golden  rule,  doing  unto  others  as  he  would 
have  them  do  unto  him.  Mrs.  Schmalz  is  now  enjoying  a  well  earned  rest  and 
makes  her  home  with  her  daughter  Ella,  who  has  charge  of  the  home. 


CHARLES  H.  MOELLER. 

Prominent  among  the  industrious,  enterprising  and  successful  farmers  of 
Cleona  township  is  Charles  H.  Moeller,  a  native  of  Louisiana,  born  at  Coving- 
ton, about  sixteen  miles  from  New  Orleans,  on  the  15th  of  June,  1852.  His  par- 
ents, Godhardt  and  Mary  (Westphal)  Moeller,  were  both  born  in  Mecklen- 
berg,  Germany,  in  the  year  1826  and  came  to  the  United  States  in  1850,  locating 
at  New  Orleans.  In  October,  1852,  they  came  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  Daven- 
port and  located  upon  a  farm  in  Blue  Grass  township.  Four  years  later  they  re- 
moved to  Cleona  township,  where  the  father  engaged  in  farming  until  about 
twenty-one  years  prior  to  his  demise,  when  he  retired  from  active  life.  He  had 
been  most  successful  in  his  agricultural  pursuits,  becoming  the  owner  of  eight 
hundred  and  sixty-six  acres  of  land  in  Scott  county.  At  the  time  of  his  retire- 
ment he  removed  to  Walcott,  where  he  and  his  wife  spent  their  remaining  days, 
the  former  passing  away  in  1902  and  the  latter  surviving  about  two  years,  her 
death  occurring  in  1904.  In  their  family  were  four  children,  namely:  Charles 
H.,  of  this  review;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Albert  Werner,  postmaster  of  Walcott; 
E.  E.,  of  Stockton,  Iowa;  and  Herman  D.,  residing  in  Worthington,  Minnesota. 

Charles  H.  Moeller  was  barely  four  months  old  when  he  came  with  his  par- 
ents to  Iowa,  and  therefore  his  entire  life  has  practically  been  spent  within  the 
borders  of  Scott  county.  Reared  under  the  parental  roof,  amid  the  busy  ac- 
tivities of  rural  life,  he  acquired  his  education  in  the  district  schools  near  his 
home  and  at  an  early  age  became  familiar  with  the  tasks  that  fall  to  the  lot  of 
the  farm  lad.  During  the  periods  of  vacation  he  assisted  his  father  in  the  work 
of  the  fields  and  continued  to  make  his  home  with  his  parents  until  attaining  his 
majority.  Upon  reaching  man's  estate  he  entered  business  life  on  his  own  ac- 
count as  an  agriculturist  and  has  never  sought  to  engage  in  any  other  line  of 
activity,  wisely  choosing  as  his  life  work  the  occupation  to  which  he  had  been 
reared.  That  his  selection  was  a  wise  one  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  with  the 
passing  of  the  years  he  prospered  in  his  undertaking  and  from  time  to  tjme  in- 
vested in  land,  until  he  eventually  became  the  owner  of  eight  hundred  and  six 
acres  of  valuable  farming  land.  This  property  is  all  located  in  Qeona  township 
with  the  exception  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  which  lie  in  Hickory  Grove 
township,  and  is  equipped  with  five  sets  of  buildings,  all  in  excellent  condition 
and  good  repair.  He  makes-  his  home  on  two  hundred  and  six  acres  of  this  prop- 
erty, located  on  section  26,  and  to  the  cultivation  and  development  of  this  farm 
is  directing  his  entire  energies.  The  rest  of  the  land  is  leased,  the  rental  there- 
from forming  a  most  gratifying  source  of  income.  With  the  tilling  of  the  soil 
he  also  engages  in  stock-raising  to  some  extent,  making  a  specialty  of  short- 
horned  cattle  and  Percheron  horses,  and  this  branch  of  his  business  has  become 
an  important  factor  in  the  large  measure  of  success  which  is  his. 


MR.  AND  MRS.  C.  H.  MOELLER 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  491 

In  1877  Mr.  Moeller  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Fredericka  Smallfeldt, 
a  native  of  Mecklenberg,  Germany,  where  her  birth  occurred  on  the  7th  of 
August,  1855.  She  came  to  America  when  a  little  maiden  of  ten  summers  in 
company  with  her  parents,  Christ  and  Mary  (Theada)  Smallfeldt.  The  mother 
is  now  deceased,  but  the  father  survives  and  makes  his  home  at  present  in  New 
Liberty.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moeller  have  been  born  nine  children,  as  follows : 
Otto,  who  passed  away  at  the  age  of  nine  months ;  Mattie,  the  wife  of  Herman 
Frick,  of  Cleona  township;  Herman,  who  died  at  the  age  of  four  years;  Anna, 
the  wife  of  Paul  Ressen,  also  a  resident  of  Cleona  township,  operating  one  of 
our  subject's  farms;  Hulda,  who  married  Ben  Dietz,  of  the  r»ame  township; 
Amanda,' the  wife  of  Emil  Hamann  who  makes  his  home  in  Cleona  township; 
Rudolph  and  Edward,  both  residing  at  home;  and  Charles  H.,  Jr.,  who  passed 
away  when  eleven  years  old. 

Since  age  conferred  upon  him  the  right  of  franchise  Mr.  Moeller  has  ever 
given  stalwart  support  to  the  democratic  party,  although  he  has  never  taken  an 
active  part  in  politics.  He  has  not,  however,  been  unmindful  of  his  duties  as  a 
citizen  but  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  leading  and  representative  men  of  Cleona 
township,  whose  position  on  all  questions  of  moment  is  never  an  equivocal  one. 
On  the  contrary  he  stands  loyally  in  support  of  what  he  believes  to  be  right  and 
as  the  years  have  passed  his  labors  and  influence  have  contributed  to  the  general 
welfare  of  the  community.  A  man  of  domestic  tastes,  he  has  sought  his  happi- 
ness at  his  own  fireside,  in  the  companionship  of  his  family,  who  know  him  as 
a  loving  and  devoted  husband  and  kind  and  indulgent  father.  He  is  also  pop- 
ular with  a  large  number  of  friends,  who  hold  him  in  high  respect  and  regard 
because  of  his  upright  principles  and  honorable  manhood. 


REINHOLDT  SIEG. 


Reinholdt  Sieg,  a  splendid  type  of  the  German  citizen,  manifesting  in  his 
life  the  salient  and  commendable  characteristics  of  the  Teutonic  race,  rose  to  a 
position  of  honor  and  prominence  in  connection  with  the  industrial  and  finan- 
cial interests  of  Davenport,  the  city  profiting  by  his  activity  in  business  affairs 
and  in  those  projects  which  have  constituted  the  vital  elements  for  growth  and 
betterment  along  other  than  commercial  lines.  In  the  town  of  Magdeburg,  Ger- 
many, occurred  the  birth  of  Reinholdt  Sieg,  whose  natal  day  was  December 
10,  1828.  His  parents  were  tradespeople,  in  good  circumstances,  and  liberal  edu- 
cational advantages  were  afforded  him,  his  parents  securing  for  him  the  oppor- 
tunity of  attending  the  pay  schools  of  his  native  town.  When  his  more  specifically 
literary  course  was  completed  he  sought  and  obtained  employment  as  a  salesman 
in  a  wholesale  grocery  store  in  Magdeburg,  where  he  remained  for  seven  years. 
While  he  was  there  living  he  was  married  the  first  time  and  soon  afterward  he  de- 
termined to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  land  of  the  free.  Accordingly  completing  his 
arrangements  for  leaving  his  native  country,  he  sailed  for  America,  in  1849  and 
spent  two  or  three  years  in  traveling  over  the  United  States,  looking  for  a 
favorable  location  for  business.     His  parents  had  died  when  he  was  about  thir- 


492  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

teen  years  pf  age,  leaving  him  in  comfortable  circumstances.    His  wisdom  and 
sound  judgment  not  only  in  business  but  in  other  affairs  was  constantly  demon- 
strated throughout  his  life  record.    After  traveling  for  about  two  or  three  years 
his  observations  and  inclination  determined  him  to  locate  in  Davenport,  where 
he  entered  into  partnership  with  a  Mr.  Meyer,  now  of  Chicago,  and  under  the 
firm  style  of  Sieg  &  Meyer  they  established  a  tobacco  business,  which  they  con- 
ducted along  both  wholesale  and  retail  lines.     They  made  substantial  advance 
in  this  field  of  labor,  prospering  in  their  venture  and  Mr.  Sieg  continued  in  active 
connection  therewith  until  1866,  when  the  business  was  disposed  of.    For  two  or 
three  years  thereafter  Mr.  Sieg  was  engaged  in  no  active  business,  but  indolence 
and  idleness  were  utterly  foreign  to  his  nature  and  he  could  not  content  himself 
in  an  inactive  life.  '  He  therefore  made  arrangements  which  again  took  him  into 
the  commercial  field,  forming  a  partnership  with  the  late  Alexander  F.  Williams 
in  the  iron  business.    They  dealt  in  heavy  hardware  and  were  not  long  in  develop- 
ing a  large  arid  profitable  trade,  in  which  they  continued  without  change  until 
the  death  of  Mr.  Williams  in  1887.     Upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Williams  his  in- 
terest in  the  business  was  withdrawn  and  Mr.  Sieg  organized  a  stock  company 
with  small  shares  in  order  that  his  employes  might  purchase  stock  and  thus  share 
in  the  profits  of  the  enterprise.     He  became  the  president  of  the  company  and 
remained  as  its  chief  executive  ofificer  until  his  death.    The  business  is  still  car- 
ried on  under  the  name  of  the  "Sieg  Iron  Company  by  his  heirs.    It  is  a  monu- 
ment to  the  enterprise  and  labor  of  Mr.  Sieg,  who  recognized  and  used  opportu- 
nities which  others  passed  by  heedlessly  and  when  one  avenue  of  activity  seemed 
closed,  sought  out  other  paths  that  would  lead  to  the  result  which  he  wished  to 
achieve.     In  his  business  his  methods  were  such  as  would  bear  the  closest  in- 
vestigation and  scrutiny,  being  conducted  with  strict  regard  for  the  highest  com- 
mercial ethics.    Moreover,  he  was  fair  and  just  in  his  treatment  of  all  employes, 
considering  their  rights  and  interests  as  well  as  his  own  and  they  entertained  for 
him  highest  respect  and  regard.     He  considered  that  they  had  helped  to  earn 
for  him  the  wealth  that  he  acquired  and  he  was  therefore  ever  watchful  of  their 
interests.    In  addition  to  his  interests  in  the  iron  trade  he  was  a  stockholder  in 
the  Citizens  Bank  and  also  in  the  Iowa  National  Bank.    He  became  one  of  the 
original  stockholders  in  the  Davenport  canning  factory  and  in  the  D.  I.  &  D. 
Railroad.    He  was  also  one  of  the  promoters  and  stockholders  of  the  Masonic 
Temple  and  in  various  ways  assisted  in  building  up  the  city  of  his  adoption. 

Mr.  Sieg  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  died  April  19,  1883.  They  had 
no  children  of  their  own  but  reared  an  adopted  daughter,  Alice  Camille,  on  whom 
they  bestowed  every  care  and  attention  of  loving  parents.  On  the  24th  of  April, 
1884,  Mr.  Sieg  was  again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Victoria 
Robirds,  nee  Burleigh.  They  had  two  children,  Minnie  and  Martha.  The 
parents  of  Mrs.  Sieg  were  southern  people,  her  father  being  at  one  time  a  wealthy 
and  prominent  man  of  Louisiana.  His  earlier  years  were  devoted  to  journalism 
as  an  editor  and  later  he  became  a  merchant.  One  of  his  sons,  a  brother  of  Mrs. 
Sieg,  was  captain  in  the  Union  army  and  served  as  aid-de-camp  on  the  staff  of 
General  Rosecrans.  Mrs.  Sieg  was  first  married  in  Pekin,  Illinois,  to  George  Ro- 
birds. There  is  one  son  of  this  marriage,  George  Lawrence  Robirds,  who  pur- 
sued his  education  in  the  military  academy  at  Orchard  Lake,  Michigan. 


GODHARDT  :\IOELLER 


MRS.  noDT-TARDT  J\[0ELLER 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  497 

The  death  of  Mr.  Sieg  occurred  November  27,  1890,  and  his  demise  was 
greatly  unexpected,  the  news  therefore  causing  a  great  blow  to  his  many  friends. 
In  his  death  Davenport  lost  one  of  its  most  valued  citizens.  In  manner  he  was 
quiet,  unostentatious  and  unassuming  and  cared  not  to  figure  before  the  public 
in  any  relation  save  that  of  a  successful  business  man.  He  always  refused  office 
and  political  preferment,  yet  he  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  worthiest  citizens 
of  the  city.  He  was  a  man  of  very  positive  character  and  his  position  was  never 
an  equivocal  one.  On  the  contrary  he  stood  fearlessly  in  defense  of  what  he 
believed  to  be  right  and  was  a  man  of  determination  and  unflinching  integrity. 
No  one  ever  questioned  the  honesty  of  his  expressions  or  his  actions.  Moreover, 
he  possessed  a  spirit  of  broad  humanitarianism  that  prompted  him  to  recognize 
the  rights  and  interests  of  others  and  his  employes,  business  associates  and  all 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact  in  every  relation  of  life  knew  him  to  be  not  only  a 
good  and  just  but  also  a  generous  man.  Because  of  his  innate  modesty  and  re- 
tiring spirit  he  was  thought  by  some  to  be  reserved,  but  those  who  knew  him  best 
and  came  within  the  closer  circle  of  his  friendship  entertained  for  him  the  high- 
est regard.  His  best  traits  of  character,  however,  were  reserved  for  his  own 
fireside  and  he  cared  nothing  for  the  social  allurements  which  would  take  him 
from  his  family.  He  stood  for  all  that  constitutes  high  and  honorable  manhood 
and  at  his  death  left  a  memory  that  is  cherished  by  all  who  knew  him. 


WILLIAM  AUGUST  MOELLER. 

Among  the  early  German  residents  of  Scott  county  was  the  Moeller  family, 
of  which  William  August  Moeller  was  the  eldest  of  eight  children.  He  arrived 
in  Dafenport  in  his  sixth  year  and  from  that  time  forward  continued  h"*s  resi- 
dence in  this  county  most  of  the  time,  devoting  his  energies  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits. He  placed  his  reliance  upon  the  safe,  substantial  qualities  of  indefatigable 
effort  and  unfaltering  perseverance  and  as  the  years  passed  his  financial  resources 
increased  until  the  poor  little  German  boy  became  a  man  of  considerable  wealth, 
possessing  valuable  property  interests  from  which  he  annually  derived  a  sub- 
stantial income.  It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  note  that  some  of  the  strongest  char- 
acteristics of  the  German  race  have  been  dominant  factors  in  the  substantial  up- 
building and  development  of  Davenport  and  Scott  county.  William  August 
Moeller  was  among  the  number  of  German  citizens  who  aided  in  the  pioneer  de- 
velopment of  this  section  of  the  state.  He  was  a  little  lad  five  years  of  age  at 
the  time  of  his  arrival  here  in  1848. 

His  birth  had  occurred  at  Propstei,  Germany,  November  16,  1842,  his  parents 
being  Henry  and  Anna  Moeller,  who  on  crossing  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States 
with  their  family  landed  at  New  Orleans  in  1847.  They  made  their  way  up  the 
Mississippi  river  as  far  as  St.  Louis  and  remained  there  through  the  winter  but 
in  the  spring  of  1848  continued  their  journey  to  Davenport.  The  father  worked 
as  a  laborer  for  about  a  year,  after  which  he  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  in 
Davenport  township  at  the  usual  government  price  of  one  dollar  and  a  quarter 
per  acre.    Upon  this  claim  he  built  a  small  house  and  at  once  began  improving 


498  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

the  fields,  making  his  home  there  until  1855,  when  he  sold  that  place  and  bought 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  prairie  land  in  Lincoln  township  at  fifteen  dol- 
lars per  acre.  He  thereon  erected  a  residence,  fenced  the  land  and  made  all  the 
other  improvements.  Year  by  year  he  carefully  tilled  the  soil  and  as  his  financial  re- 
sources increased  he  extended  the  boundaries  of  his  place  from  time  to  time  until 
he  was  the  owner  of  about  four  hundred  acres  when  his  death  occurred,  Novem- 
ber 17,  1872.  He  had  for  eleven  years  survived  his  wife,  who  passed  away  July 
23,  1861.    They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children. 

William  August  Moeller,  the  oldest  of  the  family,  acquired  his  education  in 
the  district  schools  of  Scott  county,  was  reared  to  the  occupation  of  farming  and 
throughout  his  entire  life  carried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits.  When  he 
started  out  on  his  own  account  he  at  first  rented  a  part  of  his  father's  farm  and 
when  his  close  economy  and  unfailing  industry  had  brought  him  sufficient  capital 
to  enable  him  to  become  the  owner  of  a  farm  he  invested  in  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres  in  Lincoln  township.  There  he  lived  for  a  long  number  of  years  and 
the  place  is  still  known  as  the  old  homestead.  He  also  bought  two  hundred  acres 
in  Sheridan  township  and  two  farms  near  Donahue,  Scott  county,  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  each,  but  later  sold  those  tracts  to  his  sons.  He  also  be- 
came the  owner  of  a  farm  in  Ida  county,  Iowa,  where  his  daughter  now  lives. 
Year  by  year  he  prospered,  making  good  use  of  his  time  and  opportunities  and 
in  all  of  his  farm  work  he  was  practical,  diligent,  determined  and  therefore  suc- 
cessful. 

Mr.  Moeller  was  married  twice.  He  first  wedded  Miss  Doris  Fick,  now  de- 
ceased, and  they  had  five  children.  Anna,  the  eldest,  is  the  wife  of  Herman 
Ewaldt  and  they  have  eight  children :  William,  Henry,  Herman,  Rudolph,  Arnold, 
Albert,  Meta  and  Hugo.  Henry  Moeller  married  Meta  Koch  and  they  have 
three  children:  Roy,  Henry  and  May.  William  married  Anna  Klindt  and  they 
have  two  children,  Clarence  and  William.  Meta  is  the  wife  of  Gust  Wiese  and 
their  five  children  are  Howard,  Ruth,  Arthur,  Stella  and  Erma.  Laura,  the 
youngest  of  the  family,  is  the  wife  of  William  Ottsen  and  has  one  daughter,  Lo- 
rena.  For  his  second  wife,  Mr.  Moeller  chose  Magdelina  Sorensen,  a  daughter 
of  Henry  and  Louise  Sorensen,  who  came  to  Scott  county  in  1883  and  are  now 
living  at  Eldridge.  Mrs.  Moeller  came  to  this  county  in  1881.  She  was  born 
in  Schleswig,  Germany,  April  28,  1862.  She  has  five  children :  Rudolph,  living  in 
Lincoln  township,  married  Amanda  Hinze  and  has  four  children — Hertha,  Elton 
and  infant  twins.  Clara  is  the  wife  of  Herman  Rohlf,  of  Davenport,  and  they 
have  two  children,  Wilbert  and  Bernice ;  Amanda,  Arnold  and  Helen  are  at  home. 

During  the  years  of  his  residence  upon  the  farm  Mr.  Moeller  served  in  a 
number  of  local  offices,  including  that  of  township  trustee  and  school  director.  He 
was  ever  loyal  to  the  best  interests  of  the  community  and  cooperated  in  many 
measures  for  the  public  good.  He  held  membership  with  the  Turners  at  Eldridge 
and  was  a  man  of  social,  genial  disposition  who  won  friends  wherever  he  went. 
He  continued  to  reside  upon  the  farm  until  November,  1906,  when  he  removed  to 
Davenport,  where  his  death  occurred  on  the  29th  of  March,  1907.  His  widow  still 
owns  the  old  home  place  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Lincoln  township  and 
the  two  hundred  acre  farm  in  Sheridan  township,  besides  fine  city  property,  having 
been  left  in  fairly  comfortable  financial  circumstances  by  her  husband.    Mr.  Moel- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  499 

ler  was  a  man  of  many  good  qualities  and  his  life  moreover  illustrates  the  value 
of  industry  and  close  application  in  the  attainment  of  success.  As  the  architect 
of  his  own  fortunes  he  builded  wisely  and  well. 


E.  O.  FICKE,  M.  D. 


One  of  the  more  prominent  of  the  younger  physicians  of  Davenport  is  Dr 
E.  O.  Ficke,  one  of  the  city's  native  sons,  whose  birth  occurred  February  23, 
1880.  His  father,  H.  E.  Ficke,  was  born  in  Hamburg,  Germany,  but  came  to  the 
United  States  when  only  a  child.  He  grew  to  manhood  in  Iowa  and  here  mar- 
ried Miss  Louise  Voeght,  who  was  a  native  of  Kiel,  Germany,  and  like  her  hus- 
band came  to  this  country  when  a  mere  child.  She  is  still  living,  but  Mr.  Ficke 
passed  away  August  19,  1908. 

Dr.  Ficke  was  the  youngest  of  the  three  children  born  to  his  parents.  He  was 
reared  in  this  city  and  began  his  education  as  a  pupil  at  what  is  now  known  as  Har- 
rison, No.  8,  school.  Later,  having  completed  all  the  requirements,  he  entered 
the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  at  Chicago,  Illinois,  from  which  he  re- 
ceived his  medical  degree  and  his  Hcense  to  practice  his  profession  in  1903.  He 
went  straightway  to  Buffalo,  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  he  remained  about  two 
years.  In  1907  he  was  appointed  physician  for  the  county,  being  reappointed 
in  1908  and  1909  and  holding  the  oiiSce  to  the  present,  for  he  has  acquitted  him- 
self with  honor  and  enjoys  the  confidence  of  those  who  have  watched  his 
administration. 

Dr.  Ficke  is  a  member  of  the  Scott  county,  the  Iowa  State  and  the  American 
Medical  Associations  and  often  attends  their  meetings.  He  is  a  young  man  of 
ambition,  high  ideals  and  skill  in  his  chosen  field,  and  the  success  which  has 
crowned  his  previous  efforts  is  an  indication  of  what  is  in  store  for  him.  He  has 
no  reason  to  be  discouraged  with  the  present  or  despair  of  the  future. 


WILLIAM   MARLETTE  CHAMBERLIN. 

WilHam  Marlette  Chamberlin,  a  lawyer  who  for  twenty-four  years  has  prac- 
ticed at  the  Davenport  bar,  is  today  enjoying  the  success  which  comes  as  the 
result  of  a  large  clientage  of  an  important  character.  He  was  born  in  Princeton, 
Scott  county,  Iowa,  August  24,  1862,  and  comes  of  ancestry  represented  in  Amer- 
ica from  colonial  days.  Both  the  paternal  and  maternal  hues  were  represented 
in  the  patriot  army  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  The  parents  of  our  subject  were 
Levi  S.  and  Lucy  A.  (Marlette)  Chamberlin,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Pennsylvania.  The  father  was  born  in  Susquehanna  county  and  in  1836  came 
with  his  parents  to  Scott  county.  His  father,  Josiah  Chamberlin,  first  settled  in 
Rock  Island  county,  Illinois,  and  soon  afterward  removed  to  Pleasant  Valley, 
where  he  engaged  in  farming.  His  was  one  of  the  pioneer  homes  of  the  district 
and  the  first  church  services  in  the  county  were  held  in  his  house.     He  sought  to 


500  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

aid  in  the  work  of  public  progress  in  every  possible  way  and  was  among  those 
who  Taid  broad  and  deep  the  foundation  upon  which  the  later  prosperity  and 
growth  of  the  county  were  built.  Levi  S.  Chamberlin  was  reared  to  farm  life 
and  for  a  number  of  years  engaged  in  general  agricultural  pursuits  but  afterward 
turned  his  attention  to  merchandising  in  LeClaire,  Iowa,  and  was  also  a  partial 
owner  of  a  boatyard  there.  He  likewise  acted  as  pilot  on  the  river  for  a  few 
years  and  his  varied  activities  brought  him  into  close  contact  with  the  public  life 
of  the  community.  He  died  in  1885,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three  years,  and  was 
long  survived  by  his  wife,  who  passed  away  in  May,  1909. 

In  their  family  were  three  children,  including  W.  M.  Chamberlin,  who  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Princeton,  and  afterward  engaged  in  teaching  in 
this  county  for  three  years.  He  regarded  this  merely  as  an  initial  step  to  further 
professional  labor,  however,  for  it  was  his  ambition  to  become  a  member  of  the 
bar  and  to  this  end  he  devoted  his  leisure  hours,  while  engaged  in  teaching,  to  the 
study  of  law.  Later  he  entered  the  State  University,  from  which  he  was  gradu- 
ated with  the  class  of  1886.  He  was  an  earnest  student  and  gained  comprehen- 
sive knowledge  of  the  principles  of  jurisprudence,  so  that  when  he  entered  upon 
active  practice  his  equipment  was  unusually  good.  He  has  served  for  one  term 
as  county  attorney,  which  has  covered  the  extent  of  his  service  in  political  office, 
but  he  has  always  been  active  in  politics  since  attaining  his  majority. 

On  the  5th  of  September,  1898,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Chamber- 
lin and  Miss  Helen  C.  Galvin,  of  Davenport,  a  daughter  of  Martin  Galvin,  one  of 
the  old  residents  of  this  city.  They  have  one  child,  James  Marlette,  born  August 
II,  1899.  Fraternally  Mr.  Chamberlin  is  connected  with  the  Masons  and  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  and  his  name  is  also  on  the  membership 
roll  of  other  societies.  He  is  likewise  identified  with  organized  movements  for 
the  city's  benefit,  including  the  Business  Men's  Association  and  the  Commercial 
Club. 


JACOB  M.  ELDRIDGE. 

Jacob  M.  Eldridge,  arriving  in  Davenport  in  1845,  became  an  active  and  valu- 
able factor  in  the  business  interests  of  the  city  and  at  the  same  time  his  opin- 
ions carried  weight  and  his  labors  produced  substantial  results  in  financial  cir- 
cles. While  he  won  success,  his  interests  were  never  so  self-centered  that 
business  excluded  participation  in  projects  and  measures  of  progressive  citizen- 
ship. On  the  contrary  he  was  ever  alert  to  the  best  interests  of  the  community 
and  his  cooperation  constituted  a  valuable  force  in  inaugurating  measures  which 
were  of  public  benefit.  A  native  of  New  Jersey,  Jacob  M.  Eldridge  was  born 
at  Haddonfield,  November  20,  1824,  a  son  of  D.  C.  and  Rachel  (Brown)  El- 
dridge. His  father  was  the  first  postmaster  of  Davenport.  The  mother  died 
when  her  son  Jacob  was  but  four  years  of  age  and  the  boy  then  went  to  live  with 
his  grandparents.  His  father,  having  remarried,  came  west  and  had  conducted 
a  store  in  Davenport  at  the  time  of  the  death  of  the  grandfather.  Jacob  M.  El- 
dridge, then  a  boy  of  thirteen  years,  was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources  and 
soon  afterward  commenced  teaming.    Carefully  saving  his  earnings,  it  was  not 


JACOB  M.  ELDRTDGE 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  503 

long  before  he  was  able  to  purchase  a  team  and  in  that  field  of  activity  he  con- 
tinued to  labor  for  some  time.  Later  he  turned  his  attention  to  clerking  and, 
actuated  by  the  laudable  ambition  which  was  ever  one  of  his  strong  character- 
istics, he  soon  made  it  possible  to  become  the  owner  of  a  mercantile  enterprise. 
This  he  conducted  until  1845,  when  he  came  to  Davenport,  his  attention  having 
already  been  directed  to  this  city  by  the  fact  that  it  was  the  place  of  his  father's 
residence.  He  arrived  in  Rock  Island  on  the  23d  of  December  after  a  two 
months'  journey  from  Philadelphia  and  spent  Christmas  eve  in  Davenport.  The 
next  spring,  however,  he  returned  to  the  east  to  settle  up  his  business  affairs  in 
that  section  of  the  country  and  in  the  succeeding  fall  again  came  back  to  this 
city.  He  had  entered  land  from  the  government  about  three  miles  northeast  of 
Davenport,  for  which  he  paid  the  usual  price  of  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre. 
The  improvements  which  he  placed  upon  it  and  the  natural  rise  in  value  conse- 
quent upon  the  rapid  settlement  of  this  section  of  the  country  enabled  him  in 
1874  to  dispose  of  that  farm  for  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  per  acre. 
He  was  one  of  the  first  land  agents  of  this  city  and  followed  that  pursuit  during 
much  of  his  life.  His  keen  judgment  and  sagacity  enabled  him  to  make  judicious 
investments  and  profitable  sales  and  at  the  same  time  he  contributed  to  the  sub- 
stantial improvement  of  this  section  of  the  state  by  his  careful  manipulation  of 
realty  interests. 

At  all  times  Mr.  Eldridge  was  mindful  of  his  opportunity  to  promote  public 
progress  and  was  actuated  by  a  public-spirited  devotion  to  the  general  good  thzCt 
was  manifest  in  many  tangible  ways.  He  was  prominent  in  the  movement  that 
extended  the  Chicago  &  Rock  Island  road  to  the  river  and  continued  its  con- 
struction across  the  state  as  the  Mississippi  &  Missouri  road.  The  second  line 
afterward  consolidated,  forming  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific.  Mr.  El- 
dridge was  also  a  member  of  the  company  that  secured  the  franchise  for  the 
second  railroad  bridge  and  he  put  forth  earnest  effort  wherever  he  believed  it 
possible  to  secure  the  adoption  of  a  project  that  promised  material  benefit  to 
the  city,  county  and  state.  The  town  of  Eldridge  was  laid  out  by  him  and  the 
city  of  Eldridge,  North  Dakota,  was  named  in  his  honor.  It  was  through  the  in- 
fluence of  Mr.  Eldridge  that  Frank  P.  Blair  became  a  resident  of  this  city  and  a 
most  important  factor  in  its  later  upbuilding. 

In  the  field  of  politics  Mr.  Eldridge  was  equally  well  known  and  prominent. 
He  was  a  delegate  to  the  convention  held  in  Iowa  City  in  1855,  which  led  to 
the  organization  of  the  republican  party  in  this  state.  In  1872  he  was  sent  as  a 
delegate  from  Iowa  to  the  convention  of  liberal  republicans  that  nominated  Hor- 
ace Greeley  for  the  presidency.  He  regarded  it  as  the  duty  as  well  as  the  privi- 
lege of  every  American  man  to  uphold  by  his  ballot  and  his  influence  the  prin- 
ciples in  which  he  believed  and,  while  he  never  sought  nor  desired  office  for  him- 
self, he  stod  stanchly  in  support  of  those  issues  which  he  regarded  as  vital  to 
good  government.  He  conceived  and  instituted  the  idea  of  placing  a  memorial 
tablet  in  the  rotunda  of  the  courthouse  in  honor  of  the  Scott  county  pioneers— 
a  tablet  which  will  preserve  for  future  generations  the  names  of  several  hundred 
residents  who  came  here  prior  to  1848.  He  was  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  faith- 
ful members  of  the  Christian  church,  to  the  support  of  which  he  contributed 
generously,  while  in  its  various  activities  he  took  helpful  part.    One  of  the  most 


504  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

honored  members  of  the  Old  Settlers'  Association,  he  filled  all  of  its  offices, 
including  that  of  president.  He  was  also  president  of  the  Board  of  Trade  at 
one  time  and  instituted  various  projects  which  were  accomplished  through  the 
medium  of  that  association. 

In  1848  Mr.  Eldridge  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  L.  Woodward,  who  passed 
away  eighteen  months  later.  In  June,  1851,  he  married  Miss  Mary  H.  Wil- 
liams, and  on  the  28th  of  September,  1866,  he  wedded  Agnes  Smith,  who  sur- 
vives him.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Robert  Smith,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  who 
retired  in  1861  and  established  his  home  in  Davenport,  where  he  spent  his  re- 
maining days,  dying  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years.  The  six  children  of  Mr. 
Eldridge  were  all  born  of  the  second  marriage,  namely :  George  W.,  Mrs.  R.  R 
Eldridge,  Mrs.  S.  L.  Glaspell,  Mrs.  Carl  E.  Schlegel,  Mrs.  George  W.  Bawden 
and  Frank. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Eldridge  occurred  June  8,  1892,  and  brought  a  sense  of 
personal  bereavement  to  a  large  majority  of  Davenport  citizens,  for  during  the 
many  years  of  his  residence  here  he  was  honored  and  respected  by  all  who  knew 
him.  The  value  of  his  public  work  cannot  be  overestimated  and  his  record  fur- 
nishes a  splendid  example  for  emulation  in  its  public-spirited  devotion  to  the  gen- 
eral good.  As  the  architect  of  his  own  fortunes  he  builded  wisely  and  well  and 
did  equally  good  work  for  the  city,  his  name  being  on  the  roll  of  the  representa- 
tive men  whose  labors  have  constituted  the  chief  elements  in  progress  and  im- 
provement here. 


GUST  AVE  A.  KOESTER. 

Perhaps  no  history  in  this  volume  better  illustrates  the  power  of  industry  and 
the  force  of  character  than  does  the  record  of  Gustave  A.  Koester,  who,  thrown 
upon  his  own  resources  by  the  death  of  his  parents  when  ten  years  of  age,  has 
since  made  his  own  way  in  the  world  and  now,  at  the  age  of  three  score  years 
and  ten,  is  numbered  among  Davenport's  men  of  affluence.  His  business  meth- 
ods, too,  have  never  required  nor  sought  disguise.  There  has  been  no  esoteric 
phase  in  his  career,  for  in  the  legitimate  lines  of  trade  and  business  activity  he 
has  won  his  success. 

He  was  born  in  Germany  on  the  13th  of  November,  1838,  and  was  a  son  of 
Ernest  and  Mary  Koester,  the  former  a  prominent  attorney  of  the  fatherland, 
whence  he  sailed  for  America  with  his  family  in  1841.  Landing  at  New  Orleans, 
he  proceeded  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  engaged  in  the  prac- 
tice of  law  until  1848,  when  his  life's  labors  were  ended  in  death.  He  was  the 
owner  of  a  coal  mine  near  the  arsenal  at  St.  Louis,  called  the  Grove  mine,  and 
during  the  period  of  his  residence  in  that  city  was  a  prominent  and  influential 
man  there.  He  brought  with  him  to  America  Messrs.  Schulenberg  and  Beckler, 
who  were  then  studying  law  under  him  in  Germany  and  who  afterward  became 
prominent  lumbermen  of  St.  Louis.  His  wife  died  in  1847.  I"  their  family  were 
eight  children.     Otto,  who  was  appointed  burgomaster  of  Soest,  Germany,  and 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  505 

later  received  appointment  as  chief  burghmaster  over  all  others  from  Emperor 
William,  died  in  his  native  land  in  1908.  Fritz  died  in  St.  Louis  in  1866.  Julius 
is  a  practicing  attorney  of  Carlinville,  Illinois,  now  seventy-eight  years  of  age. 
Mary  died  in  1907.  Emily,  of  Cairo,  Illinois,  is  the  widow  of  Dr.  Leach.  Gus- 
tave  A.  is  the  next  of  the  family.  MolHe,  who  died  in  1904,  was  the  wife  of 
George  SchaeBfer,  a  wholesale  druggist  of  Fort  Madison,  Iowa.  Elizabeth  died 
in  1847. 

The  educational  opportunities  of  Gustave  A.  Koester  were  somewhat  limited 
owing  to  the  early  death  of  his  parents,  whereby  he  was  left  an  orphan  when  not 
yet  ten  years  of  age.  For  a  brief  period  he  attended  the  German  Institute  con- 
ducted by  General  Siegel  at  St.  Louis,  but  was  a  student  there  for  only  about  a 
year  and  then  for  only  about  four  half  days  each  week.  After  his  parents'  death 
he  and  three  other  children  of  the  family  went  to  live  with  an  uncle,  Conrad  Reise, 
at  Muscatine,  Iowa. 

Soon  afterward,  however,  Gustave  A.  Koester  left  his  uncle's  home  and  began 
selling  papers,  blacking  boots  and  doing  other  such  work  as  he  could  secure  in 
order  to  provide  a  living.  He  came  to  Davenport  in  1856  and  was  first  employed 
as  a  bell  boy  in  the  hotels.  He  afterward  worked  in  different  restaurants  and 
at  different  places,  where  he  learned  to  cook,  and  when  the  Civil  war  broke  out 
he  went  to  the  front  as  cook  for  the  Twelfth  Missouri  Infantry  under  Colonel 
Osterhouse.  He  also  cooked  for  the  Thirteenth  Missouri  Infantry.  He  had  a 
brother-in-law,  Captain  Steinburg,  with  the  Twelfth  Missouri  Infantry  and  Mr. 
Koester  remained  with  that  regiment  until  June,  1863,  when  he  went  south  and 
witnessed  the  battle  of  Helena,  Arkansas. 

In  the  fall  of  1863  Mr.  Koester  returned  to  Davenport,  where  in  connection 
with  Claus  Houck  he  engaged  in  the  grain  business,  which  they  carried  on  for 
four  years.  They  then  dissolved  partnership  and  became  agents  for  the  Moline 
Flour  Mills,  buying  all  the  wheat  used  in  their  plant  and  also  acting  as  sales  agents 
for  their  flour.  In  1867  Mr.  Koester  engaged  in  business  for  himself  in  the  same 
line,  dealing  in  all  kinds  of  grain,  potatoes,  onions  and  other  farm  products.  In 
this  undertaking  he  prospered  and  as  the  years  passed  by  he  extended  the  scope 
of  the  business  by  establishing  branch  houses  at  Eldridge,  Long  Grove,  Donahue, 
Mount  Joy  and  Durant,  Iowa,  where  he  had  the  largest  .elevator  on  the  Rock 
Island  Railroad.  The  years  chronicled  his  growing  success,  resulting  from  his 
earnest  purpose,  his  close  application,  his  undaunted  energy  and  his  reliable  busi- 
ness methods. 

At  length  Mr:  Koester  retired  from  that  business  in  1888  and  was  then  em- 
ployed by  large  real-estate  companies  to  organize  and  conduct  excursions,  taking 
land  seekers  to  new  territory.  He  thus  handled  considerable  land,  selling  as  high 
as  five  thousand  acres  per  day.  In  1890  he  purchased  considerable  land  in  Iowa 
and  Minnesota  from  an  English  syndicate  and  became  his  own  real-estate  agent, 
handling  his  own  property  with  headquarters  and  office  in  Davenport.  He  con- 
tinued in  business  alone  until  i8g6,  when  he  admitted  Charles  Martin  to  a  part- 
nership. They  were  thus  associated  for  four  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  the 
business  relation  was  dissolved,  after  which  Mr.  Koester  sold  out  to  his  son  Gus- 
tave, who  conducted  the  business  for  about  a  year.  Since  then  Mr.  Koester  has 
been  selling  lots  in  the  Norwood  addition  to  Davenport,  which  he  owns,  but  has 


506  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

practically  retired  from  active  life  to  enjoy  a  rest  which  he  truly  earned  and  richly 
deserves. 

Mr.  Koester  was  married  twice.  He  first  wedded  Miss  Mary  Smith.  They 
had  three  children:  Gustave  A.,  who  is  married  and  lives  in  Davenport;  Katie, 
the  wife  of  Alex  Eskie,  of  Colorado,  by  whom  she  has  one  son,  Adolph;  and 
Toney,  of  Davenport,  who  married  Miss  Maude  Krider,  and  has  two  children. 
For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Roester  chose  Kathryn  Anderson. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Koester  is  connected  with  the  Elks  lodge,  No.' 298,  of  Daven- 
port, and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  and  the  Schuetzen 
Verein.  •  He  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Union  Savings  Bank  and  his  name  is 
an  honored  one  on  commercial  paper  in  this  city.  His  business  interests  have 
been  of  an  important  character  and,  carefully  managed,  have  brought  to  him  sub- 
stantial success,  so  that  now  in  the  evening  of  life  he  is  very  comfortably  situated 
financially. 


LOUIS  ECKHARDT. 

Among  the  efficient  and  popular  county  officials  of  Scott  county  is  numbered 
Louis  Eckhardt,  who  since  1906  has  ably  served  in  the  position  of  sheriff.  He  was 
bom  in  Davenport,  Iowa,  on  the  23d  of  October,  1867,  his  parents  being  Charles 
and  Christine  (Greve)  Eckhardt,  who,  though  natives  of  Germany,  were  mar- 
ried in  Davenport.  The  father,  whose  birth  occurred  in  1821,  crossed  the  At- 
lantic to  the  United  States  in  1848,  landing  at  New  Orleans,  Louisiana.  After 
residing  for  a  short  time  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  he  came  up  the  river  to  Daven- 
port, Iowa,  in  1850.  He  was  a  skilled  mechanic  and  carpenter,  with  which  trade 
he  had  become  familiar  in  his  native  land,  but  after  working"  at  that  occupation 
for  a  number  of  years  he  became  identified  with  the  lumber  industry,  acting  as 
salesman  for  the  French  &  Davis  Company  during  the  period  of  the  Civil  war. 
He  next  turned  his  attention  to  the  grocery  business,  while  subsequently  he  entered 
the  service  of  the  Mueller  Lumber  Company  in  the  capacity  of  salesman  and 
was  thus  employed  for  a  number  of  years  or  until  he  passed  away  on  the  nth  of 
October,  1885.  His  death  was  the  occasion  of  deep  and  widespread  regret,  for 
he  was  a  well  known  and  highly  respected  citizen  whose  upright  and  honorable 
life  won  him  the  confidence  and  regard  of  all  with  whom  he  was  associated. 
Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born  nine  children,  five  of  whom  reached  years  of 
maturity. 

Louis  Eckhardt,  who  was  the  eighth  in  order  of  birth  in  his  father's  family, 
pursued  his  education  in  the  public  schools  until  he  had  attained  the  age  of 
fourteen  years.  Having  chosen  the  occupation  of  a  barber  as  a  congenial  life 
work,  he  then  devoted  himself  to  the  mastery  of  that  trade  and  it  was  by  reason 
of  his  untiring  industry,  indefatigable  energy  and  excellent  business  ability  that 
he  eventually  became  the  proprietor  of  the  leading  barbering  establishment  in 
Davenport.  In  addition  to  his  interests  in  this  connection  he  also  gave  consider- 
able attention  to  public  afiFairs  and  for  two  terms  capably  served  as  alderman  of 
the  fourth  ward.  He  resigned  that  office,  however,  in  order  to  enter  upon  the 
duties  of  sheriff,  to  which  position  he  was  elected  in  1906.    A  democrat  in  politics, 


LOUIS  ECKHARDT 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  509 

he  is  a  prominent  figure  in  the  local  ranks  of  his  party— a  fact  which  was  proven 
by  his  election  to  the  vice  presidency  of  the  Iowa  State  Sheriff's  Association  at 
the  state  convention  of  sheriffs. 

On  the  19th  of  Augttst,  1896,  Mr.  Eckhardt  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Louise  Mundt,  a  native  of  Davenport  and  a  daughter  of  F.  W.  Mundt.  They  are 
now  the  parents  of  two  children,  Louise  C.  and  Herbert  W.  Fraternally  Mr. 
Eckhardt  is  identified  with  the  Masons,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Benevo- 
lent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  being  past  exalted  ruler  of  the  last  named  order. 
He  well  deserves  the  proud  American  title  of  a  self-made  man,  for  by  persever- 
ance determination  and  honorable  effort  he  has  overthrown  the  obstacles  which 
barred  his  path  to  success  and  has  reached  the  goal  of  prosperity,  while  his 
genuine  worth,  broad  mind  and  public  spirit  have  made  him  a  director  of  pub- ' 
lie  thought  and  action.  Both  he  and  his  wife  have  remained  residents  of  Daven- 
port throughout  their  entire  lives  and  they  well  merit  the  high  regard  and  es- 
teem which  is  so  uniformly  accorded  them. 


JESSE  DODDS. 


For  the  past  ten  years  Jesse  Dodds  has  lived  in  honorable  retirement  in  a 
nice  home  in  Davenport,  being  numbered  among  the  highly  respected  pioneer  set- 
tlers of  Scott  county.  He  is  a  native  of  Butler  county,  Pennsylvania,  born  August 
4,  1834,  of  the  marriage  of  James  and  Ellen  (Sproll)  Dodds.  The  father  was  a 
tanner  by  trade  and  also  engaged  in  farming;  in  the  Keystone  state. 

Jesse  Dodds  acquired  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  state  and  was 
reared  there  to  the  age  of  nineteen,  when  he  sought  a  home  farther  west.  Coming 
to  Scott  county  in  1855,  he  engaged  in  the  livery  business  in  Le  Claire,  while 
later  he  went  to  Pleasant  Valley,  where  he  was  employed  in  a  flour  mill  about  seven 
years.  He  then  spent  some  time  at  Pikes  Peak,  Colorado,  but  on  his  return  to 
Davenport  took  up  farming,  which  he  followed  throughout  the  remainder  of  his 
business  career.  He  eventually  became  the  owner  of  one  hundred  acres  of  land 
in  Pleasant  Valley  township,  situated  on  the  river  road  about  eight  miles  east  of 
the  city.  Mr.  Dodds  devoted  much  of  his  land  to  the  raising  of  onions  and  this 
proved  a  very  successful  venture.  He  also  raised  considerable  stock  and  de- 
voted some  of  his  time  to  general  farming.  About  ten  years  ago  he  put  aside  all 
business  cares  and  purchased  residence  property  in  Davenport,  to  which  he  re- 
moved, and  he  has  since  made  this  his  home.  He  still  retains  possession  of  his 
farming  property,  which  he  rents. 

Mr.  Dodds  was  married  on  the  31st  of  December,  1859,  to  Miss  Ruby  Black- 
man,  a  daughter  of  Louis  and  Jane  Blackman.  She  was  born  No- 
vember 27,  1839,  and  died  November  10,  1901.  She  was  a  most  es- 
timable lady  and  an  active  and  faithful  worker  in  the  work  of  the 
Baptist  church  and  Sunday  school.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dodds  were  bom 
seven  children,  three  daughters  and  four  sons,  as  follows:  Jennie,  the  wife  of 
Al  Kramer  and  the  mother  of  three  children;  Harry,  who  wedded  Miss  Sarah 
Rackster,  by  whom  he  has  eight  children ;  Jessie,  the  wife  of  F.  S.  Shutter  and 


510  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

the  mother  of  three  children ;  Fred,  who  resides  at  home ;  Charles ;  Hattie,  the 
wife  of  William  Voteman ;  and  Louis,  who  has  passed  away. 

A  republican  in  his  political  belief,  Mr.  Dodds  formerly  took  an  active  part 
in  public  affairs.  While  living  on  the  farm  he  filled  various  township 
ofifices  and  the  cause  of  education  has  ever  been  one  of  deep  interest  to  him.  He 
was  also  connected  with  the  postoffice  department  at  Davenport  for  seven  years 
but  is  now  living  free  from  all  business  cares  with  the  exception  of  looking  after 
the  rental  of  his  farm.  He  thoroughly  enjoys  home  life  and  takes  great  pleasure 
in  the  society  of  his  family  and  friends.  He  is  always  courteous  and  affable 
and  those  who  know  him  personally  have  for  him  warm  regard.  His  life  is 
exemplary  in  all  respects  and  he  has  ever  supported  those  interests  which  are 
calculated  to  uplift  and  benefit  humanity,  while  his  own  high  moral  worth 
is  deserving  of  highest  commendation. 


CAPTAIN  E.  J.  LANCASTER. 

Captain  E.  J.  Lancaster  is  one  of  the  best  known  river  men  of  the  upper  Missis- 
sippi, having  sailed  as  captain  on  various  steamers  since  1866.  His  personal 
worth  and  ability  in  his  chosen  field  of  labor  has  won  him  high  regard  and  be- 
cause of  his  wide  acquaintance  his  history  cannot  fail  to  prove  of  interest  to  many 
of  the  readers  of  this  volume. 

He  was  born  in  De  Kalb  county,  Illinois,  June  23,  1846,  a  son  of  Thomas  and 
Cynthia  (Smith)  Lancaster,  the  former  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the  latter  of  Penn- 
sylvania. He  comes  of  Scotch,  English  and  of  Pennsylvania  Dutch  ancestry.  In 
his  boyhood  days  he  was  brought  to  Scott  county  and  in  the  district  schools  here 
acquired  his  education.  Living  near  the  river,  he  has  always  been  interested  in 
marine  matters  and,  after  starting  in  business  life,  became  closely  connected  with 
the  navigation  interests  of  the  upper  Mississippi.  In  the  meantime  he  had  done 
valuable  service  for  his  country  as  a  soldier  of  the  Union  army  in  the  Civil  war. 
He  was  but  seventeen  years  of  age  when,  on  the  15th  of  August,  1863,  he  en- 
listed as  a  private  of  Company  C,  Eighth  Regiment  of  Iowa  Cavalry,  with  which 
he  served  until  honorably  discharged  at  Clinton  on  the  loth  of  June,  1865.  Be- 
ing captured  while  on  duty  he  was  incarcerated  in  the  Nashville  prison  for  eight 
months  and  was  later  sent  to  Andersonville,  so  that  he  underwent  all  of  the  hard- 
ships of  southern  prison  life. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  Captain  Lancaster  was  mustered  out  and  with  a 
creditable  military  record  returned  to  his  home  in  Scott  county.  Here  he  has 
since  lived.  He  at  once  became  connected  with  navigation  interests  and  has  sailed 
continuously  since  1866  as  captain.  He  stands  today  as  one  of  the  foremost  rep- 
resentatives of  the  calling  in  this  county  and  has  a  very  wide  acquaintance  not 
only  among  river  men  but  also  among  the  business  men  who  have  reason  to  em- 
ploy shipping  facilities  in  the  transportation  of  the  goods  which  they  may  handle. 

Captain  Lancaster  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Helen  Johnson,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Olive  (Abbott)  Johnson.  Her  father  died  in  Le 
Claire,  but  her  mother  is  still  living  and  makes  her  home  in  that  place.     Captain 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  511 

Lancaster's  family  numbers  eight  children:  Nora,  the  wife  of  John  Fedderson, 
a  resident  of  Le  Claire,  by  whom  she  has  two  children,  Eli  and  Fritz  Fedderson ; 
Olive  Helen,  who  was  born  July  21,  1879,  and  married  W.  H.  Bissick,  of  St. 
Louis,  Missouri;  Alice  M.,  born  November  17,  1882;  Edna,  who  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 15,  i886,  and  married  C.  B.  Hitchcock,  of  Boone,  Iowa;  Harry  E.,  born 
October  16,  1887;  Lee  L.,  December  23,  1891 ;  Leona  M.,  August  17,  1894;  and 
Harold,  January  4,  1896. 

In  his  political  views  Captain  Lancaster  has  always  been  a  stalwart  republican, 
believing  firmly  in  the  principles  of  the  party  which  he  regards  as  best  calculated 
to  conserve  the  public  welfare.  He  holds  membership  in  Snow  Lodge,  No.  44, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Le  Claire,  with  which  he  has  been  identified  since  1882,  and  his 
life  exemplifies  many  of  the  beneficent  principles  of  the  craft.  He  deserves  much 
credit  for  what  he  has  accomplished  in  a  business  way  for  he  started  on  the  river 
as  a  hand  on  the  rafts.  He  is  now,  however,  in  his  twenty-eighth  year  as  captain 
of  the  boat  Eclipse,  and  he  enjoys  the  high  esteem  of  all  with  whom  social  or 
business  relations  have  brought  him  in  contact.  In  matters  of  citizenship,  while 
not  an  office  seeker,  he  is  as  true  and  loyal  to  his  country  in  days  of  peace  as 
he  was  when  he  followed  the  old  flag  upon  southern  battlefields. 


DAVID  Y.   POLLOCK.  ^ 

David  Y.  Pollock,  a  resident  of  Sheridan  township,  dates  his  residence  in 
Scott  county  from  1866,  arriving  here  when  quite  small.  He  was  bom  in  Air- 
drie,  Scotland,  October  27,  1857,  and  is  a  son  of  James  and  Helen  (Young) 
Pollock.  The  father  had  served  as  coachman  for  a  banker  in  Scotland  but, 
believing  that  he  might  have  better  opportunities  in  the  new  world,  he  made 
arrangements  to  cross  the  Atlantic  and  in  1866  sailed  for  the  new  world.  He 
landed  first  at  New  York  and  thence  came  direct  to  Scott  county,  where  he 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  improved  land  in  Winfield  township.  The  family 
home  was  established  thereon  and  James  Pollock  continued  to  reside  there  until 
1883,  when  he  sold  that  property  and  purchased  the  place  that  is  now  the  home 
of  his  son  David,  it  also  remaining  his  home  until  he  was  called  to  his  final 
rest  on  the  13th  of  August,  1900,  when  seventy-two  years  of  age.  He  had  long 
survived  his  wife,  who  passed  away  in  1872,  at  the  age  of  forty-nine  years. 
Their  family  numbered  four  children:  Betsy,  of  Davenport;  Maggie,  the  wife 
of  Neal  McGinnis,  of  Davenport ;  Thomas,  who  is  living  in  Winfield  township ; 
and  David  Y. 

The  last  named  began  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Scotland,  but  was  quite 
young  when  he  came  with  his  parents  to  America,  and  in  the  schools  of  Win- 
field township  continued  his  studies.  The  periods  of  vacation  were  devoted  to 
the  work  of  the  fields  and  after  he  had  completed  his  education  he  gave  his 
undivided  time  and  attention  to  farm  work  in  connection  with  his  father  until 
the  latter's  death.  Later  he  engaged  in  farming  for  himself,  having  purchased 
the  old  homestead  a  short  time  prior  to  Ins  father's  demise.  Throughout  his  life 
he  has  engaged  in  tilling  the  soil  and  the  neat  and  thrifty  appearance  of  his 


512  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

place  indicates  his  careful  supervision  and  methods.  Moreover,  he  is  a  stock- 
holder in  the  Long  Grove  Bank,  the  Eldridge  Savings  Bank  and  in  the  Farmers' 
Elevator  Company  of  Scott  county,  and  in  business  matters  displays  sound  judg- 
ment as  manifest  in  the  careful  investments  that  he  has  made  and  which  have 
brought  to  him  a  substantial  return. 

On  the  29th  of  November,  1897,  Mr.  Pollock  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Brown,  a  daughter  of  Charles  G.  and  Harriett  E.  (Annable)  Brown,  both  of 
whom  are  now  deceased.  Mrs.  Pollock  was  born  in  Moline,  Illinois,  and  by 
her  marriage  has  become  the  mother  of  four  children :  James,  born  September 
9,  1898;  William,  August  13,  1900;  Arthur,  who  was  born  November  16,  igoi, 
and  died  December  16,  1906;  and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Pollock  is  a  member  of  Long  Grove  Lodge,  No.  719,  I.  O.  O.  F., 
and  the  Modem  Brotherhood  of  America,  No.  86,  of  Long  Grove,  of  which  he 
has  been  president.  He  likewise  belongs  to  the  Christian  church  of  Long  Grove 
and  his  life  has  been  actuated  by  high  and  honorable  principles,  manifest  in 
all  of  his  relations  with  his  fellowmen  as  well  as  in  his  business  associations. 
He  has  been  a  lifelong  farmer  and  is  today  the  owner  of  one  hundred. and  twenty 
acres  of  rich  and  productive  land,  situated  about  a  mile  north  of  Eldridge,  in 
Sheridan  township,  and  a  tract  of  forty-six  acres  in  Winfield  township.  His 
place  is  well  supplied  with  modern  improvements  and  in  its  further  cultivation 
and  development  Mr.  Pollock  is  proving  himself  an  enterprising  and  diligent 
farmer. 


WILLIAM  HAMILTON  WILSON. 

William  Hamilton  Wilson,  engaged  in  law  practice  in  Davenport  since  1871 
and  now  the  senior  partner  of  the  firm  of  Wilson,  Grilk  &  Wilson,  is  a  native 
of  western  Pennsylvania.  His  father,  James  Wilson,  also  born  in  the  Keystone 
state,  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  He  spent  his  entire  life  in  Pennsylvania,  his 
record  covering  the  years  between  the  19th  of  September,  1807,  and  1886,  in  which 
year  he  Avas  called  to  his  final  rest  after  long  connection  with  agricultural  inter- 
ests. His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Margaret  Morgan,  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  January  2,  1815,  and  died  July  25,  1873. 

William  H.  Wilson  pursued  his  early  education  in  the  schools  of  western 
Pennsylvania  and  afterward  attended  Washington  and  Jefferson  College  at 
Washington,  Pennsylvania,  from  which  institution  he  was  graduated  in  1869 
with  the  highest  scholarship  in  a  class  of  forty-nine  members.  He  qualified 
for  the  bar  in  Mercer,  Pennsylvania,  his  reading  being  directed  by  the  Hon.  Sam- 
uel Griffith,  and  in  September,  1871,  he  was  admitted  to  practice. 

Believing  that  the  west  offered  better  opportunities,  Mr.  Wilson  came  im- 
mediately to  Davenport,  where  he  has  continuously  engaged  in  practice  since 
November,  1871.  He  was  alone  until  November  i,  1902,  when  the  firm  of  Wil- 
son and  Grilk  was  formed  and  has  since  existed.  In  1905,  his  son,  Charles  H., 
was  admitted  to  a  partnership  under  the  firm  style  of  Wilson,  Grilk  &  Wilson. 
The  two  younger  men  are  both  graduates  of  Harvard  College  and  of  the  Harvard 
Law  School.    William  H.  Wilson  has  from  the  beginning  of  his  connection  with 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  513' 

the  Davenport  bar  occupied  a  conspicuous  position  as  one  of  the  legal  practi- 
tioners here  and  it  is  said  of  him  that  "he  has  probably  saved  more  money  to  his 
clients  through  wise  settlement  of  cases  out  of  court  than  he  has  made  for  them 
in  litigation."  As  the  years  have  passed  he  has  studiously  and  carefully  and 
conscientiously  increased  the  talents  that  were  given  him.  In  his  practice  he 
has  ever  been  absolutely  fair,  has  never  indulged  in  artifice  or  concealment  and 
has  never  dealt  in  indirect  methods. 

Mr.  Wilson  has  found  time  and  his  success  has  given  him  the  means  to  become 
interested  in  other  matters  aside  from  the  law,  and  he  is  now  financially  connected 
with  several  of  Davenport's  important  business  enterprises.  He  has  been  called 
to  the  presidency  of  the  Davenport  Loan,  Building  &  Savings  Association  and 
is  a  director  and  attorney  for  the  Davenport  Savings  Bank.  He  is  also  inter- 
ested in  the  E.  W.  Gates  Lumber  Company,  of  Yellow  Pine,  Alabama. 

In  1874  Mr.  Wilson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Abbie  F.  Oliver,  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, who  in  her  childhood  days  came  to  Davenport  with  her  parents, 
Albourfie  and  Eliza  (Willard)  Ohver.  The  two  children  of  this  marriage  were 
Amy  and  Charles  H.,  but  the  former,  bom  in  1876,  died  in  1884. 

Mr.  Wilson  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  is  much  interested  in 
all  kinds  of  charitable  work  and  in  everything  tending  to  elevate  or  ameliorate  the 
condition  of  the  masses.  He  has  never  found  his  happiness  in  self-centered  inter- 
ests but  in  those  broader  lines  of  life  which  lead  to  service  for  others  and  at  the 
present  time  he  is  actively  interested  and  associated  with  the  Peoples  Union  Mis- 
sion. The  important  economic  and  sociological  questions  of  the  present  day  find 
in  him  a  close  student  and  that  he  is  a  man  of  high  character  and  genuine  worth 
is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  he  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem  wherever  known. 
In  connection  with  his  business  history  the  local  press  has  said:  "Application 
and  hard  work  are  the  secret  of  the  success  which  William  H.  Wilson  has  at- 
tained and  surely  if  constant  attention  to  business  and  an  earnest  endeavor  for  the 
best  interests  of  his  clients  is  surety  of  barristerial  triumph  he  has  deserved  it, 
as  his  fellow  members  of  the  bar  acknowledge  him  to  have  been  an  indefatigable 
worker  all  his  life."  While  he  has  gained  distinction  in  his  chosen  profession, 
however,  this  is  but  one  phase  of  his  life,  for  his  broad  humanitarianism  is  con- 
stantly being  evidenced  in  one  line  of  activity  or  another  with  the  result  that  many 
lives  are  brightened  by  the  sunshine  which  he  sheds  around  him. 


WILLIAM  R.  WEIR. 


Prominent  among  Davenport's  business  men  is  William  R.  Weir,  an  in- 
surance agent,  who  was  born  in  Monticello,  Iowa,  February  14,  1870.  In  the 
preceding  generation  his  family  is  of  Canadian  stock,  both  his  father  and  mother 
having  been  born  in  Peterboro,  Canada,  where  they  were  reared  and  mar- 
ried. The  former  was  a  stone  mason  and  an  expert  in  drilling  artesian 
wells.  He  came  to  Iowa  in  pioneer  days  and  located  in  Monticello.  He  died 
in  1886,  but  the  mother  of  our  subject  is  still  living. 


514  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

William  R.  Weir  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Monticello  and 
upon  looking  over  the  various  callings  took  up  the  insurance  business,  for 
which  his  soundness  of  judgment  and  ability  to  inspire  confidence  particularly 
fits  him.  In  1892  widening  opportunity  brought  him  to  Davenport,  and  here 
he  engaged  in  the  fire  insurance  business,  in  which  he  has  acquired  a  clientele 
of  flattering  proportions.  He  is  the  Iowa  general  agent  for  both  the  Mary- 
land Casualty  Company  and  the  American  Bonding  Company.  He  is  also 
a  director  of  the  Union  Savings  Bank  and  a  leading  spirit  in  the  Commercial 
Club,  having  served  as  its  president  for  one  year  and  as  director  for  three. 
This  organization  is  of  a  semi-social  nature.  He  has  served  six  years  as  a 
member  of  the  board  of  education  and  is  now  its  president. 

In  1894  Mr.  Weir  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jessie  Davison,  a  native 
of  Davenport,  her  father  being  Abner  Davison,  well  known  in  this  city.  Their 
home  is  brightened  by  the  presence  of  two  daughters,  Mary  D.  and  Annabel. 

That  Mr.  Weir  enjoys  unusual  popularity  among  his  fellows  is  no  anomaly, 
since  in  every  relation  he  is  vigorous,  whole-souled  and  magnetic.  The  con- 
fidence in  which  he  is  held  by  the  large  concerns  which  he  represents  is  mani- 
fest in  the  fact  that  he  has  been  intrusted  with  the  jurisdiction  of  the  entire 
state  of  Iowa. 


EDWARD  ROTH. 


Edward  Roth,  who  has  known  perhaps  greater  hardships  than  fall  to  the 
average  farmer  of  today,  is  one  of  the  native  agriculturists  of  Buffalo  town- 
ship, who  occupies  a  position  of  respect  and  prominence  among  his  fellowmen. 
He  was  borii  December  i,  1871,  and  is  a  son  of  Peter  Roth,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  Baden,  Germany,  in  the  year  1829.  As  his  mother  died  when  he  was 
born,  Mr.  Roth  was  reared  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bartberger  of  Buffalo  township. 
He  attended  the  common  schools  of  his  section  of  the  county,  and  when  he 
had  completed  the  course  of  study  prescribed  and  was  fairly  well  prepared  to 
meet  the  practical  responsibilities  of  life,  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  until  he  at- 
tained his  majority. 

Mr.  Roth  then  married  and  rented  a  tract  of  land  from  his  father-in-law.  It 
remained  his  home  for  about  seven  years,  when  he  purchased  the  place  on  which 
he  now  lives.  It  embraces  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  excellent  arable  land, 
well  adapted  to  general  farming  which  Mr.  Roth  carries  on.  He  has  also  given 
considerable  attention  to  raising  stock  for  the  market.  In  addition  to  his  farm 
in  Buffalo  township  he  owns  twenty  acres  in  Blue  Grass  township,  and,  being  a 
man  who  is  well  versed  in  the  methods  of  tilling  the  soil  to  the  best  advantage 
and  endowed  with  the  ability  for  hard  work,  he  is  achieving  an  enviable  reputa- 
tion for  himself  as  an  agriculturist. 

On  the  29th  of  March,  1892,  Mr.  Roth  married  Miss  Emma  Kautz,  a  daughter 
of  Chris  Kautz,  and  they  are  now  the-  parents  of  eight  children :  Edna,  Edith, 
Florence,  Clara,  Delia,  Norma,  John  and  Walter,  all  of  whom  are  at  home. 
The  family  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  church,  but  at  present  Mr.  Roth  does 


MR.  AND  MRS.   EDWARD   ROTH 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  517 

not  affiliate  with  any  religious  sect.  He  has  joined  the  ranks  of  the  republicans, 
feeling  after  due  weight  of  the  principles  of  various  political  organizations,  that 
in  their  platform  they  embody  the  best  ideas  of  government.  He  takes  a  deep 
interest  rfn  local  affairs  and  has  efficiently  served  as  school  director  and  road 
supervisor,  but  he  has  never  desired  public  preferment  for  its  own  sake,  rather 
only  as  it  offered  opportunity  for  him  to  advance  the  welfare  of  those  who  placed 
confidence  in  his  judgment  and  integrity  of  act  and  purpose. 


J.  F.  DOW. 


The  great  agricultural  resources  of  Iowa  furnish  splendid  opportunities  to 
those  who  concentrate  their  efforts  and  attention  on  the  cultivation  of  crops 
or  in  handling  the  products  which  its  fertile  fields  produce.  The  state  ranks 
first  among  the  great  grain  producing  sections  of  the  Union  and  prominent  as 
a  representative  of  the  grain  trade  is  J.  F.  Dow,  of  Davenport,  now  secretary 
and  manager  of  the  Davenport  Elevator  Company. 

He  was  born  in  Henry  county,  IlHnois,  October  17,  1856.  His  father,  Josiah 
Dow,  was  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  born  on  the  i6th  of  March,  1828.  In 
his  boyhood  days  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Illinois,  the  family  home  being 
established  in  Bureau  county.  His  father  was  Tristan  C.  Dow,  who  became  one 
of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  that  region.  In  a  few  years  he  removed  with  his  family 
to  Henry  county,  Illinois,  where  he  followed  farming  and  also  engaged  in  mer- 
chandising. His  son,  Josiah  Dow,  was  identified  with  agricultural  interests  in 
Henry  county  from  1850  until  1872,  when  he  severed  his  business  associations 
with  Illinois  and  came  to  Davenport,  where  he  established  a  grain  and  milling 
business,  in  which  he  continued  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  de- 
veloped an  enterprise  of  large  and  profitable  proportions,  conducing  his  interests 
as  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Dow,  Oilman  &  Hancock.  This  was  the  prede- 
cessor of  the  Davenport  Elevator  Company,  of  which  Josiah  Dow  eventually  be- 
came president,  remaining  as  its  chief  executive  officer  until  his  demise.  '  His 
ability  enabled  him  to  readily  solve  intricate  business  problems  and  to  turn 
threatened  failures  into  success.  This  was  due  to  his  watchfulness  of  oppor- 
tunity, his  close  application  and  his  ready  appreciation  of  a  legitimate  advantage 
in  the  business  world.  He  sustained  an  unassailable  reputation  as  one  of  the 
prominent  and  leading  business  men  of  his  adopted  city,  where  his  death  oc- 
curred March  9,  1908.  His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Elizabeth  Stevens, 
was  a  native  of  New  Hampshire.  Their  family  numbered  two  children,  the 
daughter  being  Elizabeth,  who  died  at  the  age  of  five  years. 

J.  F.  Dow  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Davenport  and  then  entered 
the  grain  business  in  connection  with  his  father,  since  which  time  he  has  i>een 
associated  with  this  department  of  commercial  activity.  In  connection  with  three 
Other  gentlemen  he  organized  the  Davenport  Elevator  Company  in  July,  1895,  and 
they  now  have  twenty-seven  elevators  scattered  throughout  Iowa,  Minnesota  and 
South  Dakota.  They  deal  in  all  kinds  of  grains  and  seeds  and  Mr.  Dow  is  now 
serving  as  secretary  and  manager  of  the  company.     His  broad  experience  and 


518  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

sound  judgment  have  been  one  of  the  important  factors  in  the  success  of  the  en- 
terprise. He  is,  moreover,  a  director  in  the  First  National  Bank  and  president  of 
the  Davenport  Savings  Bank  and  is  thus  well  known  in  the  financial  circles  of 
the  city.    He  is  also  an  active  member  of  the  Commercial  Club. 

In  March,  1878,  Mr.  Dow  was  married  to  Miss  Nancy  Sears,  a  daughter  of 
I.  H.  Sears,  president  of  the  Scott  County  Bank.  Their  children  are  five  in  num- 
ber, namely:  Bert,  who  is  associated  with  his  father  in  business;  John;  Worrall; 
Elizabeth ;  and  Nancy. 

Mr.  Dow  does  not  take  an  active  part  in  politics,  nor  does  he  have  ambition 
for  office.  He  is  a  busy  man,  the  interests  of  the  grain  trade  making  heavy  de- 
mands upon  his  time  and  energies  and  yet  he  is  not  unmindful  nor  neglectful  of  the 
duties  of  citizenship  and  stands  as  a  stalwart  champion  in  support  of  many  projects 
and  movements  which  are  promulgated  for  the  city's  betterment. 


FRANK  T.  LOGAN. 


Frank  T.  Logan,  one  of  the  farmers  of  Buffalo  township,  whose  success  in  his 
field  of  labor  is  advancing  the  sum  total  prosperity  of  his  locality,  was  born  in 
Fulton  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  i860.  He  is  a  son  of  Charles  T.  and  Melinda 
(Pott)  Logan,  both  natives  of  the  Keystone  state,  the  father  having  been  born 
in  Fulton  county  in  1830,  the  mother  in  1833.  In  1866  Charles  T.  Logan  de- 
cided to  come  to  Iowa,  having  been  influenced  by  the  report  of  the  fortunes  made 
from  cultivating  its  fertile  soil,  and  after  his  arrival  here  purchased  the  farm  in 
Buffalo  township  on  which  his  son  Frank  T.  is  living  today  and  which  remained 
his  home  until  his  death  in  1873.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  six  chil- 
dren, three  sons  and  three  daughters,  namely:  John  P.,  who  is  in  Oregon;  Wil- 
liam E.,  who  is  in  Alaska;  Frank  T.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Anna  M.,  the 
wife  of  E.  T.  Langwith,  of  Davenport;  OUie,  who  married  Julius  Thoene,  of 
Bonesteel,  South  Dakota;  and  Emma  C,  who  is  living  in  Cedar  Falls,  Iowa, 
with  her  mother. 

Frank  T.  Logan  was  about  thirteen  years  of  age  when  his  father  died,  and, 
having  received  a  rough  education  in  public  schools  of  the  district,  decided  that 
he  would  seek  his  fortune  in  the  west.  In  1879  he  enlisted  in  the  Fifth  United 
States  Cavalry,  at  Fort  D.  A.  Russell,  Wyoming,  and,  having  served  through 
five  years  with  credit  and  honor,  was  discharged  in  1884  with  the  rank  of  ser- 
geant. He  then  returned  to  his  home  in  Buffalo  township,  this  county,  and 
after  his  marriage  rented  of  his  mother  the  farm  on  which  he  had  been  reared 
in  part  and  which  is  now  his  home.  It  was  not  until  1902,  however,  that  it  be- 
came his  possession  through  purchase.  He  has  increased  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil  by  using  most  advanced  methods  in  accordance  with  the  progress  of  the 
times,  and  has  since  won  a  gratifying  return  for  his  investment  of  time,  thought 
and  labor.  Although  his  life  has  been  passed  quietly  and  unostentatiously,  his 
success  has  not  passed  without  recognition  by  his  fellow  citizens,  who,  having 
witnessed  the  strong  qualities  of  his  character,  elected  him  to  positions  of  trust 
and  responsibility.     He  enjoys  their  confidence  and  appreciation,  which  he  re- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  519 

gards  as  of  even  more  value  than  the  substantial  success  he  has  won  from  the 
prosecution  of  his  labors  as  a  farmer. 

When  he  returned  to  Buflfalo  township  after  his  experience  in  the  regular 
army,  Mr.  Logan  was  married  in  1885  to  Miss  Cora  E.  Rowan,  a  daughter  of 
C.  G.  Rowan.  They  have  three  children :  Charles  F.,  Warden  E.  and  Ruel  G., 
all  of  whom  are  at  home.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Methodist  church. 
Mr.  Logan  has  always  given  unqualified  support  to  the  republican  party  and  on 
that  ticket  was  elected  to  the  position  of  assessor  of  his  township,  in  which  capa- 
city he  served  for  eight  years.  From  1901  to  1907  he  was  a  member  of  the 
county  board  of  supervisors.  He  has  also  been  deeply  interested  in  the  schools 
and  for  the  past  twenty-five  years  has  been  treasurer  of  the  independent  school 
district,  No.  6.  He  belongs  to  lodge  No.  298,  B.  P.  O.  E.,  of  Davenport,  and  is 
now  past  chancellor  of  Banner  Lodge,  No.  16,  K.  P.  Among  his  fraternal 
brethren,  as  among  the  citizens  of  his  township,  Mr.  Logan  is  held  in  the  high- 
est esteem. 


L.  J.  PORSTMANN,  M.  D. 

A  man  of  high  standing  in  his  profession  is  Dr.  L.  J.  Porstmann,  who  for 
the  past  few  years  has  made  his  home  in  Davenport.  He  was  born  April  13, 
1865,  in  Atkinson,  Henry  county,  Illinois,  his  parents  being  John  and  Augusta 
(Stroner)  Porstmann.  The  father  was  a  mechanic  by  trade  and  a  well  known 
citizen  and  land  owner,  who  possessed  a  farm  of  one  hundred  acres,  which 
was  regarded  as  one  of  the  finest  agricultural  properties  in  the  locality.  Upon 
his  retirement  he  removed  to  Buffalo,  Iowa,  and  lived  there  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  about  seventeen  years  ago.  He  was  a  man  of  excellent  educa- 
tion and  most  successful  in  all  his  relations.  His  parents  were  German  and 
never  left  their  native  land.  The  maternal  grandfather,  John  Stroner,  made  his 
home  in  Kansas  and  after  a  life  of  usefulness  passed  on  to  his  reward  at  the 
age  of  ninety-three. 

Dr.  Porstmann  when  a  lad  attended  school  in  Moline,  Illinois,  and  upon  re- 
moving to  Scott  county,  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  resumed  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  Buffalo,  in  due  time  graduating  from  the  high  school.  Following  this 
he  remained  upon  the  farm  until  his  twentieth  year  and  then  for  the  next  five 
years  held  positions  of  various  kinds  in  and  about  Scott  county.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-five  the  idea  of  joining  the  regular  army  took  root  in  his  mind  and  he 
enlisted  in  the  Seventeenth  Regular  Infantry,  where  he  served  for  eighteen 
months  and  then  purchased  his  discharge. 

At  this  juncture  Dr.  Porstmann  made  a  fortunate  step  in  his  decision  to 
prepare  for  the  profession  for  which  he  is  so  well  suited  and  in  the  practice  of 
which  he  has  found  undeniable  success.  He  attended  first  the  Illinois  Medical 
College  at  Chicago,  then  removed  to  St.  Louis  for  the  purpose  of  attending  the 
Barnes  University,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1898  with  a  record  for  scholar- 
ship of  a  high  order.  His  first  experience  as  a  practitioner  was  obtained  in  his 
old  home — Buffalo,   Iowa, — where   he  remained  until   1905.     His   ability  emi- 


520  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

nently  fitting  him  for  a  larger  field  of  endeavor  and  he  came  to  Davenport  where 
he  gained  speedy  recognition  both  among  laymen  and  his  professional  brethren. 
Dr.  Porstmann  was  married  June  17,  1903,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Springmeier, 
a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Catherine  (Heckle)  Springmeier,  and  they  have  two 
children:  Louise  Mary  and  Albert  L.  The  family  residence  is  situated  at  21 10 
Bowditch  street.  Only  through  integrity  and  the  display  of  actual  ability  could 
a  footing  such  as  Dr.  Porstmann's  have  been  estabHshed  in  so  short  a  time. 


OSCAR  C.  WOODS. 


Oscar  C.  Woods  is  the  founder  and  the  head  of  a  wholesale  fruit  and  produce 
establishment  in  Davenport  conducted  under  the  name  of  The  Martin  Woods 
Company.  He  possesses  a. talent  for  leading  and  this  coupled  with  his  sound 
judgment  and  business  ability  is  the  secret  of  his  success.  He  was  born  on  a 
farm  near  the  village  of  Passumpsic,  Vermont,  October  26,  1835,  a  son  of  Riley 
and  Lydia  (White)  Woods,  he  being  the  youngest  in  a  family  of  twelve  children. 
The  father  was  a  son  of  John  Woods,  who  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 

Oscar  C.  Woods  was  reared  in  New  England,  beginning  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  Vermont,  while  later  he  pursued  a  course  in  St.  Johnsbury 
College.  When  he  attained  his  majority  he  came  to  the  west,  for  he  believed  he 
would  enjoy  better  business  advantages  here  than  he  could  in  the  east.  He  has 
one  brother  and  one  sister  who  also  came  west  but  the  other  members  of  the 
family  all  remained  in  New  England.  Upon  arriving  in  the  city  of  Chicago,  Mr. 
Woods  spent  some  time  there,  whence  he  made  his  way  to  Lamoille,  Illinois, 
and  later  his  brother  John  joined  him  and  they  there  opened  a  dry-goods  store, 
which  they  conducted  for  several  years.  Eventually,  owing  to  the  ill  health  of 
our  subject,  they  sold  their  stock  of  goods  and  after  recovering  his  health 
Mr.  Woods  again  engaged  in  business,  buying  his  stock  of  goods  in  New  York, 
for,  although  they  had  previously  purchased  stock  in  Chicago,  it  was  about  this 
time  that  the  great  fire  raged  in  that  metropolis  and  he  was  compelled  to  send 
to  the  east  for  his  merchandise.  Again  after  a  few  years  the  brothers  sold  out 
and  John  Woods  engaged  in  the  banking  business,  while  Mr.  Woods  of  this 
review  engaged  in  the  stock  business,  buying  horses  for  the  eastern  market.  It 
was  about  1873  that  he  removed  farther  west,  locating  in  Davenport,  where  he 
continued  to  buy  stock.  Later  he  bought  a  half  section  of  land  near  Waterloo, 
Iowa,  and  spent  about  a  year  and  a  half  on  the  place.  In  1883  he  returned  to  Dav- 
enport and  with  others  purchased  the  wholesale  fruit  business,  to  which  he  has 
since  devoted  his  attention.  Mr.  Woods  organized  the  firm  which  is  now  con- 
ducting business  under  the  name  of  The  Martin  Woods  Company  and  was  in- 
corporated in  the  spring  of  1890.  This  is  one  of  the  important  and  well  known 
enterprises  of  the  kind  in  Davenport  and  much  of  its  success  is  due  to  the  able 
management  and  executive  ability  of  the  president,  Mr.  Woods.  He  has  made 
a  number  of  changes  in  his  business  connection  since  coming  to  the  west  but 
each  change  has  proved  a  profitable  one  and  he  has  now  reached  the  goal  of 
success. 


O.  C.  WOODS 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  523 

Mr.  Woods  was  married  in  May,  1864,  to  Miss  Qeora  Holbrook,  of  Lamoille, 
Illinois.  They  had  one  child,  who  died  young  and  now  have  an  adopted  daughter. 
Ruby,  who  is  the  wife  of  Harry  L.  Shontz,  by  whom  she  has  two  children,  Harry 
W.  and  Mary  Elizabeth.  Mrs.  Woods,  an  estimable  lady,  passed  away  in  1904 
and  her  remains  were  interred  in  the  cemetery  at  Lamoille,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Woods  is  entitled  to  membership  in  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution  from  the 
fact  that  his  grandfather  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  In  business  he  has 
never  been  content  to  remain  with  the  middle  rank  but  has  striven  to  reach  the 
top  round  of  the  ladder  and  today  he  holds  a  high  position  in  the  business  circles 
of  Davenport,  while  his  social  qualities  have  won  for  him  many  friends. 


F.  C.  SKINNER,  M.  D. 


Dr.  F.  C.  Skinner,  although  one  of  the  younger  representatives  of  the  medi- 
cal profession,  is  demonstrating  his  ability  to  handle  complex  problems  in  his 
line  and  has  built  up  a  good  general  practice  in  and  around  Le  Claire.  He  was 
born  in  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  May  30,  1873,  a  son  of  Almond  and  Augusta  (Wig- 
gin)  Skinner.  He  is  a  representative  of  a  good  old  New  England  family  and  has 
in  his  possession  two  old  land  grants  given  to  the  Lees  on  his  mother's  side, 
during  the  reign  of  King  George  III,  one  dated  July  i,  1761,  and  the  other  No- 
vember 8,  1764.  The  Doctor  is  a  lineal  descendant  of  Captain  Mason  of  Revo- 
lutionary fame  and  has  the  dagger  and  powder  horn  carried  by-  that  gentleman 
during  the  war  for  independence. 

The  Doctor's  father  was  born  near  Bufifalo,  New  York,  and  was  a  painter  by 
trade.  At  one  time  he  had  charge  of  the  paint  department  for  the  Rock  Island 
plow  factory  and  painted  the  first  engine  that  was  run  west  by  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad  Company.  This  engine  was  named  Big  Chief  and  the  picture  which 
Mr.  Skinner  painted  on  the  tender  of  the  locomotive  was  of  an  Indian  chief 
standing  on  Council  Bluflfs.  Mr.  Skinner  made  his  home  in  Rock  Island  for 
many  years  and  owned  the  land  that  is  now  occupied  by  Kahlke  Brothers  as  a 
boatyard.  The  father  died  when  our  subject  was  but  two  and  a  half  years  old 
and  there  were  three  other  children  in  the  family  but  all  are  now  deceased  except 
our  subject.  After  the  father's  death,  the  mother,  who  was  a  native  of  Niles, 
New  Hampshire,  removed  with  her  family  to  Rochester,  Minnesota,  and  eventu- 
ally was  married  to  Louis  Hiddle,  a  druggist  of  Mackinaw,  Illinois,  where  they 
still  make  their  home.  There  is  one  daughter  of  this  marriage,  Maud,  now  the 
wife  of  John  Heuring,  a  resident  of  Peoria,  Illinois. 

Dr.  Skinner  was  very  young  when  he  was  taken  by  his  mother  to  Rochester, 
Minnesota,  and  at  the  usual  age  he  entered  the  public  schools  of  that  city  and 
before  completing  his  education  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  go  to  work  to  pro- 
vide for  his  own  support  and  he  then  attended  night  school,  being  employed 
during  the  day.  In  this  way,  he  saved  enough  money  to  pursue  a  college  course 
in  Davenport,  while  later  he  pursued  a  classical  course  at  Eureka  College,  in 
Eureka,  Illinois.    In  the  meantime  the  medical  profession  appealed  very  strongly 


524  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

to  him  and  he  entered  the  Iowa  State  Medical  College,  graduating  from  that  in- 
stitution on  the  28th  of  March,  1898. 

Dr.  Skinner  spent  some  time  as  an  employe  in  a  hospital  at  Iowa  City,  Iowa, 
and  then  opened  an  office  at  Port  Byron,  Illinois.  He  then  came  to  Le  Claire, 
where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  general  practice.  Of  studious  nature,  he  is 
ever  seeking  to  advance  his  knowledge  of  medicine  through  reading  and  investi- 
gation and  all  acknowledge  his  worth  as  a  practitioner  and  as  a  man.  For  the 
past  nine  years  he  has  served  as  health  officer  and  in  this  connection  is  work- 
ing toward  more  sanitary  conditions. 

Dr.  Skinner  has  been  married  twice.  He  was  first  married  in  igcxj  to  Miss 
Grace  Jensen,  a  daughter  of  Charles  Jensen,  of  Rock  Island,  Illinois.  Her 
death  occurred  October  5,  1902,  her  remains  being  interred  in  the  Rock  Island 
cemetery.  For  his  second  wife  the  Doctor  chose  Vergie  L.  Williams,  their  mar- 
riage being  celebrated  on  the  nth  of  May,  1904.  She  is  a  daugther  of  George 
and  Eva  Williams,  the  former  born  near  Norwich,  New  York,  October  12,  1848, 
and  the  latter  at  McGraw,  that  state,  November  30,  1851.  The  family  settled 
in  Le  Claire  about  1871,  and  the  father  was  a  fireman  on  steamboats  which  plied 
the  Mississippi  river,  following  that  business  for  many  years.  He  is  also  a  char- 
ter member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodge  of  Le  Claire  and  is  an  influential 
and  highly  respected  citizen  of  this  community. 

Dr.  Skinner  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows  and  the  American  Patriots.  He  early  displayed  the  elemental 
strength  of  his  character,  when,  realizing  the  necessity  for  a  good  education 
suited  to  the  demands  of  the  times  that  he  might  start  out  in  life  well  equipped 
for  strenuous  service,  he  devoted  his  evening  hours  to  study,  and  this  has  proved 
one  of  his  strongest  characteristics  through  life,  for  be  still  devotes  his  leisure 
hours  to  study.  While  all  recognize  his  ability  and  worth  of  character  and  are 
ever  ready  to  pay  deference  to  his  excellent  qualities,  in  nature  he  is  modest 
and  retiring  and  in  his  expressions  concerning  brother  practitioners  is  friendly 
and  indulgent. 


W.  O.  CALVERT. 


Among  the  many  cjtizens  of  Davenport's  prosperous  and  growing  adjoining 
town  of  Bettendorf  whose  conscientious  work  is  telling  for  the  advancement  of 
the  quality  of  its  manhood  is  W.  O.  Calvert,  who  is  assistant  secretary  of  the 
Bettendorf  Kxle  Company.  He  was  born  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  July  2,  1871, 
a  son  of  Charles  E.  and  Lena  (Orendorf )  Calvert,  both  natives  of  the  same  state. 
He  attended  the  common  schools  of  New  Albany,  Indiana,  in  which  he  obtained 
the  usual  graded  school  education.  Removing  to  Chicago,  he  secured  a  clerical 
position  with  A.  Booth  &  Company,  of  that  city.  He  held  the  position  of  cashier 
with  them  for  a  number  of  years  and  then,  in  1901,  came  to  Davenport  in  be- 
half of  his  employers. 

In  1904  Mr.  Calvert  obtained  a  position  as  cashier  with  Cudahy  Company 
in  Davenport,  later  becoming  identified  with  the   Bettendorf   Axle   Company 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  525 

as  assistant  secretary,  and  with  the  Bettendorf  Improvement  Company  as  secre- 
tary and  treasurer.  He  also  became  a  director  in  the  Bettendorf  Savings  Bank, 
so  he  is  connected  with  some  of  the  more  important  financial  concerns  of  that 
city.  Having  held  many  positions  of  responsibility  during  the  years  of  his  life, 
in  every  case  Mr.  Calvert  has  won  the  esteem  of  hi^  employers  and  his  business 
associates,  for  he  is  a  man  of  sterling  integrity,  of  tact  and  purpose.  Mr.  Cal- 
vert in  addition  to  private  interests,  was  recently  elected  mayor  of  Bettendorf  and 
is  now  serving  the  people  of  his  town  in  that  capacity. 

It  was  in  June,  1905,  that  Mr.  Calyert  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Maude 
Atwill,  who  with  her  mother,  Mrs.  Alice  Dutton  Atwill,  has  made  her  home  in 
Davenport  and  Bettendorf.  Since  locating  in  Bettendorf  Mr.  Calvert  has  taken 
a  vital  i:iterest  in  the  welfare  of  the  city  and  through  his  connection  with  its 
leading  industry  and  participation  in  its  financial  and  civic  affairs  exerts  his 
influence  in  behalf  of  the  improvement  of  conditions. 


JULIUS  C.  HASLER. 


Julius  C.  Hasler,  cashier  of  the  Farmers  &  Mechanics  Savings  Bank,  is  a 
man  who  has  long  been  known  to  the  citizens  of  Davenport,  and  as  the  years 
have  passed  they  have  accorded  to  him  increased  respect  and  esteem.  He  was 
born  in  Hannibal,  Missouri,  July  29,  i860.  His  father,  Henry  Hasler,  was  a 
native  of  Zurich,  Switzerland,  and  in  1858,  at  the  age  of  thirty-eight  years  came 
to  Davenport,  later  going  to  Hannibal,  where  he  remained  only  a  few  months. 
Upon  his  return  to  this  city  he  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  in  the  west  end, 
being  very  successful  in  that  occupation  and  winning  respect  in  the  community. 
He  retired  in  1883  and  twenty  years  later  passed  away  at  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty-three.  His  wife  lived  until  1905,  when  she  also  died  at  the  age  of 
'  seventy-nine  years. 

Julius  Hasler  attended  the  public  schools,  in  which  he  obtained  a  good  edu- 
cation, and  he  received  his  practical  training  in  his  father's  store.  In  1885  he 
became  general  delivery  clerk  in  the  postoifice  under  Postmaster  De  Armond 
but  remained  there  only  fifteen  months.  Then  he  became  teller  in  the  Scott 
County  Savings  Bank,  holding  that  position  for  a  number  of  years,  fulfilling  his 
duties  and  discharging  his  responsibilities  with  honor  and  credit.  He  next 
occupied  the  same  position  in  the  Davenport  National  Bank,  which  he  left  to 
become  cashier  of  the  Farmers  &  Mechanics  Savings  Bank,  an  office  he  holds  at 
present.  He  is  a  man  who  is  careful,  accurate  and  conscientious,  and  one  in 
whom  his  associates  place  the  utmost  confidence. 

In  March,  1886,  Mr.  Hasler  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Josephine  G. 
Nahlen,  of  Chicago.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the  Benevolent  and  Pro- 
tective Order  of  Elks,  the  Turners,  the  Schuetzen  and  other  organizations  of 
a  social  or  benevolent  character.  He  also  is  a  member  of  the  Outing  Club  and 
of  the  Commercial  Club,  in  this  way  giving  expression  to  the  public  spirit  which 
is  one  of  his  dominant  characteristics.  As  a  man  of  sterling  integrity  he  holds 
the  position  of  treasurer  of  the  Guarantee  Mutual  Insurance  Company  of  this 


526  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

city  and  fulfills  duties  of  a  similar  nature  in  the  Davenport  Baseball  Club.  Hav- 
ing spent  all  of  his  life  in  this  city,  he  is  well  known  in  banking  and  commercial 
circles,  where  his  name  is  always  spoken  with  respect  and  honor.  He  is  popu- 
lar for  he  is  endowed  with  those  qualities  that  attract  men  to  him  and  in  every 
way  is  a  worthy  son  of  a  noble  father. 


ERNST  D.  SCHROEDER. 

Ernst  D.  Schroeder,  who  resides  at  1103  West  Fourteenth  street,  Davenport, 
began  his  life  in  this  country  very  modestly,  but  through  industry  and  frugality, 
guided  by  a  laudable  ambition,  he  achieved  a  marked  success  and  is  now  the  owner 
of  two  hundred  and  three  acres -of  fine  farm  land  in  Davenport  township. 

He  was  born  in  Germany,  September  22,  1839,  his  parents  being  John  and 
Mary  Schroeder,  who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  the  old  country.  In  the  land 
of  his  birth  Ernst  D.  Schroeder  was  reared  and  in  the  schools  there  received  a 
good  education.  When  he  put  aside  his  text-books  he  engaged  in  agriculture, 
pursuing  that  calling  until  1865,  when  he  decided  to  come  to  the  United  States. 
He  disembarked  at  New  York  but  came  almost  immediately  to  Davenport,  se- 
curing work  in  this  city  as  a  laborer.  During  the  next  ten  years  he  toiled  and 
saved,  at  the  end  of  that  period  feeling  that  he  was  justified  in  renting  a  small 
farm  in  Black  Hawk  township.  Later  he  bought  ten  acres  in  Davenport  township, 
on  which  he  made  his  home  for  the  next  eighteen  years,  and  when  he  sold  that 
place  purchased  the  tract  of  two  hundred  and  three  acres  which  he  owns  at  present. 
He  had  resided  upon  it  only  five  years,  however,  when  he  decided  to  retire  from  ac- 
tive life.  He  had  been  a  careful  and  thorough  farmer,  a  man  who  knew  how  to 
obtain  the  best  results  from  his  labors. 

In  the  fall  of  1865  Mr.  Schroeder  was  married  to  Miss  Dora  Steiger,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Carl  Steiger,  who  never  left  his  home  in  Germany.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Schroeder  have  been  born  two  children.  Ida  became  the  wife  of  Gust  Band- 
holtz,  of  O'Brien  county,  Iowa,  and  they  have  two  children,  Charles  and  Lillian. 
Clara  became  the  wife  of  John  D.  Hammann  and  is  the  mother  of  one  son,  Wal- 
ter. She  makes  her  home  with  her  father.  Mrs.  Schroeder  departed  this  life 
March  24,  1907,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years  and  six  months,  mourned  deeply  by 
the  members  of  her  family  and  the  circle  of  friends  who  knew  her  intimately. 
Mr.  Schroeder  has  now  rented  his  large  farm  and  lives  in  the  enjoyment  of  a 
generous  income  and  the  consciousness  of  years  well  spent. 


BERNARD  M.  McMAHON. 

Bernard  M.  McMahon,  street  commissioner  of  Davenport,  belongs  doubly  to 
the  city  by  birth  as  well  as  by  choice.  He  was  born  here,  July  17,  1861,  his  par- 
ents being  James  and  Mary  (Keating)  McMahon,  and  is  of  Irish  extraction  on 
both  sides  of  his  house.     His  father,  who  was  a  native  of  County  Clare,  Ire- 


ERXST  1).   SCTTI'vOEDEi; 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  529 

land,  had  already  received  his  education  when  he  decided  to  try  his  fortune 
in  the  land  to  which  so  many  of  his  countrymen  had  come.  Upon  arriving  in 
America  he  did  not  tarry  long  on  the  eastern  coast,  but  became  one  of  Daven- 
port's earliest  settlers.  He  was  an  active,  dauntless  man,  or  as  his  son  is  fond 
of  designating  him,  a  "hustler,"  who  tinctured  every  situation  with  flashes  of 
keen  wit  and  an  abundance  of  good  humor.  He  reared  a  large  family  of  chil- 
dren, his  home  being  situated  at  No.  418  Division  street,  where  the  subject  of  the 
sketch  still  resides.    His  death  occurred  in  1902. 

Bernard  M.  McMahon  was  prepared  for  life  in  St.  Anthony's  School,  from 
which  in  due  time  he  was  graduated.  He  crossed  the  threshold  of  his  business 
career  as  an  assistant  to  his  father  in  the  contracting  business  and  since  then 
no  other  occupation  has  appealed  to  him  sufficiently  to  cause  him  to  deviate  from 
the  path  entered  by  him  at  that  time.  Like  his  father  he  has  been  very  success- 
ful in  his  special  line  of  endeavor.  It  was  his  distinction  to  lay  the  first  brick 
pavement  in  the  state  of  Iowa,  this  being  in  Clinton  about  twenty-two  years 
ago,  and  the  never  varying  excellence  of  his  work  and  honesty  of  his  dealings 
has  given  him  an  enviable  reputation  throughout  Davenport.  Three  years  ago 
the  city  council  appointed  Mr.  McMahon  to  his  present  office  as  street  commis- 
sioner, and  since  taking  charge  he  has  made  several  changes  advantageous  to 
the  city  in  the  management  of  its  affairs.  He  is  recognized  to  be  a  man  who  has 
the  best  interests  of  the  public  at  heart  and  the  esteem  of  all  those  who  know 
either  him  or  his  work  follows  as  a  matter  of  course.  He  is  a  devoted  member 
of  St.  Mary's  Catholic  church,  and  his  fraternal  relations  extend  to  the  Knights 
of  Columbus  and  the  Stone  Masons  Union. 


J.  E.  BURMEISTER. 


J.  E.  Burmeister,  whose  position  as  a  financier  and  reputation  for  sound 
and  reliable  methods,  have  made  him  well  known  throughout  this  part  of  the 
state,  was  born  in  Davenport,  January  17,  1877,  a  son  of  Ernst  and  Mary 
(Faster)  Burmeister,  natives  of  Germany.  The  father  was  born  in  1846  and 
came  to  Davenport  in  1870,  here  meeting  and  marrying  his  wife.  They  had  two 
sons:  John  F.  and  J.  E.  For  many  years  Ernst  Burmeister  operated  a  large 
meat  market.    He  died  March  29,  1882. 

The  Davenport  public  schools  furnished  J.  E.  Burmeister  with  a  good  educa- 
tion, and  he  added  to  it  by  a  course  at  the  Davenport  Business  College.  When 
but  a  lad  he  commenced  earning  his  own  living  as  a  messenger  boy,  and  then 
worked  up  to  bookkeeper.  By  this  time  he  had  proven  his  worth  and  was  em- 
ployed by  the  Iowa  National  Bank  as  messenger  boy.  From  that  time  on  his 
rise  was  rapid  through  the  successive  grades  of  promotion.  In  1902  he  was 
made  assistant  cashier;  in  January,  1903,  he  was  made  cashier;  and  in  Decem- 
ber, 1907,  became  vice  president.  In  addition  to  his  connection  with  the  bank, 
Mr.  Byrmeister  has  many  other  interests  in  the  city,  being  secretary  of  Voss 
Brothers  Manufacturing  Company  and  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Davenport 
Locomotive  Works,  as  well  as  many  others. 


530  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

In  1902  he  married  Emma  Behrens,  who  was  born  in  Davenport,  a  daughter 
of  P.  M.  Behrens,  an  old  resident  of  the  city  and  a  native  of  Germany.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Burmeister  have  two  children :  Richard  and  Bernice. 

During  the  Spanish-American  war  Mr.  Burmeister  served  in  the  Fiftieth 
Iowa  Infantry  as  quartermaster  sergeant  of  Company  B.  Prior  to  this  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Iowa  National  Guards  and  was  prominent  in  such  work.  He 
is  a  Mason  and  an  Elk  and  also  belongs  to  the  Travelers  Association  and  the 
Commercial  Club.  Although  a  young  man  in  years,  he  has  accomplished  much,, 
demonstrating  what  can  be  done  through  sheer  effort  and  untiring  industry.  He 
is  a  strong  man,  holding  firmly  to  his  own  views,  and  influencing  others  to  his 
way  of  thinking.  Enthusiastically  carrying  out  his  plans  when  once  he  has 
entered  into  anything,  he  is  an  important  factor  in  the  life  of  Davenport  and 
has  become  very  popular  with  all  with  whom  he  is  associated  in  either  a  business 
or  social  way. 


F.  J.  SESSIONS. 


F.  J.  Sessions,  who  since  1904  has  capably  served  as  superintendent  of  the 
Iowa  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  at  Davenport,  was  born  in  Fairview  township, 
Jones  county,  Iowa,  on  the  i8th  of  February,  1853.  His  parents,  C.  M.  and 
Mary  J.  (Armstrong)  Sessions,  are  both  natives  of  Cortland  county.  New  York. 
In  the  year  1851  the  father  took  up  his  abode  in  Jones  county,  Iowa,  and  there 
preached  the  gospel  as  a  minister  of  the  Methodist  church  until  1889,  his  labors 
proving  an  important  element  in  the  moral  development  of  the  community  in 
pioneer  times.  He  now  makes  his  home  at  Mount  Vernon,  Iowa,  and,  though 
past  the  eighty-second  milestone  on  life's  journey,  he  is  still  hale  and  hearty. 

F.  J.  Sessions  supplemeilted  his  preliminary  education,  obtained  in  the  pub- 
lic schools,  by  a  course  of  study  in  Cornell  College  at  Mount  Vernon,  where  he 
won  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  He  was  then  prominently  identified  with 
educational  interests  for  a  period  of  twenty  years  and  has  held  many  important 
offices  in  that  connection.  He  began  his  school  work  as  principal  of  the  Mount 
Vernon  schools,  later  was  at  Springville  and  subsequently  he  served  as  county 
superintendent  of  Linn  county  for  four  years.  He  was  city  superintendent  of 
schools  at  Waterloo,  Iowa,  for  fourteen  years.  He  was  in  charge  of  the  educa- 
tional exhibit  at  the  St.  Louis  Exposition  and  in  the  same  year  was  elected 
superintendent  of  the  Iowa  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  and  has  since  discharged 
the  duties  devolving  upon  him  in  this  connection  in  a  highly  creditable  and  sat- 
isfactory manner,  being  well  qualified  for  the  office. 

On  the  26th  of  June,  1879,  Mr.  Sessions  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Qara  Fisher,  a  native  of  Illinois.  They  became  the  parents  of  four  children,  as 
follows:  Alma,  who  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  W.  O.  McDowell,  of  Grundy  Center; 
T.  W.,  who  is  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  at  Canton,  Illinois ;  Charles,  who 
is  in  the  employ  of  the  Bettendorf  Car  Company ;  and  Harriet,  who  is  pursuing 
a  library  course  at  the  Pratt  Institute  of  Brooklyn. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  531 

Mr.  Sessions  is  a  worthy  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  exemplifying 
the  teachings  of  the  craft  in  his  daily  life.  He  is  a  gentleman  of  wide  experi- 
ence and  information  and  one  whose  geniality  and  deference  for  the  opinions  of 
others  have  gained  him  an  extensive  circle  of  warm  friends. 


BERT  QUINN. 


Bert  Quinn,  who  cultivates  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Sheridan  township, 
his  place  adjoining  the  corporation  limits  of  Eldridge,  in  which  village  he 
was  born  May  lo,  1873,  is  a  representative  of  one  of  the  oldest  families  of  this 
county.  His  grandfather,  W.  I.  Quinn,  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Scott 
county,  arriving  in  the  fall  of  1838,  when  he  settled  on  the  Wapsie  in  Win- 
field  township.  Iowa  was  then  still  under  territorial  rule  and  the  work  of  prog- 
ress and  development  seemed  scarcely  begun.  He  was  born  in  Preble  county, 
Ohio,  November  12,  1831,  a  son  of  Joseph  C.  and  Julia  Quinn,  who  came  origin- 
ally from  New  Jersey  but  removed  from  that  state  to  Georgia  and  thence  to 
Ohio,  coming  from  the  Buckeye  state  to  Iowa.  They  were  of  Irish  descent  and 
were  farming  people.  When  they  first  came  to  Scott  county  Joseph  C.  Quinn 
entered  land  on  the  Wapsie,  securing  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  There  were 
four  brothers  and  all  entered  land  in  this  vicinity,  making  choice  of  their  claims 
because  of  the  timber  and  water.  Joseph  C.  Quinn  and  his  wife  afterward  re- 
moved to  Sheridan  township,  where  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  on  which  the 
town  of  Eldridge  now  stands,  while  another  portion  constitutes  the  farm  upon 
which  Bert  Quinn  is  now  living.  Later  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Hickory 
Qrove  township,  where  he  bought  a  farm,  and  while  living  theron  his  wife  died. 
Subsequently  Joseph  C.  Quinn  reitioved  to  Jasper  county,  Iowa,  where  his 
last  days  were  spent. 

W.  I.  Quinn,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  has  spent  the  greater  part  of 
his  life  in  this  county,  his  education  being  acquired  at  Long  Grove.  The  In- 
dians were  still  here  at  the  time  of  his  arrival  and  for  years  afterward  there 
were  many  traces  of  Indian  occupancy  to  be  seen  in  the  arrowheads  and  in  the 
remnants  of  tepees  which  showed  that  the  Indians  had  been  former  occupants 
of  the  soil.  W.  I.  Quinn  pursued  his  education  in  a  log  school  building,  which 
was  also  used  for  a  church.  His  entire  life  was  devoted  to  farming  in  Sheridan 
township  until  1902,  when  he  retired  from  business  cares  and  removed  to 
Long  Grove.  His  wife  died  in  1908,  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  W.  I. 
Quinn  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church  and  served  as  deacon  for  a  number 
of  years  but  put  aside  the  duties  of  the  offiice  because  of  his  advanced  age. 

Bert  Quinn  was  reared  by  his  grandparents  and  has  spent  his  entire  life 
in  this  county  with  the  exception  of  a  few  years  in  college.  He  attended  the 
schools  of  the  district  until  he  had  mastered  the  elementary  branches  of  learn- 
ing and  later  he  became  a  pupil  in  Eureka  College  at  Eureka,  Illinois,  being 
graduated  from  the  business  department  in  the  class  of  1891.  He  then  re- 
turned home  and  has  since  engaged  in  fanning  with  the  exception  of  a  year 
spent  in  California. 


532  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

On  the  25th  of  January,  1900,  Mr.  Quinn  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Carrie  Steffe,  a  daughter  of  George  and  Mary  Steffe,  of  Lincoln  township,  who 
were  early  settlers  here.  The  father  was  of  German  nativity,  his  birth  having 
occurred  in  Freiburg,  Baden,  Germany,  October  28,  1823,  while  his  wife  was 
born  in  Switzerland,  November  6,  1834.  They  were  married  in  Hickory  Grove 
township,  this  county,  the  father  having  come  to  Scott  county  when  a  young 
man.  He  had  served  in  the  German  army  ana  was  also  a  soldier  of  the  Civil 
war,  enlisting  at  Davenport  and  participating  in  many  important  military  move- 
ments, including  the  celebrated  march  of  Sherman  to  the  sea.  After  the  war 
he  resumed  the  pursuits  of  civil  life  and  always  devoted  his  time  and  energies 
to  farming  in  Lincoln  township,  where  he  made  his  home  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death  on  the  6th  of  November,  1900.  For  more  than  a  year  he  had  survived 
his  wife,  who  died  January  22,  1899.  She  had  come  to  the  United  States  when 
nine  years  of  age  with  her  parents,  who  made  their  way  direct  to  Davenport, 
and  here  she  lived  all  her  life.  She  was  married  in  1859  to  Mr.  Steffe  and  be- 
came the  mother  of  nine  children:  Mary,  the  wife  of  George  Harrison;  Rosie, 
the  deceased  wife  of  Brice  Neckley;  Joe,  of  Luverne,  Minnesota;  Jacob,  de- 
ceased ;  Louisa,  the  wife  of  B.  F.  Quinn,  of  Cedar  Rapids ;  Carrie,  the  wife  of 
Bert  Quinn ;  Hiram,  of  Sheridan  township ;  Julia,  deceased ;  and  Sadie,  the  de- 
ceased wife  of  WiUiam  Clapp. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quinn  has  been  born  one  son,  Forest  L.,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred November  6,  1904.  Mr.  Quinn  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  affiliated  with  the  camp  at  Long  Grove,  and  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge 
and  has  held  most  of  the  offices  in  the  former.  He  likewise  belongs  to  the 
Christian  church  of  Long  Grove.  In  community  affairs  he  takes  a  deep  and 
helpful  interest  and  yet  he  does  not  neglect  his  business,  for  he  is  known  as  a 
representative  farmer  of  the  community,  carrying  on  general  agricultural  pur- 
suits and  also  making  a  specialty  of  the  cultivation  of  .potatoes.  In  this  he  is 
meeting  with  good  success  and  his  farm  products  find  a  ready  sale  on  the  market. 


WILLIAM  L.  E.  NICKELS. 

William  L.  E.  Nickels,  now  ■  living  retired  in  Davenport,  is  a  representative 
of  that  class  of  men  who  have  found  in  agricultural  life  the  opportunities  for 
success.  Long  connected  with  farming  interests,  his  diligence  and  enterprise  in 
managing  the  work  of  the  fields  brought  him  the  prosperity  that  now  enables 
him  to  live  retired.  He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  October  18,  1835,  a 
son  of  Henry  Ludwig  Edward  and  Louisa  Nickels.  The  father  was  a  farmer 
and  hotel  keeper  who  spent  his  entire  life  in  Germany.  Following  his  demise 
the  mother  married  again  and  came  to  the  United  States,  spending  her  last  days 
in  this  country. 

William  L.  E.  Nickels  was  a  young  man  of  twenty-one  years  when  he 
crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America.  Favorable  reports  which  he  heard  concerning 
the  new  world  led  him  to  the  determination  to  try  his  fortune  on  this  side  the 
Atlantic,  and  on  the  22d  of  December,  1856,  he  landed  at  New  York,  whence 


MR.  AND  MRS.  WILLIAM  L.  E.  NICKELS 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  535 

he  made  his  way  westward  to  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  where  he  arrived  on  the  ist  of 
January.  The  following  day  he  crossed  the  river  to  Davenport  but  after  a  few  days 
went  to  Moline.  While  there  he  met  Claus  Lahann,  a  friend  from  Germany, 
who  asked  him  to  go  to  Clinton  county  with  him  and  Mr.  Nickels  made  his 
home  with  that  friend  in  Clinton  county  through  the  winter.  It  was  there  he 
met  the  lady  whom  he  afterward  made  his  wife.  In  the  spring  of  1857  he  left 
his  German  friend  and  worked  for  an  American  at  Big  Rock  in  order  that  he 
might  learn  the  English  language  and  there  he  remained  for  six  months,  after 
which  he  returned  to  his  German  friend,  remaining  as  his  assistant  until  his 
friend's  death  in  1859. 

It  was  then,  on  the  6th  of  January,  1859,  that  Mr.  Nickels  married  his  old 
friend's  daughter.  Miss  Margaretft,  Lahann,  who  was  born  in  Germany,  January 
12,  1824.  He  rented  the  farm  from  her  widowed  mother,  who  died  in  1861.  at 
which  time  by  the  terms  of  her  will  Mr.  Nickels  inherited  the  farm,  comprising 
ninety  acres.  He  made  his  home  thereon  until  1876  and  during  that  time  ex- 
tended the  boundaries  of  his  place  by  additional  purchase  until  it  comprised  one 
hundred  and  sixteen  acres.  He  made  a  number  of  improvements  and  continued 
the  cultivation  of  the  fields  there  until  1876,  when  he  removed  to  Wheatland, 
Iowa,  renting  his  farm.  While  living  in  Wheatland  he  served  as  a  member  of 
the  town  council  and  was  prominent  and  influential  in  public  affairs.  He  contin- 
ued his  residence  in  Wheatland  until  1901,  when  he  came  to  Davenport,  where 
he  has  since  made  his  home. 

In  1903  Mr.  Nickels  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  first  wife,  who 
died  on  the  3d  of  March  of  that  year.  He  has  since  wedded  Caroline  Morthoss, 
a  daughter  of  Qaus  and  Magdalena  Morthoss,  both  of  whom  died  in  Germany. 
Mrs.  Nickels  had  been  previously  married,  her  first  husband  being  Hans  Ein- 
feldt,  who  died  December  17,  1894.  There  have  been  no  exciting  chapters  in  the 
life  history  of  William  L.  E.  Nickels,  who  in  his  life  has  exemplified  many  of  the 
sterling  traits  of  his  German  ancestry.  He  has  been  diligent  and  persistent  in 
business  and  as  the  years  went  by  his  labors  brought  him  the  success  which  al- 
ways comes  from  honorable  and  well  directed  effort.  Now  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
four  years  he  is  living  retired  and  his  rest  is  well  merited,  following  years  of 
active  life. 


MERTON  E.  BOWLING. 

Merton  E.  Bowling,  the  general  manager  of  the  M.  V.  Boies  Company,  is 
one  of  the  business  men  of  Davenport  who  has  rapidly  risen,  through  his  own 
efforts  to  the  responsible  position  he  now  holds.  A  native  son  of  this  city,  he 
was  born  March  11,  1872,  his  parents  being  George  D.  and  Almeda  (Bennett) 
Bowling.  The  former  was  also  born  in  Davenport,  a  descendant  of  one  of  the 
early  pioneer  families,  and  is  still  living,  although  he  has  given  up  active  par- 
ticipation in  the  world  of  affairs  and  business. 

Merton  E.  Bowling  grew  to  manhood  in  Davenport,  attending  the  public 
schools  here,  and  after  he  had  completed  the  prescribed  course  enrolled  as  a 


536  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

student  at  a  college.  For  a  number  of  years  after  the  completion  of  his  education 
he  worked  at  various  pursuits,  finally  turning  his  attention  to  the  undertaking 
business,  and  about  twenty  years  ago  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  M.  V.  Boies 
Company.  This  concern  was  established  in  1857  by  M.  V.  Boies,  under  whose 
name  it  has  continued  to  do  business  ever  since.  When  Mr.  Bowling  first  became 
connected  with  it  he  held  the  position  of  assistant,  but  as  the  years  went  on  and 
he  gave  proof  of  his  ability  he  was  rapidly  promoted  until  he  now  is  general 
manager  of  the  firm.  In  the  meantime,  however,  he  fitted  himself  for  the  work, 
for  he  took  a  course  in  the  Western  College  of  Embalming,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  October  26,  1898,  so  that  he  is  fully  competent  to  assume  charge  of 
every  phase  of  the  business  that  is  given  to  the  company. 

Mr.  Bowling  married  Miss  Mary  Snyder,*of  Dixon,  Iowa,  and  their  union 
has  been  blessed  with  three  sons — Ralph,  Elmer  and  Raymond.  The  eldest  is 
attending  the  high  school,  while  the  second  is  a  pupil  in  the  school  of  district 
No.  8,  and  the  youngest  has  not  yet  entered  upon  his  period  of  education. 

Mr.  Bowling  enjoys  wide  fraternal  relations,  for  he  is  a  member  of  the 
local  lodge  of  Masons,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Fraternal 
Order  of  Eagles,  the  Elks,  and  the  Modern  Brotherhood  of  'America.  He  also 
belongs  to  the  Turners  Society  of  Davenport.  In  all  of  these  organizations  he 
is  well  known  as  a  man  of  ability,  of  the  highest  principles  and  one  endowed 
with  many  social  graces  as  well  as  with  those  which  make  for  success  in  the 
world  of  aflfairs.  His  rapid  rise  in  the  esteem  of  his  business  associates  has  not 
been  without  its  substantial  financial  advancements. 


HUGO  MOELLER. 


Hugo  Moeller,  city  clerk  of  Davenport  and  one  of  the  rising  young  men  of 
this  city,  demonstrates  in  his  political  career  that  there  are  certain  men  who 
are  bound  to  rise  above  their  fellows  through  energy  and  mastery  of  detail. 
He  was  born  in  this  city,  January  10,  1880,  a  son  of  John  F.  and  Mary  (Har- 
der) Moeller.  The  father  came  to  Davenport  in  1863  from  Germany,  his  native 
land,  and  after  being  engaged  in  several  lines  commenced  manufacturing  paper 
and  cigar  boxes.  His  wife  came  to  Davenport  with  her  father  in  the  early 
'SOS,  having  been  born  in  Germany.  Six  children  were  bom  to  them:  Minnie, 
now  Mrs.  Wehling;  Henry;  Tillie,  now  Mrs.  Stockwell;  Hugo;  Hannah,  the 
deceased  wife  of  Walter  Hass,  and  Walter,  also  deceased. 

Hugo  Moeller  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  graduating  from  the  high 
school  in  1897.  After  being  engaged  in  various  kinds  of  work,  he  took  a  com- 
mercial course  in  Brown's  Business  College.  For  three  years  thereafter  he 
was  an  agent  of  the  Corn  Products  Refining  Company,  and  worked  hard  to 
serve  his  house.  A  strong  democrat,  Mr.  Moeller  has  always  given  his  party 
a  considerable  portion  of  his  time  and  was  rewarded  by  election  to  the  office 
of  city  clerk  in  1906  and  has  been  continuously  reelected.  He  is  an  excellent 
official,  obliging,  courteous  and  hard-working,  and  the  people  of  the  city  feel 
that  no  better  man  could  be  found  to  fill  the  responsible  office. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  537 

In  1905  Mr.  Moeller  was  married  to  Emelia  Wulf,  a  daughter  of  Herman 
Wulf.  Mr.  Moeller  belongs  to  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks, 
the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles  and  the  O.  O.  O.,  and  is  very  popular  in  them 
all. 

Still  in  the  very  prime  of  his  young  manhood,  with  years  of  usefulness  stretch- 
ing out  before  him,  the  idol  of  his  party  locally,  brilliant  things  are  prophesied 
of  this  representative  son  of  Davenport. 


R.  H.  HARNED. 


A  man  of  well  balanced  capacities  and  powers,  his  strong  character  and 
capabilities  inspiring  confidence  in  others,  the  story  of  the  life  of  R.  H.  Harned 
is  one  of  orderly  progression.  He  is  preeminently  a  man  of  business  sense, 
easily  avoiding  the  mistakes  and  disasters  which  come  to  those  who,  though 
possessing  remarkable  faculties  in  some  respects,  are  liable  to  erratic  move- 
ments that  result  in  unwarranted  risks  and  failure.  His  course  has  been  one 
which  has  stood  the  test  of  time  and  of  public  approval  and  as  senior  partner  of 
the  firm  of  Harned  &  Von  Maur  he  stands  as  one  of  the  most  prominent  repre- 
sentatives of  commercial  interests  in  Davenport.  He  was  born  at  Shickshinny, 
Luzerne  county,  Pennsylvania,  October  30,  1864,  a  son  of  Clark  and  Isabella 
T.  (Metcalf)  Harned,  the  former  a  native  of  Shickshinny  and  the  latter  of 
Wilkes-Barre,  Pennsylvania.  After  attending  the  public  schools,  in  which  he 
mastered  the  fundamental  principles  of  education,  R.  H.  Harned  continued  his 
studies  in  the  Wyoming  Seminary  and  Commercial  College  and  made  his  initial 
step  in  the  business  world  by  entering  the  employ  of  Fowler,  Dick  &  Walker, 
dry-goods  merchants  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Pennsylvania,  under  whose  direction  he 
became  acquainted  with  the  dry-goods  trade.  He  remained  with  that  firm 
until  1887,  when  he  entered  into  partnership  with  C.  J.  Von  Maur  and  E.  C. 
Pursel  under  the  firm  style  of  Harned,  Pursel  &  Von  Maur,  coming  to  Daven- 
port in  that  year  on  the  2d  of  April.  They  located  at  the  southwest  comer  of 
Second  and  Brady  streets  and  prospered  from  the  beginning,  enjoying  a  con- 
stantly increasing  trade.  In  1889,  upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Pursel,  the  style  of 
the  firm  became  Harned  &  Von  Maur,  which  has  since  been  continued.  The 
original  store  was  modest  in  its  beginning  but  the  energy,  ability  and  character 
of  the  young  men  told  and  the  enterprise  developed  along  substantial  lines, 
the  growth  of  the  business  at  last  necessitating  the  erection  of  a  new  building 
for  its  accommodation.  In  1898  the  business  was  incorporated  under  the  firm 
style  of  Harned  &  Von  Maur.  They  remained  in  the  original  location  until 
1899,  when  a  lot  was  purchased  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Harlrison  and 
Second  streets  and  their  present  magnificent  building  was  erected  there.  They 
have  today  one  of  the  finest,  best  arranged  and  most  modernly  equipped  stores 
in  the  state.  The  building  has  a  frontage  of  eighty-six  feet,  is  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  deep  and  has  three  stories  with  basement.  It  is  equipped  with  a  power 
and  electric  plant  and  the  fittings  of  the  store  are  most  modern  and  attractive, 
including  a  pneumatic  cash  system  and  every  convenience  and  facility  for  the 


538  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

conduct  of  a  first-class  department  store.  In  igo6  it  was  necessary  to  lease  a 
building  to  serve  as  an  annex  in  which  to  store  the  reserve  stock  in  order  that 
their  third  floor  might  be  utilized  for  retail  purposes.  Something  of  the  growth 
of  the  business  is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  when  it  was  established,  on  the  2d 
of  April,  1887,  they  occupied  a  small  store  twenty  by  seventy-five  feet.  At  the 
end  of  six  months  it  was  necessary  to  double  their  space  and  similar  additions 
were  made  during  the  succeeding  eighteen  months.  In  1892  an  addition  was 
made  to, the  block,  doubling  the  space  which  they  then  occupied  and  after  seven 
years  they  removed  to  their  present  quarters.  Thus  from  a  modest  begin- 
ning in  a  little  corner  shop  this  establishment  has  grown  with  the  passing 
years,  its  magnificent  success  being  due  to  the  tireless  energy,  undaunted  enter- 
prise and  reliable  business  methods  of  the  partners,  who  enjoy  the  public  con- 
fidence in  an  unusual  degree.  The  simile  of  the  acorn  and  the  oak  is  especially 
applicable  to  this  business,  the  tree  weathering  all  financial  storms,  activity  and 
commercial  integrity  constituting  its  roots,  which  have  spread  out  and  taken 
firm  hold  in  the  soil  of  public  confidence  and  public  opinion. 

In  1899  Mr.  Harned  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Reeder,  a  native  of  Bor- 
dentown.  New  Jersey.  They  have  two  daughters,  Eleanor  M.  and  Louise  I. 
The  family  residence  is  a  splendid  home  on  Mississippi  avenue,  attractive  by 
reason  of  its  hospitality  as  well  as  its  tasteful  furnishings.  Mr.  Harned  is  a 
member  of  the  Golf  and  Outing  Qubs  and  also  the  Commercial  Club  of  Daven- 
port. He  is  also  greatly  interested  in  church  and  philanthropic  work  and  is 
now  serving  as  a  trustee  and  ruling  elder  in  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  in 
which  he  has  long  held  membership.  He  is  also  connected  with  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  and  is  a  cooperant  factor  in  various  lines  of  ac- 
tivity expressive  of  the  recognition  of  the  brotherhood  of  man  and  the  Father- 
hood of  God.  He  stands  today  in  his  mature  years  a  strong  man,  strong  in  his 
honor  and  his  good  name,  strong  in  his  ability  to  plan  and  perform.  Well 
balanced  mentally  and  physically,  he  has  never  feared  to  venture  where  favor- 
ing opportunitity  has  presented,  and  his  judgment  and  even-paced  energy  have 
carried  him  forward  to  the  goal  of  success. 


ALEXANDER  W.  BROWNLIE. 

Alexander  W.  Brownlie  needs  no  introduction  to  the  readers  of  this  volume, 
for  he  has  made  his  home  within  the  borders  of  Scott  county  for  more  than 
three  score  years  and  ten,  having  been  brought  here  by  his  parents  when  in  the 
second  year  of  his  age.  He  was  successfully  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 
raising  throughout  his  active  business  career  but  is  living  largely  retired  at  the 
present  time,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil  in  well  earned  ease.  His  birth 
occurred  in  Canada  on  the  22d  of  May,  1837,  his  parents  being  James  and  Ritchie 
(Walker)  Brownlie,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Scotland.  The  father  was 
born  on  the  26th  of  November,  1807,  and  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  the  year 
1810.  They  were  married  in  Canada  and  remained  residents  of  that  country 
until  1838,  when  the  family  home  was  established  in  Scott  county,  Iowa,  the 


A.  W.  BROWNLIE 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  541 

father  coming  here  a  few  months  prior  to  the  arrival  of  his  wife  and  three  chil- 
dren. James  Brownlie  took  up  a  timber  claim  at  Long  Grove,  which  place  at 
that  time  boasted  only  one  shanty.  He  constructed  a  sod  house  or  dugout  and 
after  residing  therein  for  a  year  built  what  was  considered  a  commodious  log  house 
in  those  days.  In  1851  the  primitive  structure  was  replaced  by  another  resi- 
dence, which  is  still  standing.  James  Brownlie  accumulated  about  four  hundred 
acres  of  land  and  devoted  his  time  and  energies  to  general  agricultural  pursuits 
throughout  his  entire  business  career,  bringing  his  fields  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  improvement.  He  held  various  positions  of  public  trust  and 
responsibility  and  was  one  of  the  six  men  (all  Brownlie  by  name)  who  organized 
the  Christian  church  at  Long  Grove,  in  1839.  Preaching  services  were  con- 
ducted in  his  home  from  1839  until  1846,  when  a  log  church  was  erected,  and 
he  served  as  an  elder  until  his  demise.  This  church  is  the  oldest  in  Scott  county. 
Mr.  Brownlie  was  called  to  his  final  rest  in  1893  and  the  community  thus  lost 
one  of  its  worthy  pioneer  settlers  whose  labors  had  proved  an  important  element 
in  the  work  of  early  development  and  upbuilding.  His  wife  passed  away  in  1889. 
Their  children  were  six  in  number,  as  follows :  Jane,  who  is  deceased,'  as  is  also 
her  husband,  James  Neil ;  Mrs.  Isabelle  McCosh,  who  has  likewise  passed  away ; 
Alexander  W.,  of  this  review;  Catherine,  the  deceased  wife  of  John  Fluke,  of 
Grinnell,  Iowa;  Andrew^  who  has  also  been  called  to  his  final  rest;  and  Robert, 
who  is  a  resident  of  Long  Grove. 

Alexander  W.  Brownlie  began  his  education  under  the  preceptorship  of  his 
parents,  as  there  were  still  no  schools  in  the  pioneer  community.  When  he  was 
about  ten  years  of  age  a  little  "temple  of  learning"  was  established  at  Long 
Grove  with  Phillip  Van  Patten  as  instructor,  and  there  he  pursued  his  studies 
for  a  time.  He  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until  he  was  married  and  then 
purchased  and  located  upon  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  near  Long 
Grove.  Part  of  the  land  was  broken  and  after  the  remainder  had  been  made 
ready  for  farming  purposes  he  erected  a  dwelling  and  there  carried  on  his  agri- 
cultural interests  for  about  twelve  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
still  engaged  in  the  live  Sjtock  business  to  some  extent  but  is  living  largely  re- 
took up  his  abode  on  another  farm  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres  a  little  nearer 
Long  Grove  and,  disposing  of  his  original  property  soon  afterward,  was  actively 
engaged  in  its  operation  for  a  great  many  years.  In  1876  he  became  interested 
in  the  live  stock  business  in  association  with  his  brother  Robert  and  they  carried 
on  their  operations  in  this  connection  for  about  a  third  of  a  century,  making  a 
specialty  of  shorthorn  cattle,  Poland  China  hogs  and  Percheron  horses.  He  is 
still  engaged  in  the  live-stock  business  to  some  extent  but  is  living  largely  re- 
tired at  the  present  time,  making  his  home  at  No.  501  Kirkwood  avenue  in 
Davenport.  He  is  one  of  the  stockholders  in  the  Stockmen's  Bank  at  Long 
Grove,  which  he  assisted  in  organizing  in  May,  1907. 

On  the  22d  of  January,  1862,  Mr.  Brownlie  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Thompson,  who  was  born  in  England  on  the  22d  of  January,  1841, 
and  who  in  1844  was  brought  to  Scott  county  by  her  parents,  the  Hon.  Hugh 
M.  and  Jane  Thompson.  Her  father  represented  this  district  in  the  state  legis- 
lature for  a  great  many  years  and  was  also  the  president  and  manager  of  the 
Iowa  Agricultural  College.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brownlie  became  the  parents  of 
four  children.    Sarah,  the  eldest,  wedded  M.  H.  Calderwood,  of  Davenport,  and 


542  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

is  now  the  mother  of  seven  children,  namely :  Ethel ;  Blanche ;  Errett  and  Almeta, 
twins;  Helen;  Dwight;  and  Ruth.  William,  the  cashier  of  the  Citizens  First 
Bank  of  Davenport,  wedded  Miss  Mary  E.  Fleming-,  by  whom  he  has  one  child. 
Aline.  Annie,  who  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  John  Neil,  of  Cherokee,  Iowa, 
now'  has  four  children :  lola,  Jennie,  Laverne  and  Bernice.  Andrew  Brownlie 
is  deceased.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Brownlie,  the  wife  and  mother,  was  called  to  her 
final  rest  in  the  year  1874. 

Mr.  Brownlie  is  a  lifelong  member  of  the  Christian  church  at  Long  Grove 
and  has  always  held  official  position  therein,  having  continuously  served  as  trustee 
since  its  incorporation  and  as  elder  and  Sunday  school  superintendent  for  about 
thirty  "years.  He  has  spent  practically  his  entire  life  in  this  county  and  is  there- 
fore familiar  with  its  development  from  pioneer  times  down  to  the  present,  hav- 
ing aided  in  the  arduous  toil  which  brought  about  the  wonderful  transformation 
that  is  everywhere  apparent  in  this  part  of  the  state. 


JOHN  W.  CROWLEY. 


Beginning  at  the  lowest  round  of  the  ladder,  but  by  his  own  splendid  ef- 
forts advancing  steadily,  with  no  retrograde  movement  in  the  whole  course  of 
his  career,  a  glance  at  the  life  of  J.  W.  Crowley,  president  of  the  People's  Con- 
struction Company,  can  not  be  otherwise  than  inspiring.  He  was  born  July 
26,  1865,  in  Arena,  Wisconsin,  his  parents  being  Thomas  and  Bridget  (Smith) 
Crowley.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Ireland  and  upon  coming  to  the  United 
States  located  in  New  Jersey.  Attracted  by  the  report  of  opportunity  of  the 
west  he  came  to  the  Mississippi  valley  and  for  some  time  found  employment  on 
the  construction  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway.  He  also  made 
a  venture  at  agricultural  work,  but  eventually  took  up  the  railway  construction 
again.  His  health  failed  him  in  his  later  years  and  he  lived  retired  at  his  home 
until  his  death.  Our  subject's  mother  is  still  living  at  the  age  of  eighty-two 
years. 

J.  W.  Crowley  received  a  common-school  education  and  at  the  age  of  six- 
teen entered  the  arena  of  life  as  a  wage  earner.  He  had  the  advantage  of  at 
first  working  under  his  father's  direction  and  during  two  winter  seasons  he 
clerked  in  a  store.  A  cousin  engaged  in  railway  work  next  gave  him  employ- 
ment, and  then  for  a  while  he  was  a  traveling  salesman  for  a  publishing  company. 
After  another  season  on  the  pay  roll  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul 
Railway  Company,  he  secured  a  position,  in  1887,  with  the  Flynn  &  Williams 
Construction  Company,  which  was  operating  a  large  tract  of  land  near  Arena, 
Wisconsin.  When  this  company  changed  the  scene  of  its  activities  to  Iowa  where 
a  railway  was  to  be  built,  he  was  offered  a  position  as  foreman  of  the  track 
laying  work  and  continued  in  this  capacity  for  two  years.  In  1889  he  assumed 
a  similar  position  with  another  railway  company  operating  in  Missouri  and 
Illinois.  When  the  work  of  double  tracking  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific 
was  undertaken,  Mr.  Crowley  was  offered  a  responsible  position  which  necessi- 
tated his  removel  to  Buffalo,  Iowa,  and  in  course  of  time  he  was  transferred  to 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  543 

the  bridge  department.  Not  impeded  by  fear  of  change  he  next  assumed  a 
position  in  the  Eagle  Manufacturing  Company.  In  1896  he  was  made  super- 
intendent of  construction  in  the  steel  department  of  a  large  factory  located  in 
Moline,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Crowley's  association  with  the  city  of  Davenport  began  in  1897,  when 
he  was  employed  by  the  board  of  local  improvements  as  inspector  of  construc- 
tion. He  held  this  position  for  two  seasons  and  then  removed  to  Kansas  City, 
Kansas,  where  for  some  time  he  superintended  various  construction  enterprises. 
He  returned'  to  Davenport  and  the  city  again  secured  his  services  as  inspector 
of  construction.  His  splendid  executive  ability  and  sound  judgment  having 
become  widely  recognized,  the  Davenport,  Rock  Island  &  Northwestern  Rail- 
way offered  him  the  position  of  superintendent  of  construction  and  bridge 
work,  which  he  held  until  1900.  During  the  following  year  he  filled  a  similar 
position  with  the  Flick  &  Johnson  Company  and  then  organized  the  Crowley 
&  Diehn  Construction  CompEiny,  Mr.  Crowley  assuming  the  office  of  presi- 
dent. This  concern  was  reorganized  in  April,  1902,  as  the  People's  Construction 
Company,  with  Mr.  Crowley  still  at  the  head,  and  taking  everything  into  con- 
sideration, it  is  not  astonishing  that  it  has  taken  its  place  among  Davenport's 
leading  industries. 

On  May  30,  1900,  Mr.  Crowley  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Augusta 
Keuhl,  who  is  of  German  parentage.  They  have  a  fine  family  of  five  children. 
Helen  G.,  at  home;  Walter  L.,  who  attends  St.  Ambrose's  College,  as  does 
Raymond  J. ;  Frances  R.  in  school ;  and  Emmett  A.,  the  youngest  in  the  family. 

Mr.  Crowley  and  his  family  are  communicants  of  the  Catholic  church.  He 
is  identified  with  numerous  orders,  in  all  of  which  he  enjoys  prominence  and 
popularity.  These  fraternal  relations  extend  to  the  Elks,  the  Knights  of  Colum- 
bus, the  Catholic  Order  of  Foresters,  the  Hiberians,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  the  Woodmen  of  the  World,  and  the  Knights  of  Father  Matthew,  a 
temperance  society.  Not  taking  into  account  Mr.  Crowley's  success  in  his  re- 
lations, both  social  and  fraternal,  Davenport  is  to  be  congratulated  upon  her 
possession  of  a  citizen  who  contributes  so  materially  to  her  high  standing  in 
the  industrial  world. 


EDWARD  K.  WARD. 


Edward  K.  Ward,  United  State  veterinary  inspector,  with  offices  in  Daven- 
port, was  born  in  Guilford,  Indiana,  August  6,  1864,  his  parents  being  Isaac 
B.  and  Emma  (Taylor)  Ward.  He  spent  his  early  years  in  the  Hoosier  state 
and  took  advantage  of  her  public-school  opportunities.  Later  the  citizens  of  his 
native  town  recommended  him  for  the  office  of  postmaster,  in  which  capacity  he 
rendered  efficient  service,  and,  known  to  be  a  stanch  champion  of  the  cause  of 
education,  he  was  also  made  school  director. 

A't  the  age  of  twenty-nine,  Mr.  Ward  entered  the  veterinary  college  at  Tor- 
onto, Canada,  with  the  idea  of  more  thoroughly  fitting  himself  for  his  life  work 
and  after  taking  the  full  course  secured  his  degree.    Thus  equipped  he  went  to 


544  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  for  a  time  in  the  practice  of  his  profession, 
and  then  further  satisfied  his  educational  ambitions  by  taking  a  post-graduate 
course  in  the  Columbian  Correspondence  School  of  Washington,  D.  C.  Soon 
afterward  he  removed  to  Chicago  and  entered  the  government  service  as  assis- 
tant veterinary  inspector.  After  passing  some  time  there,  he  returned  to  Cin- 
cinnati and  became  assistant  to  the  chief  inspector.  His  next  step  was  to  come 
to  Davenport,  where  he  accepted  his  present  important  and  responsible  posi- 
tion as  United  States  veterinary  inspector,  and  where  the  associations  formed  by 
him  have  been  sufficiently  pleasant  to  warrant  his  expectation  of  remaining  here 
permanently. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Ward  and  Miss  Pearl  Crocker,  a  young  woman  of 
his  native  state,  was  celebrated  June  26,  1889.  They  have  four  children :  Ama 
E.,  Pierman  C,  Erdine  and  Carl. 

The  social  is  a  pleasant  ingredient  in  the  composition  of  Mr.  Ward's  nature, 
and  he  enjoys  membership  in  the  Masonic  body  and  in  an  organization  known 
as  the  Grotto.  He  is  to  a  great  extent  a  self-made  man,  never  satisfied  with 
mediocrity,  and  a  worthy  citizen  whose  high  aims  are  not  confined  to  his  pro- 
fession but  extend  to  every  relation  of  life. 


JAMES  GARSTANG. 


In  the  years  of  an  active  business  life  James  Garstang  was  connected  with 
carpentering  in  Davenport  and  helped  to  erect  many  substantial  structures  here. 
Now  in  his  seventy-fifth  year  he  is  living  retired,  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil 
supplying  him  with  the  necessities  and  comforts  of  life.  He  was  born  in 
Lancashire,  England,  February  29,  1836,  a  son  of  Collin  and  Anna  Garstang. 
The  father  was  a  loom-maker  in  England  and  came  to  the  United  States  in 
1849  with  his  wife,  his  son  James  coming  in  1853.  After  traveling  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  in  this  county  he  ultimately  settled  in  Davenport,  where  he 
remained  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1867. 

James  Garstang  came  to  the  United  States  four  years  after  his  parents  had 
taken  up  their  abode  on  this  side  the  Atlantic,  although  they  returned  to  Eng- 
land and  brought  him  to  the  new  world.  They  landed  at  New  York  and  all 
came  direct  to  Davenport,  James  Garstang  arriving  here  on  the  day  that  he  was 
seventeen  years  of  age.  He  attended  school  to  a  limited  extent  here  and  afterward 
drove  a  team  and  was  employed  in  other  ways  until  about  twenty  years  of  age, 
when  he  began  learning  the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he  found  a  congenial  occu- 
pation, following  it  continuously  until  his  retirement.  As  he  prospered  in  his 
undertakings  he  made  judicious  investments  in  realty  and  now  derives  a  substan- 
tial income  from  his  property  interests. 

On,  the  30th  of  March,  1865,  Mr.  Garstang  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Baker,  a  daughter  of  William  Baker  and  a  native  of  England.  She  was  bom 
October  19,  1839,  and  came  to  the  United  States  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years. 
Her  mother  had  died  in  England  and  her  father  died  at  sea  while  they  were 
crossing  the  Atlantic.    Mrs.  Garstang  lived  to  the  age  of  sixty-nine  years,  passing 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  545 

away  November  12,  1908.  There  were  two  children  of  that  marriage,  Collin  and 
William  Edward,  but  the  latter  died  at  the  age  of  two  years.  The  former  was 
born  December  7,  1867.  There  are  now  two  grandsons,  Clifford  S.  and  Lloyd  W. 
Mr.  Garstang  continued  actively  in  business  in  Davenport  for  many  years  and 
was  always  found  reliable,  painstaking  and  faithful  in  the  execution  of  his 
work.  His  industry  and  careful  management  at  length  brought  him  a  gratify- 
ing measure  of  success  and  with  the  retired  men  of  affluence  he  is  now  numbered. 


NICHOLAS  ALBRECHT. 

Among  those  citizens  of  Davenport  who  though  deceased  have  left  behind 
them  a  pleasant  memory  and  a  living  influence  for  good  must  be  numbered 
Nicholas  Albrecht,  who  was  born  October  26,  1853,  and  passed  away,  March  25, 
1908.  He  was  a  native  of  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  and  came  here  when 
about  sixteen  years  of  age  in  company  with  his  father,  George  Albrecht,  and  two 
brothers.  They  were  the  first  members  of  the  Albrecht  family  to  leave  the  father- 
land and,  speedily  becoming  typical  pioneers,  made  the  journey  to  Kansas  in  a 
covered  wagon  and  endured  many  hardships  incident  to  life  in  a  new  country. 
The  father  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  that  state  and  died  there  not  many 
years  ago. 

Nicholas  Albrecht  identified  himself  with  the  Tri-Cities  by  his  removal  to 
Moline  in  the  '70s.  He  subsequently  came  to  Davenport  and  established  himself 
in  the  butcher  business,  starting  in  on  a  small  scale,  but  his  dealings  were  such 
that  he  soon  had  a  large  patronage  and  by  1891  had  prospered  sufficiently  to 
build  the  brick  edifice  which  now  stands  on  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Leonard 
streets.  Mr.  Albrecht's  interests  were  not  limited  to  his  trade.  He  was  the  pro- 
moter of  the  Davenport  Ice  &  Cold  Storage  Company,  an  incorporated  concern 
and  one  of  the  largest  of  its  kind  in  the  state.    It  was  organized  in  1899. 

Mr.  Albrecht  laid  the  foundation  of  a  happy  home  life  by  his  marriage.  May 
2,  1876,  to  Miss  Anna  Stahl,  who  survives  her  husband.  She  was  born  in  Ger- 
many and  came  to  this  country  with  her  parents.  This  union  was  blessed  by  the 
birth  of  eight  children.  The  eldest  son,  George,  who  is  connected  with  the  busi- 
ness fostered  by  his  father— the  Davenport  Ice  &  Cold  Storage  Company— has 
been  married  twice,  his  first  wife  being  Carrie  Jurgens,  and  his  second  Laura 
Blesse.  He  has  two  daughters,  Vemice  and  Nathalia.  The  second  son,  John, 
is  the  manager  of  the  meat  market  started  by  his  father  and  has  in  fact  been 
connected  with  it  ever  since  he  began  his  business  career.  He  is  a  native  of  Daven- 
port, and  was  married  October  8,  1902,  to  Maria  Wiese,  their  attractive  home 
having  as  its  chief  ornament  two  sons,  Harold  and  Irwin.  The  other  six  chil- 
dren are  at  home.  They  are :  Meta ;  Alma ;  Minnie,  who  serves  as  her  brother 
John's  bookkeeper;  Alvina,  who  attends  high  school;  and  Hulda  and  Walter, 
both  of  whom  are  at  school. 

Mr.  Albrecht  found  great  enjoyment  in  his  fraternal  relations,  which  ex- 
tended to  the  Turners,  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor,  and  the  Woodmen  of 
the  World.     He  was  a  progressive  and  public-spirited  man,  ready  to  give  his 


546  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

support  to  all  good  causes,  and  an  earnest  champion  of  education.  His  school 
days  had  been  passed  in  Germany  and  he  was  particularly  well  educated.  His 
mortal  remains  are  interred  in  Oakdale  cemetery,  but  he  will  not  soon  be  for- 
gotten in  the  city  in  which  he  spent  so  long  a  period  of  his  life,  and  to  whose 
social  and  industrial  interests  he  contributed  in  no  small  degree. 


DR.  REZIN  D.  MYERS. 

Dr.  Rezin  D.  Myers,  deceased,  enjoyed  the  distinction  of  having  opened  the  first 
office  for  the  practice  of  dentistry  in  the  city  of  Davenport.  He  was  born  in 
Steubenville,  Ohio,  November  7,  1820,  a  son  of  John  and  Abigail  (Maloy)  My- 
ers. The  family  was  of  German  descent  but  had  long  been  connected  with  the 
history  of  this  country  even  in  its  earliest  years.  John  Myers,  who  was  a  native 
of  Jefferson  county,  Pennsylvania,  was  an  officer  in  the  war  of  1812  under 
General  Harrison  and  was  a  farmer  and  a  miller  by  occupation.  He  passed  away 
May  10,  1850.    In  his  family  were  ten  children. 

Dr.  Rezin  D.  Myers  received  his  early  education  in  the  pubHc  schools  of  his 
native  town,  but  the  training  which  he  later  acquired  and  which  made  his  prac- 
tice of  dentistry  possible  came  as  the  result  of  his  own  ambition  and  labors. 
He  had  planned  to  become  a  physician,  but  as  he  pursued  his  work  he  became 
convinced  that  he  was  not  suited  for  that  profession  and  so  devoted  himself  to 
dentistry.  He  did  not  have  the  means,  however,  to  attend  the  schools  he  desired 
so  he  conceived  the  idea  of  becoming  a  journeyman  dentist,  riding  or  driving 
through  the  country,  extracting  teeth  or  performing  other  small  and  necessary 
operations  among  a  people  who  in  those  early  days  had  little  opportunity  to  fre- 
quent the  cities  where  the  more  skillful  and  better  trained  might  attend  to  their 
wants.  Dr.  Myers  rapidly  rose  in  his  chosen  field,  for  he  was  a  man  who  was  ever 
on  the  alert  to  profit  by  experience,  and  as  it  often  fell  to  his  lot  to  be  associated 
with  those  who  vyere  most  proficient  in  their  work,  he  soon  acquired  the  ability 
and  the  confidence  equal  if  not  superior  to  that  which  is  learned  through  attend- 
ing lectures  in  a  schoolroom. 

Dr.  Myers  came  to  Daivenport  in  1853,  having  covered  the  distance  from  Chi- 
cago by  stage.  Here  he  established  his  office  and  engaged  in  his  profession,  to, 
which  he  devoted  himself  assiduously  until  about  fifteen  years  before  his  death, 
with  a  success  that  was  a  gratifying  return  after  the  many  hardships  which  only 
perseverance  had  overcome  in  the  years  he  was  trying  to  perfect  himself  in  his 
art.  When  he  retired  he  spent  a  number  of  years  traveling,  principally  in  Mexico 
for  the  benefit  of  his  health.  On  the  30th  of  July,  1897,  his  long,  earnest  and 
eventful  life  was  brought  to  a  close. 

In  Pennsylvania,  in  1858,  Dr.  Myers  was  married  to  Miss  Adeline  Huffman, 
a  native  of  the  Keystone  state,  and  they  had  five  children,  only  two  of  whom  are 
living :  William  Lincoln,  who  is  in  the  paper  business  in  Missouri ;  and  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Smith,  of  Bedford  City,  Virginia. 

Mrs.  Myers  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  whose  services  Dr.  My- 
ers attended  throughout  his  life.    He  was,  however,  broad  in  his  religious  views. 


REZIN  D.  MYERS 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  549 

assisting  to  build  many  of  the  houses  of  worship  in  Davenport  in  early  years,  as 
his  aid  was  ever  given  to  all  the  measures  or  charities  which  were  calculated  to  ad- 
vance the  social  and  moral  wellbeing  of  the  community.  He  was  a  republican  in 
his  political  affiliations  and  active  ip  the  public  life  of  the  city,  especially  shortly 
after  his  arrival  here.  Fraternally  he  belonged  to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  among  whose  members  he  made  many  friends,  who,  attracted  by  the 
noble  character  of  the  man,  became  endeared  to  him  through  close  acquaintance 
with  his  high  ideals  and  principles  and  mourned  him  sincerely  as  a  good  citizen 
when  his  life  was  over.  Mrs.  Myers,  too,  has  many  friends  in  the  city,  which  has 
been  her  home  for  so  many  years.  In  fact,  she  has  lived  in  the  same  house  for  more 
than  half  a  century. 


ADOLPH  PRIESTER. 


Various  business  interests  have  felt  the  stimulus  of  the  cooperation  and 
sound  judgment  of  Adolph  Priester,  who  through  many  years  has  been  closely 
connected  with  commercial  and  financial  interests  in  Davenport.  Difficulties 
have  seemed  but  to  arouse  in  him  renewed  energy  and  determination  and  with 
progress  as  his  watchword  he  has  pushed  steadily  forward,  making  for  himself 
an  honorable  and  enviable  position  among  Davenport's  chief  business  represen- 
tatives. He  was  born  June  30,  1848,  in  Holstein,  Germany,  and  came  to  this 
country  in  August,  1857,  when  a  youth  of  nine  years,  in  company  with  his  par- 
ents, Carl  and  Elise  (Beuthien)  Priester.  The  father  was  the  founder  of  the 
family  in  the  new  world.  He  had  followed  farming  in  Germany  and  after  cross- 
ing the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States  he  made  his  way  into  the  interior  of  the 
country  and  invested  in  land  in  Scott  county.  With  characterisic  energy  he 
then  began  the  development  of  a  farm  and  soon  brought  his  fields  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation. 

Adolph  Pries,ter  began  his  education  in  the  schools  of  the  fatherland  and 
completed  his  course  in  the  public  schools  of  this  country.  He  was  reared  to  the 
occupation  of  farming  and  became  familiar  with  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall 
to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist,  but,  thinking  to  find  other  pursuits  more  con- 
genial, he  turned  his  attention  to  merchandising,  becoming  active  in  the  manage- 
ment of  a  dry-goods  store  in  this  city.  He  was  afterward  associated  with  a  crock- 
ery company  and  later  entered  the  Citizens  National  Bank,  with  which  he  was 
connected  for  twenty-eight  years  as  teller  and  assistant  cashier.  While  still  en- 
gaged in  the  banking  business  he  established  an  office  for  the  conduct  of  an  in- 
surance business,  representing  the  Germania  Life  Company,  and  following  his 
retirement  from  the  field  of  banking  he  was  appointed  state  manager  for  the 
company,  which  he  has  thus  represented  to  the  present  time.  In  this  regard  he 
controls  an  extensive  insurance  business  annually,  carefully  devising  plans  for 
the  furtherance  of  the  interests  of  the  company  in  this  state.  He  is  likewise  a 
director  of  the  Davenport  Brewing  Company  and  is  a  well  known  business  man. 

On  the  1st  of  December,  1888,  Mr.  Priester  was  married  to  Miss  Ida  Koeh- 
ler,  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Ottilie  (Schlapp)  Koehler.    Three  children  grace 


550  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

this  marriage :  Henry  C,  who  has  completed  school  and  is  now  a  private  secre- 
tary to  Mr.  Mixter,  superintendent  of  the  Deere  Plow  Company;  and  Walter 
and  Oscar  C,  who  are  yet  students.  Mr.  Priester  is  well  known  in  fraternal 
circles  and  in  Masonry  has  attained  the  Knight  Templar  degree.  He  also  belongs 
to  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity  and  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of 
Elks  and  his  membership  relations  extend  to  the  Turner  Society  and  to  the  Com- 
mercial Club.  He  manifests  in  his  life  many  of  the  strong  and  sterling  char- 
acteristics of  his  German  ancestry.  Patriotism  and  progress  might  well  be 
termed  the  keynote  of  his  character,  for  these  qualities  have  been  manifest  in 
every  relation  of  his  life,  making  him  one  of  the  valued  citizens  of  Davenport 
as  well  as  one  of  its  representative  business  men. 


FERDINAND  WOLF. 


Ferdinand  -Wolf,  deceased,  was  at  one  time  well  known  among  the  resi- 
dent farmers  of  Scott  county  and,  in  fact,  was  a  native  son  of  the  county,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Butler  township,  on  the  i8th  of  February,  1869.  His 
parents  were  Asmus  and  Catherine  (Buck)  Wolf,  of  whom  mention  is  made 
on  another  page  of  this  volume.  He  was  a  pupil  in  the  district  schools  during 
his  boyhood  days  and  he  remained  upon  the  home  farm  until  his  marriage, 
aiding  in  the  work  of  field  and  meadow  as  the  years  went  by  and  thus  gaining 
practical  knowledge  of  the  business  which  he  decided  to  make  his  life  work. 
At  the  time  of  his  marriage  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account  on  a  tract 
of  land  owned  by  his  father-in-law  in  Butler  township.  There  he  lived  for  five 
years  and  then  removed  to  his  father's  farm,  upon  which  he  resided  for  three 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  purchased  the  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  Butler  township  upon  which  his  widow  now  resides  and  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  adjoining  the  homestead.  He  made  all  of  the  improve- 
ments upon  the  place.  He  cultivated  his  fields  according  to  the  most  modern 
and  progressive  methods  and  year  after  year  carried  on  the  farm  work  in  such 
a  practical  and  progressive  manner  that  substantial  success  crowned  his  ef- 
forts. 

It  was  on  the  i6th  of  March,  1894,  that  Mr.  Wolf  was  married  to  Miss 
Alvina  Muller,  a  daughter  of  Ernest  and  Christina  (Kettleson)  Muller.  Mrs. 
Wolf  was  born  in  Butler  township  and  her  parents  were  both  natives  of  Ger- 
many. Her  father,  who  was  born  in  Westphalia,  came  to  the  United  States  at 
the  age  of  seventeen  years  with  his  mother.  They  first  settled  in  Ohio  and  later 
came  to  Iowa,  taking  up  their  abode  at  Le  Claire.  Mr.  Muller  was  a  carpenter 
by  trade  and  followed  that  pursuit  for  some  time,  but  later  turned  his  attention 
to  farming.  The  first  land  he  bought  was  in  Butler  township  and  from  time 
to  time  he  added  to  his  original  holdings  until  he  Iiad  about  six  hundred  and 
ninety  acres  in  Butler  township  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Lincoln  town- 
ship. He  died  in  Butler  township  on  the  homestead.  He  was  a  man  of  good 
business  ability  and  sound  judgment,  and  the  careful  manner  in  which  he  con- 
trolled his  farming  interests  enabled  him  to  become  one  of  the  large  landowners 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  551 

of  the  community.  He  filled  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  a  number  of 
years  and  his  decisions  were  always  strictly  fair  and  impartial.  In  1874  he  was 
elected  on  the  republican  ticket  to  the  house  of  representatives  and  filled  that 
position  for  three  terms  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  concerned.  He  lived 
retired  on  his  farm  for  a  number  of  years  prior  to  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
1899,  his  remains  being  interred  in  Fairview  cemetery.  His  wife,  who  was 
born  in  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  came  to  the  United  States  with  her  par- 
ents when  about  seventeen  years  of  age  and  settled  near  Dixon,  Iowa.  She  died 
in  1898  and  her  remains  were  also  interred  in  the  Fairview  cemetery. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wolf  were  born  five  children:  Malitta,  who  was  born 
November  24,  1897,  and  died  when  but  two  weeks  old ;  Delmar  F.,  born  August 
15,  1899;  Raymond  E.,  October  16,  1901 ;  Harvey  A.,  November  21,  1903;  and 
Lola  C,  June  23,  1906. 

The  death  of  the  husband  and  father  occurred  on  the  3d  of  September,  1909, 
and  his  remains  were  interred  in  Fairview  cemetery.  He  had  served  as  school 
director  for  three  years  and  was  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 
While  his  time  and  attention  were  largely  devoted  to  his  farming  interests,  he 
yet  advocated  progress  in  all  matters  of  citizenship  and  endorsed  all  practical 
methods  for  the  benefit  of  the  county.  He  had  a  wide  acquaintance  in  the 
township  in  which  he  lived  and  his  many  good  qualities  won  him  the  esteem 
and  high  regard  of  a  large  circle  of  friends  as  well  as  the  love  of  his  own 
family. 


H.  H.  BOETTGER. 


H.  H.  Boettger,  a  cigar  manufacturer  and  representative  of  some  of  the  lead- 
ing cigar  producers  in  the  country,  is  well  established  in  Davenport.  He  was 
born  here,  April  5,  1884,  a  son  of  H.  J.  and  Doretta  (Kiene)  Boettger.  The 
father  was  born  in  Germany  and  came  to  Davenport  in  1882.  He  was  a  cigar- 
maker  by  trade  and  finally  established  himself  in  the  business  of  manufacturing 
cigars,  having  carried  it  on  for  the  past  fourteen  years.  Mrs.  Boettger  was  also 
born  in  Germany,  but  they  were  married  in  the  vicinity  of  Davenport.  Three 
sons  have  been  born  to  them :  H.  H.,  Edward  A.  and  Christian. 

H.  H.  Boettger  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  the  high  school  of 
Davenport.  He  then  took  a  commercial  course  in  Brown's  Business  College. 
Having  learned  the  trade  of  making  cigars  in  his  boyhood,  Mr.  Boettger  natur- 
ally turned  toward  that  occupation  when  he  was  ready  to  begin  his  business  life, 
joining  his  father  in  his  enterprise,  and  they  now  have  a  fine  trade,  manufactur- 
ing their  own  brands. 

A  democrat  in  politics,  Mr.  Boettger  has  taken  so  active  a  part  in  labor  mat- 
ters that  in  November,  1908,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  lower  house  of  the 
state  assembly  and  has  made  a  record  for  himself  that  indicates  that  he  will  be 
called  upon  to  represent  the  people  in  still  higher  offices. 

In  1904  Mr.  Boettger  was  married  to  Ellen  Hansen,  who  was  born  in  Daven- 
port, a  daughter  of  Jens  Hansen,  and  they  have  two  children:  Evangeline  and 
Elizabeth.     Mr.  Boettger  belongs  to  a  number  of  fraternal  orders  as  well  as 


552  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

several  social  organizations  and  is  very  popular  in  them  all.  Brilliant  and  self- 
confident,  knowing  well  what  he  can  do  and  prompt  to  carry  out  his  ideas,  he 
easily  meets  every  demand  made  upon  him.  His  plans  for  the  future  and  for  the 
betterment  of  the  condition  of  working  people  are  many  and  worthy  of  being 
executed.  Not  only  is  he  a  statesman  but  he  is  very  successful  in  business  and 
understands  every  detail  of  the  work  he  and  his  father  are  so  successfully  prose- 
cuting. " 


CHARLES  F.  KAHLER. 

Qiarles  F.  Kahler,  a  retired  agriculturist  residing  in  Davenport,  has  for  the 
past  ten  years  enjoyed  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil  in  well  earned  ease.  He  has 
some  fine  town  property  and  is  still  in  possession  of  considerable  farming  land, 
owning  two  quarter  sections  in  Tama  county,  Iowa,  and  also  a  tract  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  in  Sunnyside  township,  Larimer  county,  Colorado.  His 
birth  occurred  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  26th  of  July,  1838,  his  parents  be- 
ing Hans  and  Charlotta  Kahler.  The  father,  who  was  a  laborer  and  also  en- 
gaged in  farming  on  a  small  scale,  participated  in  the  Schleswig-Holstein  wars 
from  1848  until  1850.  In  1855,  in  company  with  his  wife  and  children,  he  em- 
barked on  a  sailing  vessel  bound  for  American  shores  and  landed  at  Galveston, 
Texas,  after  an  ocean  voyage  of  about  eight  weeks.  They  remained  in  Galveston 
for  only  two  days  and  then  boarded  a  cattle  ship  for  New  Orleans,  whence  they 
took  passage  on  a  boat  which  brought  them  to  Davenport  on  the  26th  of  June, 
1855.  Hans  Kahler  continued  to  reside  in  this  city  throughout  the  remainder  of 
his  life,  passing  away  on  the  ist  of  April,  1900,  when  he  had  attained  the  ven- 
erable age  of  ninety-four  years.  The  period  of  his  residence  here  covered  al- 
most forty-five  years  and  he  became  well  known  and  highly  esteemed  as  a  sub- 
stantial and  representative  citizen.  The  demise  of  his  wife  had  occurred  soon 
after  their  arrival  in  Davenport.  Their  children  were  six  in  number,  as  fol- 
lows: Henry,  who  is  living  retired  in  Davenport;  Charles  F.,  of  this  review; 
Dora,  who  is  deceased ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  John  Hill,  of  Davenport ;  Louisa,  who 
has  also  passed  away;  and  August,  who  makes  his  home  in  Ottumwa. 

Charles  F.  Kahler,  who  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools  of  the  father- 
land, was  a  youth  of  seventeen  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  emigra- 
tion to  the  new  world.  After  locating  in  this  county  he  secured  employment  as 
a  farm  hand  and  thus  worked  for  a  number  of  years  or  until  the  time  of  his 
marriage  in  1872.  In  that  year  he  purchased  an  improved  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  Blue  Grass  township  and  there  carried  on  his  agricultural  in- 
terests energetically  and  successfully  for  a  period  of  twenty-eight  years.  In  1900 
he  put  aside  the  active  work  of  the  fields  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport, 
where  he  has  since  lived  retired.  As  the  years  passed  and  he  prospered  in  his 
undertakings,  he  invested  his  money  in  farming  property  and  is  still  the  owner  of 
two  tracts  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  each  in  Tama  county,  Iowa,  as  well 
as  a  quarter  section  of  land  in  Larimer  county,  Colorado. 

On  the  20th  of  March,  1872,  Mr.  Kahler  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Catherine  Hahn,  who  was  born  in  Scott  county,  Iowa,  on  the  13th  of  February, 


MR.  AND  MRS.  CHARLES  F.  KAHLER 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  555 

1849,  her  parents  being  Wolfe  and  Margaret  Hahn,  natives  of  Holstein,  Ger- 
many. They  were  married  in  that  country  and  after  emigrating  to  America  took 
up  their  abode  among  the  earhest  settlers  of  Scott  county,  arriving  here  in  1846. 
Wolfe  Hahn  entered  a  tract  of  prairie  land  in  Davenport  township  and  devoted 
his  time  and  energies  to  its  cultivation  and  improvement  for  about  forty  years. 
On  leaving  the  farm  he  came  to  Davenport,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  life  in  honorable  retirement,  passing  away  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
three  years.  His  wife  was  called  to  her  final  rest  when  seventy-six  years  of  age. 
They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  namely :  Ida,  the  deceased  wife  of  Hans 
Kruse ;  Mrs.  Kahler ;  Minnie,  who  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Theodore  Blunk, 
of  Davenport;  Henry,  of  Hickory  Grove  township;  John,  who  is  deceased; 
Emma,  the  widow  of  Carl  Suksdorf ;  Augusta,  who  married  Paul  Sederin;  and 
Julia,  who  is  the  wife  of  George  Klindt.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kahler  were  born 
five  children,  as  follows :  Robert,  who  lives  on  his  father's  farm  in  Colorado  and 
who  wedded  Miss  Tillie  Heintz,  by  whom  he  has  four  children — Elsie,  Blake, 
Oscar  and  Francis;  Louis,  who  was  drowned  when  sixteen  years  of  age;  Al- 
phonso,  who  follows  farming  in  Washington ;  Lillian,  at  home ;  and  Harry,  who 
is  a  resident  of  Philadelphia. 

Politically  Mr.  Kahler  is  independent  and  while  living  on  the  farm  held  sev- 
eral township  offices,  including  that  of  school  director.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
German  Pioneers  Association  of  Scott  county  and  also  belongs  to  the  German 
Shooting  Society,  the  Turners  and  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  at 
Davenport.  Having  resided  in  Scott  county  for  fifty-five  years,  he  has  an  ex- 
tensive circle  of  friends  within  its  borders  and  has  been  an  interested  witness  of 
its  steady  growth  and  development.  He  is  now  in  the  seVenty-second  year  of  his 
age  and  by  reason  of  his  well  spent  life  fully  merits  the  esteem  and  regard  which 
are  uniformly  accorded  him. 


GEORGE  O.  HOFFMANN. 

George  O.  Hoffmann,  president  of  the  Shrecker  Marble  Works,  is  one  of 
the  enterprising  business  men  of  Davenport.  A  native  of  this  city,  from  his 
childhood  days  he  has  heard  stories  of  its  growth,  for  his  parents,  Andrew  and 
Anna  (Paustian)  Hoflfmann,  were  among  its  earliest  settlers.  When  they  came 
here  there  was  little  to  forecast  the  greatness  to  which  it  would  attain  and  well  can 
they  remember  those  first  years  with  all  their  hardships,  but  looking  back  over 
the  passage  of  time  they  may  feel  a  personal  pride  in  the  growth  of  the  city  for 
they  have  aided  in  its  development.  Both  are  numbered  among  the  respected 
citizens  of  Davenport,  where  they  are  living  in  retirement. 

George  O.  Hoffmann,  the  eldest  of  the  five  children  born  to  his  parents,  at- 
tended the  public  school  in  district  No.  5,  in  which  he  received  all  of  his  educa- 
tion. After  he  left  that  institution,  he  learned  the  trade  of  marble  engraving, 
gaining  a  high  proficiency  in  the  art  during  the  many  years  he  was  in  the  em- 
ploy of  other  men.  Endowed  with  those  qualities  which  riiake  a  man  a  leader 
and  not  a  follower,  he  was  not  satisfied  until  he  commenced  business  for  him- 


556  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

self.  Accordingly,  about  ten  or  twelve  years  ago,  he  established  the  concern 
of  which  he  is  now  president.  During  its  existence  it  has  made  a  place  for  it- 
self among  the  business  interests  of  Davenport  and  has  won  a  large  income  for 
the  man  at  its  head.  The  field  of  its  operations  is  constantly  increasing  and  as 
this  is  the  result  of  Mr.  Hoffmann's  own  efforts  he  is  well  deserving  of  the  re- 
spect and  esteem  he  enjoys  among  his  fellow  citizens. 

It  was  in  1890  that  Mr.  Hoffmann  and  Miss  Wilhelmina  Hansen  were  united 
in  marriage  and  to  them  have  been  born  five  children :  Florence,  Hilda,  Bertha, 
George  and  Pearlie,  all  of  whom  are  at  home.  Mr.  Hoffmann  belongs  to  the 
Modern  Brotherhood  of  America  and  to  the  Black  Hawk,  in  both  of  which  bodies 
he  is  very  active  and  has  many  friends  among  his  fraternal  brethren. 


PARKE  T.   BURROWS. 

Parke  Tunis  Burrows  is  a  Davenport  architect  who  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession  has  done  much  to  enhance  the  appearance  of  the  city  in  the  construc- 
tion of  substantial  and  attractive  buildings,  the  list  of  which  indicates  the  nature 
of  his  work  and  the  appreciation  on  the  part  of  the  public  for  the  value  of  his 
service. 

Davenport  numbers  Mr.  Burrows  among  her  native  sons,  his  birth  having 
occurred  here,  August  8,  1871.  His  father,  Elisha  G.  Burrows,  was  likewise 
born  in  Davenport,  his  natal  year  being  1840.  He  was  a  son  of  John  Mc- 
Dowell Burrows,  a  prominent  figure  in  the  early  history  of  Scott  county  and  of 
Iowa,  having  located  here  in  1838.  He  was  bom  in  Elizabethtown,  New  Jer- 
sey, in  1814  and  died  here  in  1889.  He  conducted  a  general  store,  also  engaged 
in  the  grain  business  and  owned  and  operated  a  private  bank.  Almost  from  the 
earliest  occupancy  of  the  white  man  in  this  state  the  Burrows  family  has  been 
represented  in  Scott  county.  Elisha  G.  Burrows  followed  mercantile  pursuits 
like  his  father. 

Parke  T.  Burrows,  reared  in  Davenport,  attended  the  public  schools  and 
afterward  entered  the  University  of  Illinois,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
1892.  He  then  spent  three  years  in  Chicago,  studying  architecture  and  gain- 
ing broad,  thorough  and  practical  knowledge  in  the  offices  of  leading  mem- 
bers of  the  profession  in  that  city.-  In  1895  he  returned  to  Davenport,  where 
he  has  since  practiced.  At  that  time  the  firm  of  Hubbell  &  Burrows  was  formed, 
but  in  1896  Mr.  Burrows  became  a  partner  of  F.  G.  Qausen  under  the  firm 
style  of  Clausen  &  Burrows.  That  relation  was  maintained  until  1904,  when 
he  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Temple,  Burrows  &  McLane,  which  is  still 
in  existence.  The  years  have  chronicled  his  growing  power  and  ability  in 
his  profession  and  his  firm  has  designed  and  erected  many  important  buildings  in 
this  city  and  elsewhere,  including  St.  John's  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  the 
high  school,  the  public  schools  Nos.  11  and  13,  the  Davenport  Hotel,  the  Com- 
mercial Club,  the  Lane  building,  the  Union  Savings  Bank  building,  the  First 
National  Bank  and  others.  Those  who  know  Davenport  need  but  to  see  this 
citation   in  order  to  understand  the  position   which   Mr.   Burrows  fills  as  an 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  557 

architect  and  builder  in  this  city,  for  those  buildings  are  aniong  the  finest  of 
Davenport.  He  has  also  erected  many  others  in  Iowa  and  Illinois  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  American  Institute  of  Architects. 

In  1902  Mr.  Burrows  was  married  to  Miss  Camilla  Simmons  Wolcott,  of 
St.  Louis,  a  granddaughter  of  William  McManus,  a  pioneer  of  Davenport. 
They  have  one  daughter,  Camilla.  While  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burrows  are  well 
known  socially  in  Davenport  he  allows  no  outside  interests  to  interfere  with  his 
professional  duties,  taking  genuine  pleasure  in  his  work  as  well  as  appreciating 
the  opportunity  which  it  affords  him  of  promoting  the  adornment  and  improve- 
ment of  the  city  along  architectural  lines. 


HEKRY  HELL,  V.  M.  D. 

One  of  the  prominent  young  men  of  Scott  county  is  Dr.  Henry  Hell,  who 
for  the  past  five  years   has   been  practicing  his   profession  as  a  veterinarian 
there  and  in  the  village  of  New  Liberty.    A  native  of  this  county,  he  was  bom 
in  Cleona  township,  November  'Z'j,  1877,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Wiebke  (Stol- 
ley)  Hell.    The  former  was  bom  in  the  town  of  Maren,  Ditmarschen,  Germany, 
March  27,  1833.     In  1853  he  sailed  for  America,  coming  to  Davenport  imme- 
diately after  crossing  the  Atlantic,  and  there  for  a  number  of  years  he  worked 
at  his  trade  of  a  mason,  but  later  in  partnership  with  his  brother  Claus  bought 
a  team  of  oxen  and  engaged  in  breaking  prairie  for  pioneer  settlers  in  this 
county.     In  1857  the  brothers  began  to  farm   for  themselves,  having  secured 
what  was  then  known  as  the  Charles  Hagen  place  in  Hickory  Grove  township. 
Five  y«ars  later  John  Hell  married  and  in  March,   1862,   removed  to  Cleona 
township,  where  he  lived  until  1891,  when  he  came  to  New  Liberty,  here  engag- 
ing in  the  general  merchandise  business.     In  the  preceding  years  he  had  fol- 
lowed farming  with  great  profit,  for  in  addition  to  the  quarter  section  of  land 
on  which  he  lived  in  Qeona  township,  he  owned  two  hundred  and  forty  acres 
additional,  eighty  acres  in  Cleona  township  on  the  Cedar  county  line,  another 
tract  of  eighty  acres  in  Cedar  county,  comprising  the  old  homestead  farm,  and 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Cedar  county,  in  the  same  section  as  the  tract 
just  mentioned.     These  extensive  landholdings  were  entirely  the  result  of  his 
own  labor,  for  he  came  here  with  Httle  capital.     The  land  was  unimproved  and 
its    resources    were    then    untried.     He    overcame    the    many    obstacles    that 
beset  his  path,  however,  and  in  1900,  at  the  beginning  of  the  new  century,  re- 
tired from  active  life.     He  died  in  New  Liberty,  August  13,  1908.     His  wife, 
whom  he  wedded  January  18,  1862,  was  born  in  Rendsburg,  Schleswig-Holstein, 
Germany,  January  12,  1833,  and  had  come  to  this  country  in  i860.    She  is  still 
living  and  makes  her  home  in  New  Liberty.     Six  children  were  born  to  them: 
John,  a  farmer  at  Hankinson,  North  Dakota;  Charles,  a  mechanic  at  Grundy 
Center,  Iowa ;  Theodore,  who  died  in  childhood ;  William,  who  is  a  molder  and 
lives  in  Davenport;  George,  a  farmer  at  Sunbury,  Iowa;  and  Henry,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch. 


558  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Dr.  Henry  Hell  was  reared  at  home  and  lived  with  his  parents  in  Cleona 
township  and  New  Liberty  until  1900.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  his 
district  during  his  youth,  in  which  he  received  a  good  foundation  for  the  studies 
he  later  pursued  in  higher  institutions  of  learning.  When  he  left  home  upon  his 
father's  retirement  from  business  in  1900,  he  went  to  his  brother  John,  who  was  at 
that  time  a  contractor  of  railroad  construction.  He  devoted  some  of  his  time 
to  that  labor  for  several  months  and  in  the  fall  of  1901  took  a  course  in  veter- 
inary medicine  at  the  Iowa  State  College  at  Ames.  In  the  fall  of  1903  he  was 
admitted  to  advanced  standing  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia, 
where  he  pursued  his  studies  in  his  chosen  profession  until  June  15,  1904,  when 
he  was  given  a  degree  from  the  veterinary  department  of  that  institution.  He 
came  to  New  Liberty  almost  immediately  after  his  graduation  and  on  the 
1st  of  July  commenced  the  practice  of  veterinary  surgery  in  that  village.  A 
young  man,  who  felt  that  from  his  boyhood  he  was  peculiarly  fitted  for 
his  line  of  work,  and  being  endowed  with  a  quick  and  alert  mind,  which  has  been 
most  thoroughly  trained,  he  has  proved  that  he  is  well  able  to  care  for  the  most 
troublesome  cases  entrusted  to  his  care.  A  skillful  practitioner  he  has  also 
a  keen  understanding  of  animal  nature,  so  that  in  the  half  decade  that  he  has 
been  practicing  here  he  has  been  of  invaluable  assistance  to  the  farmers  and 
stock  owners  of  the  surrounding  country. 

At  Omro,  Wisconsin,  December  26,  1906,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of 
Dr.  Hell  and  Miss  Minnie  Elmegreen,  who  was  bom  in  Schleswig  township, 
Manitowoc  county,  Wisconsin,  February  19,  1884,  and  is  a  daughter  of  August 
Elmegreen.  She  received  her  early  education  in  the  place  of  her  birth  and  then 
received  private  instruction  under  Professor  Gensch  at  Hilbert,  Wisconsin,  after 
which  she  engaged  in  teaching  for  three  years.  In  the  fall  of  1904  she  was 
engaged  as  an  instructor  in  Liberty  township  and  here  met  Dr.  Hell,  whom  she 
afterward  married.  Two  children,  Chester  John  and  Ethel'  Mae,  have  been  born 
to  the  couple. 

Dr.  Hell  is  a  stanch  republican  in  his  political  views  and  is  at  present  treas- 
urer of  the  town  of  New  Liberty,  for  he  is  a  young  man  in  whom  all  place  the 
greatest  rehance.  Fraternally  he  enjoys  pleasant  relations,  being  an  active  mem- 
ber of  Lodge,  No.  221,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Davenport. 


FERDINAND  SCHLAPKOHL. 

Davenport  has  a  large  percentage  of  German  people  who,  imbued  with  the 
spirit  of  progress,  sought  the  opportunities  of  the  new  world,  bringing  with  them 
the  salient  characteristics  of  the  Teutonic  race,  which  has  ever  been  an  important 
element  in  the  colonization  of  America.  To  this  number  belongs  Ferdinand 
Schlapkohl,  now  a  retired  business  man  and  one  of  the  veterans  of  the  Civil  war. 
His  life  record  commends  him  to  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  all  and  cannot 
fail  to  prove  of  interest  to  many  of  our  readers. 

Mr.  Schlapkohl  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  April  22,  1841,  and  is  a 
son  of  Henry  and  Margaret  Schlapkohl.    The  father  was  a  farmer  in  his  native 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  559 

land  and  left  that  country  for  America  in  1853,  accompanied  by  his  family.  He 
did  nol  live  to  reach  his  destination,  however,  but  died  on  the  voyage.  The  mother 
and  her  four  children  afterward  continued  on  their  way  to  Davenport,  where  they 
had  friends  living.  The  two  sisters,  Kathryn  and  Dora,  and  the  brother  Henry 
Schlapkohl  are  all  now  deceased,  while  the  mother  passed  away  in  1856. 

Ferdinand  Schlapkohl  attended  school  for  about  six  years  in  Germany  and 
after  coming  to  America  worked  by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand  in  the  summer 
seasons,  while  in  the  winter  he  attended  school.  He  also  took  care  of  race 
horses  in  his  young  days  and  at  different  times  was  employed  as  a  clerk  in  a 
store  in  Rock  Island,  where  he  obtained  his  first  experience  in  the  grocery  busi- 
ness. He  then  enlisted  on  the  23d  of  September,  1861,  as  a  member  of  Com- 
pany I,  Twelfth  Missouri  Infantry.  He  was  enrolled  at  Davenport  and  joined 
his  regiment  at  St.  Louis,  after  which  he  went  up  the  Missouri  river  to  Jefferson 
City,  where  the  regiment  were  in  camp  for  a  couple  of  weeks,  proceeding  thence 
by  rail  to  Sedalia,  where  they  spent  two  days.  They  afterward  marched  to 
Springfield,  Missouri,  and  winter  quarters  were  established  at  Rolla,  Missouri. 
In  January,  however,  they  broke  camp  and  proceeded  southward  into  Arkansas, 
participating  in  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  the  next  battle  at  Chickasaw  Bayou 
occurring  about  New  Year's  day  of  1862,  after  which  the  troops  took  part  in  the 
battle  of  Arkansas  Post.  Later  came  the  battles  of  Jackson  and  Vicksburg,  includ- 
ing the  siege  of  the  latter  place  until  its  capitulation.  From  that  point  the  regi- 
ment proceeded  to  Memphis,  where  three  days  were  spent,  after  which  they 
started  to  Chattanooga  and  took  part  in  the  battles  of  Lookout  Mountain  and 
Missionary  Ridge,  proceeding  on  to  Ringgold,  where  they  again  met  the  enemy 
in  a  hotly  contested  engagement.  From  that  point  they  went  to  Woodville,  Ala- 
bama, and  camped  there  until  May  ist.  Mr.  Schlapkohl  with  his  command  was 
all  through  the  Atlanta  campaign  and  after  the  capture  of  the  city  he  was  mus- 
tered out  at  St.  Louis,  September  23,  1864,  by  reason  of  the  expiration  of  his 
three  years'  term  of  service. 

Mr.  Schlapkohl  then  returned  to  Davenport  and  in  1866  joined  Mr.  Prim  in 
the  grocery  business  on  Harrison  street.  Later  they  removed  to  Second  street, 
where  the  business  was  conducted  until  1871,  when  the  partnership  was  dissolved, 
Mr.  Schlapkohl  remaining  alone  in  the  grocery  trade  for  thirty-seven  years,  or 
until  the  time  of  his  retirement  in  1903.  For  more  than  a  third  of  a  century  he 
was  one  of  the  well  known  leading  and  prominent  grocery  merchants  of  the 
city,  having  a  large  trade  which  came  to  him  as  the  result  of  his  well  selected 
line  of  goods,  his  careful  business  management,  his  reasonable  prices  and  hon- 
orable dealing. 

On  the  22d  of  June,  1868,  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Schlapkohl  and 
Miss  Theresa  Schmidt,  a  daughter  of  Carl  Schmidt,  of  Long  Grove.  Unto  them 
have  been  born  seven  children:  Hulda,  who  married  Charles  Korn,  of  Daven- 
port, and  has  three  children,  Gertrude,  Ferdinand  and  Charles;  Matilda,  the 
wife  of  Chris  Wohlert,  of  this  city;  Henry,  deceased;  Marie,  at  home;  Wil- 
liam, a  business  man  of  Durant,  Iowa,  who  married  Miss  Petersen  and  has  one 
child,  Alice;  Dora,  who  is  a  teacher  in  the  schools  of  Davenport;  and  Thelka, 
at  home. 


560  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Mr.  Schlapkohl  is  a  member  of  the  Unitarian  church  and  also  belongs  to  the 
Turners  and  the  Pioneer  German  Society.  In  poUtics  he  is  a  republican  and  is 
a  citizen  of  worth,  loyal  at  all  times  to  high  principles  of  manhood  and  to  the 
best  interests  of  municipal,  state  and  national  government.  Moreover,  he  is  a 
self-made  man,  dependent  upon  his  own  resources  from  an  early  age,  working 
earnestly  for  the  success  which  he  has  achieved,  realizing  ever  that  "there  is  no 
excellence  without  labor."  His  diligence  has  constituted  the  key  that  has  un- 
locked for  him  the  portals  of  success,  enabling  him  now  to  live  retired. 


LOUIS  AND  HENRY  MOELLER. 

In  looking  over  the  roll  of  those  ambitious  men  who  crossed  the  ocean  and 
sought  to  hake  a  new  home  for  themselves  in  the  state  of  Iowa  in  the  early  days  of 
its  history,  may  be  discovered  the  name  of  Fritz  Moeller,  the  father  of  Henry  and 
the  late  Louis  Moeller,  who  have  for  a  number  of  years  been  prominent  in  the  agri- 
cultural circles  in  Blue  Grass  township.  He  was  born  in  the  province  of  Mecklen- 
berg,  Germany,  in  1828,  and,  having  married  Miss  Dorothy  Moeller,  a  native  of  the 
same  locality,  came  to  America  in  1852.  He  settled  first  in  New  Orleans,  where  he 
remained  two  years,  engaged  for  the  most  part  in  the  operation  of  a  truck  farm. 
In  1854  he  ascended  the  Mississippi  river  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  he  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  land.  In  the  course  of  years,  however,  as  he  won  success 
from  his  cultivation  of  the  soil,  he  added  to  his  farm  until  at  his  death  it  embraced 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres.  He  was  twice  married  and  by  his  firs*  wife  had  six 
children,  namely :  one  daughter  who  died  in  infancy ;  Henry ;  Louis ;  Alvina,  the 
wife  of  Carl  Swenser,  of  South  Dakota ;  Matilda,  the  wife  of  John  Jockheck,  of 
Sioux  City,  Iowa;  and  Willie,  who  died  in  infancy.  The  children  by  the  second 
marriage  were :  Fredericka,  the  deceased  wife  of  Henry  Boss,  of  O'Brien  county, 
Iowa;  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Harvey  Chase,  of  the  same  county;  Sarah,  who  died  in 
infancy;  and  Hulda,  wh6  died  at  the  age  of  nine  months. 

Shortly  after  his  parents  settled  upon  their  farm  in  this  county,  Henry  Moeller 
was  born,  January  18,  1854,  and  his  brother  Louis'  birth  occurred  at  the  same  place 
November  9,  1855.  Both  boys  attended  the  district  school  and  worked  upon  the 
homestead  from  the  time  they  were  able  to  handle  the  lighter  of  the  farm  imple- 
ments and  assume  some  of  the  responsibilities  in  the  operation  of  the  place.  After 
the  death  of  their  parents,  the  brothers  assumed  the  management  of  the  farm  their 
father  had  bought,  although  Henry  Moeller  also  bought,  in  1898,  two  hundred  acres 
just  west  of  the  village  of  Blue  Grass.  He  never  took  up  his  residence  upon  it, 
however,  as  the  home  place  demanded  all  of  his  attention.  Since  the  death  of 
his  brother  he  has  operated  it  for  his  widow,  continuing  the  successful  methods 
which  have  placed  both  the  men  among  the  prominent  and  successful  agricul- 
turists of  Blue  Grass  township.  The  tract  Mr.  Moeller  cultivates  is  well  im- 
proved and  is  of  a  fertility  which  makes  general  farming  profitable. 

Henry  Moeller  has  never  married,  but  on  the  isth  of  March,  1883,  Louis  Moel- 
ler was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Louisa  Jockheck,  a  daughter  of  Ernst  F.  Jock- 
heck, who  is  still  living  in  Durant,  Iowa.     They  became  the  parents  of  the  follow- 


HENRY  MOELLER 


LOUIS  MOELLER 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  565 

ing  children :  Emma,  born  January  15,  1884,  is  now  the  wife  of  WilHam  Illian,  of 
Muscatine,  Iowa ;  Ida,  born  July  9,  1886,  died  March  5,  1907 ;  Fred,  born  May  28, 
1888,  died  August  16,  1894;  Ernst  L.,  born  March  17, 1891,  Wilma  A.,  born  August 
27, 1895,  and  Louis  J.  H.,  born  July  18, 1899,  are  all  at  home. 

Henry  and  Louis  Moeller  were  stanch  adherents  of  the  democratic  party,  and 
both  played  some  part  in  the  local  affairs,  for  Louis  Moeller  was  school  director  for 
four  years,  and  his  brother  was  road  supervisor  for  six  years.  The  latter  holds 
stock  in  the  Blue  Grass  Savings  Bank.  Indeed  both  men  were  representative 
of  the  best  farming  interests  of  Blue  Grass  township,  which  was  deprived  of  one 
of  its  most  worthy  citizens  when,  on  the  22d  of  November,  1907,  Louis  Moeller 
passed  away.  He  was  mourned  not  only  by  his  family,  but  also  by  the  many  of 
his  associates  who  through  frequent  intercourse  with  him  had  come  to  respect  and 
honor  him. 


CHARLES  BEIDERBECKE. 

Charles  Beiderbecke,  coming  to  America  as  a  young  man  of  seventeen  years 
and  his  youthful  training  being  that  of  a  German  lad,  entered  upon  activities 
in  the  new  world  with  no  false  ideas  concerning  the  advantages  here  offered. 
He  knew,  however,  that  the  path  to  success  is  open  to  all  and  that  the  fruits  of 
labor  are  sure  and  certain.  Therefore  with  persistent  energy  he  sought  pros- 
perity and  in  time  came  to  be  known  as  one  of  the  leading  merchants  and 
financiers  of  Davenport. 

Born  in  Westphalia,  Germany,  July  20,  1836,  Charles  Beiderbecke  spent  the 
first  seventeen  years  of  his  life  in  his  native  country  and  there  attended  a  uni- 
versity, studying  for  the  ministry.  He  sailed  for  America  in  1853.  He  did  not 
tarry  on  the  Atlantic  coast  but  made  his  way  to  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  and  for 
three  years  was  employed  in  the  postoffice. 

He  was  sent  by  the  government  to  Dubuque,  Iowa,  where  he  also  held  a  posi- 
tion in  the  postoffice,  but  not  liking  that  city  he  remained  for  only  a  short  time 
and  then  removed  to  Davenport.  Here  he  afterward  entered  into  partnership 
relations  as  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Beiderbecke  &  Miller,  wholesale 
grocers.  They  were  located  at  the  corner  of  Gaines  and  Second  streets  and 
afterward  removed  to  Second  street  between  Main  and  Harrison  streets.  In 
1880  Mr.  Beiderbecke  erected  a  business  block  in  which  he  continued  to  carry 
on  his  commercial  interests  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  days.  He  built  up 
a  large  and  successful  enterprise  and  was  considered  one  of  the  leading  business 
men  of  the  city.  He  based  his  business  principles  and  actions  on  the  rules  which 
govern  strict  and  unswerving  integrity  and  in  the  development  of  his  business 
ever  kept  in  mind  the  fact  that  satisfied  patrons  are  the  best  advertisement.  He 
held  to  high  standards  in  the  personnel  of  the  house,  in  the  character  of  goods 
carried  and  in  the  nature  of  the  service  rendered  to  the  public,  and  as  the  years 
passed  he  enjoyed  a  constantly  growing  trade  that  for  many  years  gave  him  a 
very  substantial  and  gratifying  income.  Extending  his  efforts  to  other  lines, 
he  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  representatives  of  financial  interests, 


566  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

becoming  president  of  the  Iowa  National  Bank,  which  he  aided  in  organizing  in 
1890,  continuing  as  chief  executive  officer  until  his  death.  He  was  also  a 
director  of  the  German  Savings  Bank. 

Mr.  Beiderbecke's  executive  ability  was  furthermore  called  into  play  in 
connection  with  social  and  municipal  interests.  He  was  a  director  of  the  Maen- 
nerchoir  and  also  a  member  of  the  Turners  Society.  In  matters  relative  to 
the  public  welfare  he  gave  endorsement  wherever  he  believed  that  the  best 
interests  of  the  city  might  be  conserved.  The  attitude  of  the  business  man  con- 
cerning any  public  question  is  taken  as  the  standard  of  its  worth,  for  the  pub- 
lic recognizes  that  the  sound  judgment  and  keen  discernment  which  must  con- 
stitute salient  features  in  successful  business  life  would  readily  discriminate  be- 
tween the  essential  and  nonessential  in  public  matters.  Therefore  when  Mr. 
Beiderbecke  gave  his  support  to  any  municipal  movement  his  course  was  one 
which  gained  a  large  following  therefor.  He  did  not  belong  to  any  church  but 
attended  services  at  the  Unitarian  and  in  his  life  exemplified  a  broad  humanitarian 
spirit. 

On  the  2ist  of  April,  i860,  Mr.  Beiderbecke  was  united  in  marriage  in 
Davenport  to  Miss  Louise  Piper,  a  daughter  of  August  Piper,  who  came  from 
Hamburg,  Germany  in  1856,  establishing  his  home  in  this  state  and  joining  an 
Iowa  regiment  at  the  time  of  the  Civil  war,  serving  throughout  the  continuance 
of  hostilities.  After  the  war  he  returned  to  this  city,  where  he  engaged  in 
business  until  his  death  on  the  i6th  of  December,  1889.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Beiderbecke  were  born  eight  children,  but  four  died  in  infancy.  The  others  are: 
Carl  T. ;  Mrs.  H.  A.  Steibold,  who  lives  with  her  mother;  Mrs.  L.  Fouberger; 
and  Bismark  H.  Mr.  Beiderbecke  was  devoted  to  his  family  and  erected  one 
of  the  finest  homes  in  the  city.  There  he  passed  away  October  20,  1901,  at  the 
age  of  sixty-five  years. 

His  hope  of  bettering  his  financial  condition  in  the  new  world  was  more 
than  realized,  for  here  he  found  good  opportunities  and  wisely  used  them  to 
work  his  way  upward.  There  was  no  esoteric  phase  in  his  entire  career.  He 
sought  success  not  through  speculation  but  in  the  legitimate  lines  of  trade  and 
through  judicious  investment,  mindful  at  all  times  of  his  obligations  to  others 
and  conforming  his  course  to  a  high  standard  of  commercial  ethics. 


CARL  THODE. 


Carl  Thode,  president  of  the  Henry  Thode  Company,  wholesale  and  retail 
liquor  dealers  at  327  West  Second  street,  is  a  native  of  Davenport,  born  Septem- 
ber 13,  1865,  his  parents  being  Henry  and  Augusta  (Goos)  Thode.  The  father 
was  a  German  who,  upon  leaving  the  fatherland,  came  almost  directly  to  Daven- 
port and  took  up  his  permanent  residence  here.  He  was  a  mechanic  by  trade 
and  at  first  found  employment  in  plow  works.  Later  he  engaged  in  the  liquor 
business  under  the  firm  name  of  Langfeldt,  Thode  &  Company  and  some  seven 
years  later  purchased  the  interest  of  the  other  member  of  the  firm.  Sonle  time 
previous  to  his  death  he  retired  from  active  life. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  567 

Carl  Thode  attended  Davenport's  excellent  schools  and  then  equipped  him- 
self for  business  by  a  supplementary  course  in  Duncan's  Commercial  College. 
He  then  became  connected  with  his  father  in  business,  this  being  about  twenty- 
seven  years  ago,  and  was  in  charge  at  the  time  of  the  latter's  death.  In  the  en- 
suing fourteen  years  he  has  directed  the  affairs  of  the  company  and  has  met 
success.  Previous  to  the  death  of  the  manager,  Mr.  Brady,  he  had  only  partial 
charge  but  since  that  time  it  has  been  entirely  vested  in  his  hands. 

Mr.  Thode  wedded  Miss  Emiele  Kruse,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Catherine 
(Goesch)  Kruse,  their  marriage  being  celebrated  July  i,  1886.  Her  father  was 
a  native  of  Germany,  who  resided  in  Davenport  for  fully  half  a  century.  He 
was  a  shoemaker  by  trade  and  lived  to  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years,  his  inter- 
ment having  taken  place  at  Fairmont,  January  2,  1902.  He  was  survived  by  a 
family  of  nine  children,  of  whom  Mrs.  Thode  was  the  fifth.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thode 
have  three  children :  Bessie,  a  graduate  of  Davenport's  high  school,  now  at  home ; 
Chauncey,  who  has  also  finished  his  education  and  is  in  business  with  his  father; 
and  Carl,  who  is  still  attending  the  public  schools. 

Mr.  Thode,  who  is  a  man  of  genial  manner  and  rejoices  in  the  possession  of 
hosts  of  friends,  has  numerous  fraternal  relations.  He  belongs  to  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  the  Eagles,  the  Order  of  the  Moose,  the  Owls,  Germania,  Claus 
Groth  Gilde,  the  Traveling  Men's  Liberty  Association,  the  Hawkeye  Men's  As- 
sociation, the  I.  C.  M.  A.,  the  Davenport  Boat  Club  and  the  Commercial  Club,  a 
list  which  will  eflfectually  testify  to  his  popularity. 


WILLIAM  SCHMIDT. 


William  Schmidt  is  a  native  son  of  Iowa  and  possesses  the  enterprising  spirit 
which  has  been  the  potent  force  in  the  rapid  upbuilding  and  development  of  the 
middle  west.  He  is  now  engaged  in  farming  in  Sheridan  township,  Scott  county, 
where  he  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  productive  land,  pleasantly  situ- 
ated about  a  half  mile  east  of  Eldridge. 

His  birth  occurred  in  Butler  township,  this  county,  on  the  9th  of  March, 
i860,  his  parents  being  Detlef  and  Catherine  Schmidt,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  Holstein,  Germany.  The  father  was  a  blacksmith  there  and  came  to 
America  when  a  young  man,  making  his  way  westward  to  Davenport.  Soon 
afterward  he  secured  employment  as  a  farm  hand  in  this  county  and,  carefully 
saving  his  earnings,  was  at  length  enabled  to  purchase  land  in  Butler  township, 
whereon  he  resided  until  his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  was  forty-two  years 
of  age.  His  widow  long  survived  him  and  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-four.  In 
their  family  were  eight  children :  Anna,  the  wife  of  Adolph  Paustian,  of  Potta- 
watamie  county,  Iowa ;  William,  of  this  review ;  Sophia,  the  wife  of  Charles 
Holdorf,  of  Pottawattamie  county,  Iowa;  Charles,  who  is  living  on  the  old  home- 
stead farm  in  Butler  township ;  Adolph,  of  Pottawattamie  county ;  John,  of  the 
same  county;  Nancy,  a  resident  of  Davenport;  and  David,  whose  home  is  in 
Butler  township. 


568  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

William  Schmidt  was  a  pupil  in  the  district  schools  of  Butler  township  in 
his  boyhood  days  and  afterward  worked  on  the  home  farm  up  to  the  time  of 
his  marriage,  when  he  removed  to  another  farm  in  Butler  township,  which  was 
owned  by  his  mother.  After  occupying  and  cultivating  it  for  ten  years  he  re- 
moved to  his  present  place  of  residence,  first  renting  the  land,  while  in  1900  he 
purchased  the  property  from  Qaus  Meier,  his  father-in-law.  He  has  since  erected 
a  fine  residence  and  made  other  improvements  which  add  much  to  the  value  and 
attractive  appearance  of  his  place,  his  farm  being  one  of  the  well  developed  prop- 
erties of  the  township.  The  place  is  neat  and  thrifty  in  appearance  and  indicates 
the  careful  supervision  and  practical  methods  of  a  progressive  owner. 

It  was  on  the  15th  of  March,  1884,  that  Mr.  Schmidt  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Anna  Meier,  a  daughter  of  Qaus  and  Catherine  (Lehmkuhl) 
Meier,  who  were  natives  of  Germany  and  early  settlers  of  this  county.  Her 
father  came  to  the  United  States  when  a  young  man  and  established  his  home  in 
Scott  county,  Iowa,  purchasing  land  in  Lincoln  township.  He  now  lives  retired  in 
Davenport.  His  first  wife  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  years,  leaving  two 
children:  Henry,  now  a  resident  of  Aliens  Grove  township;  and  Anna,  now 
Mrs.  William  Schmidt.  For  his  second  wife,  Mr.  Meier  married  Miss  Gretge 
Paustian,  a  native  of  Holstein,  Germany,  and  to  them  were  born  four  children, 
namely:  Albert,  who  is  married  and  lives  on  the  homestead;  Louisa,  the  wife 
of  Carl  Brockmann,  residing  near  Donahue,  Scott  county;  Adeie,  the  wife  of 
Julius  Seemann,  of  Davenport;  and  Walter,  who  married  Minnie  Hinz  and  lives 
on  a  farm  near  Davenport.  The  mother  of  these  children  died  February  9, 
1909.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schmidt  have  two  children:  Olga,  the  wife  of  Ernest 
Boecken,  of  Walcott,  Iowa ;  and  Arthur,  who  lives  on  the  home  farm.  He  mar- 
ried Millie  Wessel  and  they  have  one  child,  Leota. 

Mr.  Schmidt  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Scott  county  and  has,  therefore,  been 
a  witness  of  its  growth  and  progress  for  fifty  years.  This  half  century  has 
witnessed  many  notable  changes  for  all  of  the  evidences  of  pioneer  life  have 
been  replaced  by  those  of  modern  civilization.  He  has  always  advocated  prog- 
ress and  improvement  and  in  as  far  as  possible  has  aided  in  the  work  of  general 
advancement.  He  is  regarded  as  an  enterprising  farmer  and  his  success  is  well 
merited  as  it  has  been  attained  entirely  through  his  own  labors. 


FREDERICK  ROCK. 


A  public-spirited  man  with  an  eye  single  to  the  general  good,  even  at  the  occa- 
sional expense  of  personal  interest,  is  a  credit  and  a  boon  to  any  community.  Such 
a  one  is  Frederick  Rock,  a  citizen  of  Walcott.  He  was  born  December  11,  1834, 
in  the  principality  of  Waldeck,  Germany,  his  parents  being  Christian  and  Wilhel- 
mina  (Kleinschmidt)  Rock.  Early  in  life  he  became  imbued  with  the  desire  to 
come  to  America,  whose  wholesome  ideas  in  the  matter  of  equality  had  in  some 
way  reached  him  across  the  seas.  He  did  not  allow  this  ambition  to  remain  a 
dream  but  came  to  America  in  1857,  landing  in  New  York  in  the  month  of  May. 
He  made  his  way  almost  at  once  to  Davenport  and  in  a  short  time  found  employ- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  571 

ment  with  Robert  S.  Wilson,  a  Scott  county  farmer,  with  whom  he  remained  for 
four  years.  At  the  end  of  this  time  he  had  become  sufficiently  well  acquainted 
with  the  ways  of  the  land  of  his  adoption  to  make  a  more  independent  venture  and 
he  rented  a  farm  in  Hickory  Grove  township,  where  he  lived  for  another  four 
years.  In  1863,  as  the  result  of  excellent  management,  he  was  enabled  to  purchase 
a  farm,  a  very  desirable. tract  of  eighty  acres  located  on  section  4,  Hickory  Grove 
township.  Here  he  lived  until  1906,  when  he  retired  and  removed  to  Walcott  to 
make  his  home. 

In  1865  Mr.  Rock  was  united  in  marriage  to  a  lady  of  his  own  nationality.  Miss 
Margaretha  Carstens,  daughter  of  Claus  Carstens,  a  native  of  Holstein,  Germany. 
Three  children  were  born  to  them  but  only  one  is  living,  Ella,  now  the  wife  of  Otto 
Baustian.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baustian  reside  on  the  old  Rock  homestead  in  Hickory 
Grove  township. 

An  evidence  of  the  esteem  in  which  Mr.  Rock  is  held  is  the  fact  that  he  has 
been  called  upon  to  fill  several  important  offices.  He  has  served  as  trustee  of 
Hickory  Grove  township  and  for  over  twenty  years  was  justice  of  the  peace.  In 
the  latter  capacity  he  made  a  most  remarkable  record,  for  in  all  the  twenty  years 
a  case  was  never  appealed  to  a  higher  court  after  he  had  made  his  decision,  his 
keen  insight  and  unimpeachable  justice  being  readily  recognized.  Mr.  Rock  is  at 
present  an  advocate  of  the  principles  of  the  republican  party  and  its  administration 
of  affairs,  but  he  was  originally  a  member  of  the  democratic  party.  In  1893  he 
received  the  nomination  of  the  gold  democrats  for  the  legislature  but  retired  from 
the  race  before  the  election.  He  holds  the  position  of  president  and  secretary  of 
the  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company  of  German  Householders  and  is  secretary  of 
the  Walcott  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Farmers 
&  Mechanics  Savings  Bank  of  Davenport  and  also  in  the  Farmers  Savings  Bank 
of  Walcott,  having  at  one  time  been  vice  president  of  the  latter  institution  but  com- 
pelled to  resign  on  account  of  ill  health  in  his  family.  In  a  word  Mr.  Rock  is  in  all 
his  relations  worthy  of  respect  and  confidence,  a  man  of  integrity  and  progressive- 
ness. 


ALBERT  W.  HAMANN. 

Albert  W.  Hamann,  prominent  as  a  representative  of  the  legal  profession  and 
also  active  in  political  circles  in  Davenport,  has  found  in  these  two  fields  scope 
for  his  energy  and  laudable  ambition — ^his  dominant  quahties.  One  of  Iowa's 
native  sons,  his  birth  occurred  in  Audubon  county,  November  8,  1876.  His 
father,  C.  H.  Hamann,  was  a  native  of  Germany  and,  coming  to  America  in  1855, 
established  his  home  in  Davenport,  where  he  resided  until  1873.  In  that  year 
he  removed  to  Audubon  county,  where  he  turned  his  attention  to  farming.  He 
later  returned  to  Davenport,  where  he  established  a  wagon  manufactory,  be- 
coming one  of  the  pioneers  in  this  field  of  business  in  the  city.  He  retired  from 
active  life  in  the  year  1890,  and  died  in  1899,  respected  and  honored  by  all  who 
knew  him.  In  early  manhood  he  had  wedded  Marie  Koenig,  who  was  also  a 
native  of  Germany  and  came  to  Davenport  in  1856  with  her  father,  Carl  A. 
Koenig,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  city. 


572  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Brought  to  Davenport  during  his  early  boyhood,  Albert  W.  Hamann  ac- 
quired his  education  in  the  public  schools  here,  passing  through  consecutive 
grades  to  his  graduation  from  the  high  school  as  a  member  of  the  class  of  1893. 
He  then  entered  the  University  of  Iowa,  where  he  won  the  degree  of  Bachelor 
of  Arts,  and  with  broad  literary  knowledge  to  serve  as  the  foundation  upon 
which  to  rear  the  superstructure  of  professional  learning  he  entered  the  law 
department  of  the  Iowa  State  University  and  was  graduated  in  1898.  The  fol- 
lowing year  he  pursued  a  post-graduate  course  in  law  at  Columbia  University 
of  New  York  city  and  returned  to  Davenport. 

When  he  entered  upon  practice  here  his  equipment  was  unusually  good. 
To  an  understanding  of  uncommon  acuteness  and  vigor  he  added  a  thorough 
and  conscientious  preparatory  training,  while  in  his  practice  he  has  exemplified 
all  the  higher  elements  of  the  truly  great  lawyer.  He  became  associated  with 
Carl  F.  Hass,  and  under  the  firm  style  of  Hass  &  Hamann  the  partnership 
has  since  been  maintained.  His  diligence  and  energy  in  the  preparation  of  his 
cases,  as  well  as  the  earnestness,  tenacity  and  courage  with  which  he  defends  the 
right  as  he  understands  it,  challenges  the  admiration  of  his  associates.  His 
fidelity  to  the  interests  of  his  clients  is  proverbial,  yet  he  never  forgets  that  he 
owes  a  higher  allegiance  to  the  majesty  of  the  law. 

Frqm  his  youthful  days  Mr.  Hamann  has  been  actively  interested  in  poli- 
tics and  served  for  one  term  in  the  twenty-ninth  general  assembly  of  Iowa,  giv- 
ing earnest  and  careful  consideration  to  each  question  which  came  up  for  setde- 
ment.  In  1902  he  was  a  member  of  the  code  supplement  committee.  In  1904 
he  was  elected  county  attorney  and  acceptably  filled  that,  position  for  foul-  years. 
His  standing  among  fellow  members  of  the  bar  is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  in 
1908  he  was  elected  president  of  the  County  Attorneys  Association  of  the  state. 
In  1902  Mr.  Hamann  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Clara  Heuck,  a  native 
of  Germany,  who  came  to  Davenport  with  her  parents  in  her  girlhood  days. 
They  are  prominent  socially,  and  Mr.  Hamann  is  a  popular  member  of  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks.  He  is  recognized  as  a  young  man 
of  high  character  who  has  demonstrated  his  worth  in  his  chosen  profession  and 
in  citizenship,  and  undoubtedly  has  before  him  a  bright  future. 


B.  L.  SCHMIDT. 


B.  L.  Schmidt,  president  of  the  Schmidt  Brothers  Company  of  Davenport, 
is  a  man  of  considerable  force  of  character  who  has  risen  to  his  present  position 
through  the  exercise  of  his  native  ability,  combined  with  hard  work  and  strict 
economy.  Mr.  Schmidt  was  born  in  Davenport,  October  22,  1869,  a  son  of  Carl 
F.  and  Sophia  (Moeller)  Schmidt,  both  natives  of  Germany.  The  father  came 
to  Davenport  in  1847,  and  although  a  cabinet-maker  by  trade,  he  farmed  in  Blue 
Grass  township  for  fourteen  years  after  coming  here.  Later  he  removed  to  a 
suburb  of  Davenport,  where  until  his  death,  in  1889,  he  raised  grapes  and  made 
wine.    He  and  his  wife  were  married  in  Scott  county,  and  they  had  eight  chil- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  573 

dren,  five  of  whom  grew  to  maturity:  L.  W.;  Minnie,  now  Mrs.  'A.  F.  Mart- 
zahn ;  B.  L. ;  Hulda,  now  Mrs.  J.  L.  Kohrs ;  and  F.  L. 

B.  L.  Schmidt  was  educated  in  the  pubHc  schools  of  this  county,  and  after 
leaving  school  learned  the  trade  of  a  machinist  with  William  Sternburg  in  Daven- 
port. After  working  at  his  trade  for  five  years,  he  took  a  course  in  the  Davenport 
Business  College,  and  following  this  was  made  deputy  county  treasurer  under 
Henry  C.  Struck.  He  then  became  associated  with  Voss  Brothers  in  the  manu- 
facture of  furniture  fixtures,  sash,  door  and  blinds,  making  a  specialty  of  wooden 
soled  shoes  with  leather  tops.  This  connection  lasted  five  years,  when  Mr. 
Schmidt  purchased  the  interests  of  Voss  Brothers,  and,  taking  his  brother  F.  L. 
into  partnership,  the  firm  became  Schmidt  Brothers.  This  was  in  1897  and  until 
1902  they  were  jobbers  in  the  above  mentioned  lines,  but  in  the  latter  year  they 
sold  their  business  and  bought  the  patent  on  the  Little  Giant  ice  crusher  and 
organized  the  Davenport  Ice  Chipping  Machine  Company,  as  well  as  the  White 
Lily  Manufacturing  Company,  B.  L.  Schmidt  being  president  of  both  until 
1909,  when  he  sold  the  plant  of  the  White  Lily  Manufacturing  Company.  Af- 
ter this  they  purchased  the  engine  department  of  that  company,  to  which  they 
added  the  Ice  Chipping  Machine  Company,  and  changed  the  name  of  the  firm 
to  Schmidt  Brothers  Company.  In  addition  to  this  flourishing  business,  Mr. 
Schmidt  is  vice  president  of  the  Davenport  Slaughter  &  Refining  Company;  a 
director  of  A.  F.  Koch  Company;  a  director  and  vice  president  of  the  De  Lux 
Textile  Company;  and  a  director  of  the  Union  Life  Insurance  Company,  of 
Chicago.  He  was  one  of  the  first  directors  of  the  Commercial  Qub  and  was  one 
of  the  committee  who  raised  the  funds  to  build  the  club  house. 

In  1896  Mr.  Schmidt  married  Johanna  C.  Kroeger,  who  was  born  in  Daven- 
port, a  daughter  of  P.  A.  Kroeger,  who  was  an  old  resident  here.  They  have 
two  children :  Amy  Louise  and  George  L. 

While  never  an  office  seeker,  Mr.  Schmidt  was  one  of  those  who  worked  to 
secure  the  present  form  of  government  in  Davenport.  Whenever  any  measure  is 
on  foot  for  the  betterment  of  his  beloved  city  he  is  to  be  found  in  the  front  ranks, 
giving  freely  of  both  time  and  money.  He  is  a  thirty-second  degree  Mason,  a 
Knight  Templar  and  Shriner.  He  has  always  worked  with  untiring  force,  and 
seems  to  enjoy  it.  Capable  and  full  of  plans  for  the  future,  he  is  very  popular, 
and  his  genial  manner  and  kind  heart  win  him  friends  everywhere. 


ALFRED  G.  GOLDSCHMIDT. 

Alfred  G.  Goldschmidt,  city  electrician,  belongs  doubly  to  Davenport,  by  birth 
as  well  as  by  choice,  since  it  was  this  place  which  witnessed  his  nativity  March 
30,  1868.  His  parents,  Peter  and  Eliza  (Henrechsen)  Goldschmidt,  were^  na- 
tives of  Germany.  The  father  early  in  his  career  followed  the  trade  of  cabinet- 
maker, which  upon  the  widening  of  his  business  horizon  he  changed  to  that  of 
furniture  dealer  and  undertaker.  He  and  his  wife  landed  in  New  York  in 
1852,  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  which  proved  to  be  happily  significant  for  he  was 
to  become  an  enthusiastic  American.     Ten  children  were  born  to  these  good 


574  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

people,  of  whom  Alfred  G.  is  the  ninth  in  order  of  birth.  Five  of  these  are  de- 
ceased. Mr.  Goldschmidt's  paternal  grandmother  joined  her  relatives  here  after 
the  death  of  her  husband  in  the  old  country,  and  here  lived  until  her  demise. 
The  father  located  in  Davenport  almost  immediately  and  this  city  has  ever  since 
been  the  family  home. 

For  four  years  Alfred  G.  Goldschmidt  attended  the  old  German  school  of 
Davenport  and  after  this  primary  preparation  he  entered  the  public  schools,  at- 
tending Nos.  8  and  3.  He  was  graduated  in  1882  and  later  attended  the  high 
school  for  one  year.  He  then  matriculated  in  the  University  of  Illinois,  where 
he  qualified  in  that  line  to  which  his  natural  talents  inclined  him — ^mechanical 
engineering,  receiving  at  the  end  of  his  course  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Sci- 
ence. His  first  practical  experience  was  gained  in  the  employ  of  the  Davenport 
Foundry  Machine  Company,  where  he  served  for  a  year  as  a  draughtsman.  Then 
going  to  Chicago,  he  entered  the  offices  of  the  United  States  Electrical  Company 
and  work  of  this  nature  exerted  upon  him  such  a  fascination  that  he  has  ever 
since  associated  himself  with  electrical  concerns.  He  has  divided  his  time  and 
energies  between  Chicago  and  Davenport.  For  two  and  a  half  years  he  was  in 
the  service  of  the  Bettendorf  Company  of  Davenport.  On  August  i,  1895,  he 
was  appointed  city  electriction  by  the  city  council,  who  created  the  office  at  this 
time,  Mr.  Goldschmidt  being  the  first  incumbent.  On  January  i,  1901,  he  was 
succeeded  by  J.  E.  Moore.  He  was  then  frequently  out  of  the  city  on  general 
construction  business  for  a  Chicago  firm,  at  one  time  having  charge  of  the  Sil- 
vis  plant  in  Rock  Island.  In  1903  he  became  superintendent  of  the  Davenport 
Gas  &  Electric  and  Street  Railway  Companies,  which  responsible  positions  he 
held  for  two  years.  He  then  resumed  his  former  position  as  city  electrician, 
which  includes  in  its  duties  the  inspection  of  all  the  wiring  in  the  city.  His  of- 
fices are  located  on  the  third  floor  of  the  city  building. 

On  June  28,  1894,  Mr.  Goldschmidt  married  Miss  Anna  Bremer,  whose  par- 
ents came  from  Germany  and  were  among  Scott  county's  early  settlers.  Their 
attractive  home  at  2222  West  Fourth  street  receives  additional  interest  from  the 
presence  of  two  children,  Erma  C,  who  is  attending  the  public  schools;  and 
Alfred,  Jr.,  who  is  four  years  of  age. 

Mr.  Goldschmidt's  fraternal  relations  extend  to  the  Elks,  the  Owls  and  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  in  all  of  which  his  membership  is  valued.  He  is  a  man 
who  by  sheer  native  brilliance  has  made  his  mark  and  placed  himself  in  one  of 
the  finest  positions  in  the  bestowal  of  the  city. 


FRED  HEINZ. 


The  name  of  Fred  Heinz  appears  on  the  roll  of  Davenport's  honored  dead. 
He  figured  for  many  years  as  one  of  the  eminent  members  of  the  Iowa  bar  and, 
moreover,  wielded  a  wide  influence  in  public  thought  and  action.  He  was  closely 
associated  with  many  interests  bearing  upon  municipal  progress  and  as  mayor  of 
the  city  gave  to  Davenport  an  administration  that  was  characterized  by  various 
practical  reforms  and  improvements  which  constituted  tangible  evidence  of  his 


FRRD  HEINZ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  577 

interest  in  and  loyalty  to  the  city.  He  was  born  in  St.  Louis,  May  8,  1852,  a  son 
of  Bonaventura  and  Margueretta  (Trenkenshuh)  Heinz,  the  former  a  native  of 
Baden,  Germany,  and  the  latter  of  Bavaria.  The  father  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1845  and  took  up  his  abode  in  St.  Louis.  Soon  afterward  he  enlisted 
for  service  in  the  Mexican  war  and  following  the  close  of  hostilities  returned  to 
St.  Louis,  where  he  remained  until  1855,  when  he  made  his  way  up  the  river  to 
Davenport  on  the  Golden  Era.  From  that  time  until  he  retired  at  an  advanced 
age,  he  was  wharf  master  and  also  was  connected  with  river  transportation.  He 
was  likewise  active  in  public  affairs  and  was  influential  among  all  classes.  He 
came  to  be  known  as  a  man  whose  word  could  be  implicitly  relied  upon  and  his 
keen  insight  made  his  judgment  such  as  awakened  public  confidence.  His  death 
occurred  in  1899,  when  he  had  reached  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  In  St. 
Louis  he  married  Margueretta  Trenkenshuh  and  their  children  were:  Fred,  of 
this  review ;  Carrie,  who  died  in  1901  as  the  result  of  an  operation ;  Henry,  who 
is  now  the  pubHsher  of  the  Muscatine  (Iowa)  Tribune;  and  John,  who  is  men- 
tioned elsewhere  in  this  work. 

Fred  Heinz  was  a  small  boy  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  re- 
moval to  Davenport.  He  afterward  assisted  his  father  in  discharging  the  duties 
of  wharf  master  but  developed  an  inclination  for  the  study  of  law,  and  with  a 
desire  to  enter  the  professional  field,  he  began  reading  in  the  office  and  under  the 
direction  of  Ernst  Claussen,  at  one  time  mayor  of  Davenport  and  a  prominent 
lawyer  here.  His  ability  was  soon  recognized  and  following  his  admission  to  the 
bar  he  was  admitted  to  partnership  by  his  preceptor,  the  firm  of  Claussen  & 
Heinz  being  thus  formed.  This  relation  was  maintained  from  1875  until  1881, 
after  which  Mr.  Heinz  practiced  alone  until  1886.  In  that  year  he  became  asso- 
ciated with  A.  J.  Hirschel,  now  one  of  the  leading  members  of  the  Chicago  bar. 
They  practiced  under  the  firm  style  of  Heinz  &  Hirschel  until  1890  and  in  July; 
1891,  Mr.  Heinz  became  associted  with  L.  M.  Fisher  in  the  firm  of  Heinz  & 
Fisher,  which  partnership  continued  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Heinz  in  1904.  They 
were  the  most  prominent  representatives  of  the  profession  in  Davenport  in  the 
department  of  settling  and  handling  estates.  In  other  fields  of  practice  their 
clientage  was  also  extensive  and  Mr.  Heinz  with  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the 
law  became  one  of  the  most  distinguished,  honored  and  successful  members  of 
the  Davenport  bar.  He  attained  to  a  position  of  prominence  because  of  the 
wise  use  which  he  made  of  the  talents  with  which  nature  had  endowed  him  and 
his  careful  utilization  of  the  opportunities  that  offered.  He  was  always  a  close 
and  discriminating  student  of  legal  principles  and  in  the  presentation  of  a  cause 
before  the  courts  was  a  strong,  logical  advocate,  never  at  fault  in  the  application 
of  a  legal  principle.  He  also  became  recognized  as  a  leading  factor  in  financial 
circles,  becoming  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Farmers  &  Mechanics  Savings 
Bank,  of  which  he  was  elected  the  first  president.  For  a  number  of  years  he 
was  also  vice  president  for  Iowa  of  the  National  Bankers  Convention  and  each 
year  was  selected  chairman  of  the  Iowa  committee. 

It  was  not  alone  his  business  and  professional  interests,  however,  that  entitled 
Fred  Heinz  to  classification  with  the  leading  citizens  of  Davenport.  His  public 
service  was  of  a  most  important  character,  characterized  by  the  utmost  devotion 
to  the  general  good  and  by  tangible  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  city  at  large.     In 


578  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

his  earlier  years  he  was  accounted  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  democratic  party  in 
Iowa  and  for  twenty  years  was  chairman  of  the  county  and  city  democratic  com- 
mittees. At  length,  on  account  of  the  attitude  of  his  party  toward  the  money 
question,  he  became  allied  with  the  gold  wing  of  the  democracy  and  ultimately 
affiliated  with  the  republican  party.  On  the  democratic  ticket  he  was  elected 
to  the  offices  of  county  and  city  attorney  for  several  terms  and  in  that  position 
carefully  conserved  the  legal  interests  of  the  people  at  large.  In  1884  he  was 
elected  district  judge  but  in  the  contest  was  counted  out.  In  1900  he  was 
elected  mayor  of  the  city  upon  the  republican  ticket  and  entered  upon  the  duties 
of  the  office  for  a  two  years'  term.  His  administration  was  marked  by  the  inau- 
guration of  many  public  movements  for  the  interests  and  welfare  of  the  city. 
He  introduced  and  championed  the  movement  which  resulted  in  the  city  council 
passing  an  act  dispensing  with  the  poll  tax.  He  also  inaugurated  the  present 
sinking  fund.  It  was  likewise  during  his  term  that  the  Carnegie  library  fund  was 
secured  and  an  important  move  was  made  in  the  elevation  of  the  Rock  Island" 
tracks  in  the  city  and  the  erection  of  a  new  depot.  While  serving  as  chief  ex- 
ecutive he  was  instrumental  in  securing  a  city  ambulance  and  many  other  evi- 
dences could  be  given  of  the  fact  that  he  was  a  practical  idealist,  working  ever 
along  progressive  lines  but  as  wisely  utilizing  the  practical  means  at  hand  for 
the  accomplishment  of  his  purpose. 

On  the  2ist  of  September,  1878,  Mr.  Heinz  was  married  to  Miss  Hermina 
Steffen,  a  daughter  of  Claus  and  Margueretta  Steflen.  Her  father  came  from 
the  north  of  Germany  in  pioneer  times  and  engaged  in  the  cooperage  business 
in  Davenport.  At  his  death  Mr.  Heinz  left  a  family  of  four  daughters :  Alice 
M.,  Flora  F.,  Zella  F.  and  Norma.  He  was  always  a  home  man,  finding  his 
greatest  happiness  at  his  own  fireside,  yet  he  had  appreciation  for  social  inter- 
ests as  represented  in  different  organizations.  He  belonged  to  the  Davenport 
Turner  Society,  the  Veteran  Volunteer  Firemen's  Association  and  to  the  Knights 
of  Pythias.  He  was  likewise  a  member  of  the  Iowa  Legion  of  Honor.  Progress 
and  patriotism  might  well  be  termed  the  keynote  of  his  character,  for  in  all 
things,  whether  of  a  public  or  business  nature,  he  made  substantial  advancement 
and  in  his  relations  to  the  city  was  actuated  by  a  most  earnest  desire  for  the  pub- 
lic good.  Honored  and  respected  by  all,  no  man  occupied  a  more  enviable  posi- 
tion in  the  regard  of  his  fellow  townsmen  than  did  Fred  Heinz,  who  passed  away 
July  ID,  1904.  In  those  circles  where  the  leading  men  of  Davenport  are  wont 
to  gather  he  has  since  been  sorely  missed. 


H.  B.  BETTY. 


Few  men  are  more  prominently  before  the  public  in  Davenport  than  H.  B. 
Betty,  an  able  lawyer  and  one  of  the  most  prominent  workers  for  civic  reform 
and  progress.  Believing  that  the  same  honesty  should  be  maintained  in  pub- 
lic affairs  as  in  private  life  and  that  as  rigid  integrity  should  be  maintained 
in  the  execution  of  the  duties  of  public  office  as  in  the  conduct  of  business  af- 
fairs, he  has  labored  persistently,  earnestly  and  effectively  in  opposition  to  all 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  579 

lawbreaking  methods,  which  in  previous  years  existed  unrestrained  in  Daven- 
port. He  has  accompHshed  much  and  the  city  owes  to  him  a  debt  of  gratitude 
for  what  he  has  done. 

The  birthplace  of  H.  R.  Betty  was  a  farm  in  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois, 
and  his  natal  day  May  31,  1874.  His  father,  James  W.  Betty,  was  born  in 
County  Fermanagh,  Ireland,  and  in  his  youthful  days  came  to  the  United  States 
with  his  father,  John  Betty,  the  voyage  being  made  in  a  sailing  vessel.  They 
landed  in  New  Orleans  and,  proceeding  up  the  river,  settled  in  Rock  Island  county, 
Illinois,  where  the  grandfather  purchased  a  farm  of  six  hundred  and  forty 
acres.  He  became  a  man  of  affairs  in  that  locality  and  his  son,  James  W. 
Betty,  in  the  course  of  time  was  equally  prominent.  He,  too,  followed  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  remained  a  resident  of  Rock  Island  county  until  1898, 
when  he  removed  to  Davenport  and  purchased  the  old  Joe  Le  Claire  place,  which 
he  now  occupies.  At  present  he  is  living  retired  but  for  a  number  of  years  was 
president  of  a  paper  mill  concern  at  Milan,  Illinois.  He  married  Anna  Cramp- 
ton,  a  native  of  Brooklyn,  New  York,  and  of  Irish  parentage.  He  has  never 
been  a  politician  nor  has  he  sought  to  figure  prominently  in  any  public  light 
He  was  educated  at  Danville  College  in  Kentucky  and  throughout  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  has  been  extensively  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising.  He 
has  only  consented  to  put  aside  his  business  cares  at  rare  intervals  when  called 
to  township  offices  but  for  more  important  service  has  had  no  inclination,  pre- 
ferring always  to  concentrate  his  time  and  energies  upon  his  business  inter- 
ests. He  is  a  man  of  liberal  education  and  upright  character,  whose  life  is  in 
harmony  with  the  teachings  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  in  which  he  and  his 
family  hold  membership. 

H.  B.  Betty  is  the  eldest  of  three  sons  and  two  daughters.  His  education 
was  acquired  at  Milan,  Illinois,  after  which  he  engaged  in  teaching  in  Rock 
Island  county  for  two  years.  Subsequently  he  attended  the  Northern  Univer- 
city  at  Valparaiso,  Indiana,  in  which  he  spent  four  years,  pursuing  a  collegiate 
course.  He  also  studied  law  at  Valparaiso  and  in  the  Chicago  Law  School,  be- 
ing graduated  from  the  latter  with  the  class  of  1898.  He  then  commenced 
practice  in  Davenport  and  was  for  three  years  in  partnership  with  Victor  Lit- 
tig.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  removed  to  Beaumont,  Texas,  where 
he  practiced  for  three  years,  and  while  there  became  actively  and  deeply  in- 
terested in  politics.  He  was  the  candidate  for  county  judge  on  the  republican 
ticket  and  made  a  strong  canvass  on  a  reform  ticket,  exposing  the  graft  which 
was  proving  so  detrimental  to  the  best  interests  of  that  locality.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  democratic  party  has  always  been  one  of  superior  numbers  in  that  lo- 
cality, he  ran  far  ahead  of  his  ticket  and  lost  the  election  by  only  three  hundred 
votes.  He  received  the  support  of  the  great  majority  of  democrats  who  are  pub- 
lic-spirited and  fair-minded  citizens  and  was  also  supported  by  the  democratic 
press.  He  has  ever  been  found  on  the  side  of  clean  politics  and  against  graft 
and  lawbreaking.  He  believes  in  a  governmental  policy  that  shall  be  burglary 
protection  and  at  all  times  has  stood  in  opposition  to  misrule  in  public  affairs 
and  in  support  of  every  project  tending  to  bring  about  an  honest  administration. 

His  father's  interests  caused  him  to  return  to  Davenport  and  in  1908  he  was 
joined  by  his  brother  Frank,   who  had  graduated   from   the  Michigan   State 


580  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

University  at  Ann  Arbor,  in  the  organization  of  the  present  partnership  that 
exists  under  the  firm  style  of  Betty  &  Betty.  This  firm  represents  the  civic  fed- 
eration of  Scott  county  w^hich  was  organized  in  1907  to  prevent  the  violation  of 
law  by  saloon  keepers.  Mr.  Betty  commenced  work  in  February,  1908,  at  which 
time  saloons  were  running  in  open  violation  of  the  law.  He  at  once  made 
vigilant  warfare  on  such  and  has  so  continued  to  the  present  time  with  the  re- 
sult that  there  has  been  a  great  change  in  conditions,  every  saloon  now  comply- 
ing with  the  strict  letter  of  the  law.  When  he  began  his  work  there  was  open 
gambling  everywhere — a  condition  that  is  now  unknown.  In  this  time  Mr.  Betty 
has  prosecuted  one  hundred  and  fifty  suits  against  saloon  keepers  and,  although 
his  witnesses  were  mobbed  and  every  known  means  used  to  defeat  the  law,  he 
has  won  success.  Davenport  has,  therefore,  ceased  to  be  known  as  a  "wide 
open  town  in  everything  the  term  implies,"  and  now  there  is  no  cleaner  or  more 
law-abiding  city.  His  efforts  have,  indeed,  been  widespread  benefits,  for  he 
stands  as  the  champion  of  all  that  is  righteous  and  just  in  municipal  govern- 
ment, and  as  the  years  have  gone  by  his  firm  purpose  and  practical  methods  have 
gained  for  him  the  endorsement  of  a  large  number  of  those  who  seek  municipal 
virtue  as  well  as  private  honor  and  integrity. 


PHILIP  MORGAN. 


Philip  Morgan,  who  was  well  known  as  foreman  in  the  Rock  Island  Arsenal 
and  as  one  of  the  active  republican  leaders  in  Davenport,  was  bom  at  Bristol, 
England,  March  21,  1845.  He  spent  the  first  six  years  of  his  life  in  his  native 
country  and  in  1851  came  with  his  parents  to  America,  the  family  home  being 
maintained  in  Pennsylvania  for  a  time,  while  in  1863  a  removal  was  made  to 
Davenport.  The  father,  Thomas  Morgan,  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade  and  con- 
tinued his  residence  in  Davenport  until  his  life's  labors  were  ended  in  death. 
His  wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Rebecca  Taylor. 

At  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  Philip  Morgan  entered  the  employ  of  the  Chi- 
cago, Rock  Island  &  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  where  he  remained  for  thirty- 
five  years,  during  the  last  fifteen  years  of  which  time  he  occupied  a  position  as 
foreman  in  the  company's  shops  at  Horton,  Kansas,  and  later  Stuart,  Iowa. 

In  1898,  however,  he  resigned  in  order  to  become  foreman  in  the  Rock  Is- 
land Arsenal,  where  he  remained  until  about  four  years  prior  to  his  death,  when 
he  put  aside  his  business  cares  and  spent  his  remaining  days  in  honorable  and 
well  earned  retirement.  Diligence  and  industry  were  among  his  strong  charac- 
teristics. He  was  always  careful  and  watchful  of  the  interests  entrusted  to  his 
care,  and  as  foreman  enjoyed  the  full  confidence  of  those  whom  he  served  and 
also  the  good  will  of  those  who  served  under  him. 

On  the  loth  of  September,  1879,  Mr.  Morgan  was  married  to  Miss  Clara 
Kerker,  and  unto  them  were  born  two  children :  Isabelle  A.  and  Edwin  K.  Mr. 
Morgan  held  membership  in  Davenport  Lodge,  No.  37,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  which 
'le  \.as  a  worthy  and  exemplary  representative.  That  he  enjoyed  the  good  will 
and  trust  of  his  fellow  members  is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  he  was  again  and 


PHILIP  MORGAN 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  583 

again  elected  to  ofHces  in  the  lodge,  serving  at  one  time  as  master.  He  also 
served  as  master  of  the  lodge  at  Horton,  Kansas.  He  was  a  recognized  leader 
in  the  ranks  of  the  republican  party  in  Davenport  and  was  ever  active  in  his 
ward,  where  his  opinions  carried  weight  in  political  councils.  He  was  always 
public-spirited  and  his  political  activity  arose  from  his  devotion  to  the  general 
good  for  he  believed  that  the  best  interests  of  the  city  and  country  would  be 
conserved  through  the  adoption  of  republican  principles.  A  man  of  unquestioned 
honesty,  his  word  was  as  good  as  any  bond  ever  solemnized  by  signature  or 
seal.  He  possessed  a  kindly  spirit,  was  charitable  and  generous  in  disposition 
and  was  loved  by  all  who  knew  him,  so  that  his  death,  which  occurred  May  9, 
1908,  was  the  occasion  of  deep  and  widespread  regret  not  only  to  his  immediate 
family  but  also  to  the  many  who  were  glad  to  call  him  friend. 


WARREN  TEELE. 


The  name  of  Warren  Teele  was  inseparably  connected  with  the  history  of 
federal  interests  in  Davenport  as  representative  of  its  postoffice  service.  For 
almost  forty  years,  beginning  in  1869,  he  was  assistant  postmaster,  continuing 
in  the  position  although  the  duties  of  the  office  increased  year  by  year  with  the 
continuous  growth  of  the  city.  No  higher  testimonial  of  fidelity,  capability  and 
trustworthiness  could  be  given  than  the  simple  statement  of  the  fact  that  his 
connection  with  the  postoffice  covered  almost  four  decades. 

Mr.  Teele  was  born  in  Wobum,  Massachusetts,  December  31,  1828,  and  was 
the  last  survivor  of  a  family  of  seven  children.  He  left  school  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  years  and,  seeking  the  opportunities  of  the  west,  established  his  home 
in  Cannelton,  Indiana,  where  he  engaged  in  merchandising.  In  1856  he  returned 
to  New  England  but  soon  again  came  to  the  middle  west,  believing  that  the 
opportunities  of  the  Mississippi  valley  were  superior  to  those  offered  in  the  east, 
where  competition  was  greater.  On  the  nth  of  October,  1856,  he  arrived  in 
Davenport  and  entered  business  circles  of  this  city  as  a  salesman  and  bookkeeper 
in  the  wholesale  grocery  house  of  M.  Dalzell  &  Company,  with  whom  he  remained 
for  about  two  years.  Then  he  accepted  a  similar  position  with  R.  H.  Parks 
&  Company,  wholesale  and  retail  clothiers  of  this  city. 

When  President  Lincoln  was  first  elected  to  the  position  of  chief  magistrate 
of  the  nation  Mr.  Teele  was  appointed  by  Montgomery  Blair,  then  postmaster 
general,  as  mail  route  agent  between  Davenport  and  Dubuque.  He  filled  the 
position  in  an  acceptable  manner  for  five  years,  during  which  time  the  mails 
between  the  two  cities  were  carried  by  steamboat  during  the  open  season.  While 
thus  engaged  Mr.  Teele  had  many  interesting  experiences  and  accumulated  a 
fund  of  reminiscences  which  he  drew  upon  for  many  an  interesting  tale  in  later 
life.  At  length  he  left  the  government  employ  and  for  four  years  was  a  travel- 
ing salesman  in  the  service  of  a  paper  bag  company.  In  1869,  however,  he  re- 
turned to  the  federal  employ,  for  when  Edward  Russell  was  appointed  postmaster 
of  Davenport  Mr.  Teele  was  called  to  the  position  of  assistant  postmaster  and 
remained  in  that  connection  continuously  until  the  4th  of  July,  1908.     He  wit- 


584  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

nessed  the  growth  of  the  office  from  a  business  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars 
per  year  to  one  of  several  millions,  and  throughout  the  entire  period  carefully 
controlled  the  interests  of  the  government  and  the  general  public  in  his  adminis- 
tration of  affairs  connected  with  the  collection  and  distribution  of  the  mails. 

On  the  20th  of  September,  1853,  Mr.  Teele  was  married  in  Winchester,  Mas- 
sachusetts, to  Miss  Dora  Nicholas,  and  in  1903  they  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding,  many  friends  rejoicing  with  them  on  that  auspicious  occasion.  They 
had  two  children :  Mrs.  Herman  J.  Zeuch ;  and  Jennie  N.,  a  teacher  in  the  Lincoln 
school.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Congregational  church  and  are  promi- 
nent socially  in  the  community. 

Mr.  Teele  always  gave  his  political  allegiance  to  the  republican  party,  keep- 
ing well  informed  on  the  questions  and  issues  of  the  day,  so  that  he  was  able  to 
support  his  position  by  inteUigent  argument.  He  was  a  very  public-spirited 
man,  his  cooperation  in  affairs  of  general  progress  being  a  valued  element  in  the 
city's  growth.  His  sterling  character  made  him  honored  and  respected  by  all 
who  knew  him  and  his  fidelity  to  duty  constituted  an  example  that  is  well  worthy 
of  emulation.    After  a  useful  and  well  spent  life  he  passed  away  January  12,  1909. 


MRS.  CHRISTINA  LAMP. 

Mrs.  Christina  Lamp,  who  owns  some  valuable  property  in  the  city  of  Daven- 
port, is  the  widow  of  Hans  Asmus  Lamp,  who  was  well  known' as  a  farmer  of 
Hickory  Grove  township,  this  county.  She  was  born  in  Prussia,  Germany,  Au- 
gust 16,  1837,  a  daughter  of  Frederick  and  Magdalena  Roush,  and  came  to  the 
United  States  with  her  parents  in  I852.  They  located  in  this  county,  where  her 
father  became  well  known  as  a  butcher  and  meat  packer.  Indeed  he  was  one 
of  the  pioneers  in  that  line  of  work  in  Davenport.  He  was  successful  and  well 
respected  when  in  1899  his  long  life  of  seventy-six  years  was  brought  to  a  close. 
His  wife  survived  him  about  a  year,  her  death  having  occurred  in  1900,  when  she 
was  eighty-two  years  old. 

Mrs.  Lamp  had  lived  in  Iowa  for  about  nine  years  when,  on  the  6th  of  No- 
vember, 1861,  she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Hans  Asmus  Lamp.  He  had  been 
born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  December  11,  1834,  but  in  1851  came  to  America 
with  his  parents,  Peter  and  Able  Lamp.  The  family  landed  at  New  Orleans  and 
then  came  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  Davenport,  where  the  father  and  son  found 
work  in  a  sawmill.  Later  Peter  Lamp  bought  half  a  section  of  land  in  Hickory 
Grove  township,  which  was  partly  improved  at  the  time.  He  prospered  well 
in  his  undertakings,  acquired  considerable  property,  and  in  the  course  of  years 
became  one  of  the  substantial  and  prominent  German  farmers  of  Scott  county. 
He  and  his  wife  both  died  here. 

Hans  Asmus  Lamp  learned  the  trade  of  a  carpenter  while  he  worked  in  the 
sawmill  after  coming  to  Scott  county,  and  during  the  succeeding  years  followed 
hi';  trade  in  the  winter,  while  in  the  summer  he  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm. 
In  both  occupations  he  achieved  a  distinct  success,  for  many  of  the  fine  resi- 
dences of  Davenport  and  the  surrounding  country  bear  witness  to  his  skill  as  a 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  585 

workman,  and  the  several  tracts  he  rented  won  him  a  generous  return  for  his 
labors.  He  rented  and  operated  several  tracts  of  land  and  in  early  days  engaged 
in  breaking  prairie  with  ox-teams  in  other  counties  besides  Scott.  He  also  en- 
gaged in  threshing,  owning  a  machine.  On  the  26th  of  October,  1892,  his  long 
and  eventful  life  was  brought  to  a  close.  He  had  participated  in  and  contributed 
to  the  remarkable  progress  which  has  transformed  the  character  of  Scott  county 
in  the  past  half  century. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lamp  were  born  ten  children  but  the  first  two  died 
in  infancy.  Herman,  a  carpenter  in  Davenport,  married  Miss  Dora  Harding  and 
they  have  had  nine  children:  Ella;  Walter;  Edna;  Arthur;  Wilham;  Laura; 
Agnes;  Henry,  deceased;  and  a  baby.  Emma  lives  at  home.  Charles,  a  resi- 
dent of  Durant,  Iowa,  married  Miss  Bertha  Yep,  and  they  have  three  children : 
Flora,  Arthur  and  Viola.  Minnie  is  the  widow  of  Joseph  Allen,  a  native  of 
Davenport  and  a  prominent  teacher  in  this  county,  who  died  in  the  Philippines 
when  his  son  Philip  was  an  infant.  His  widow  lives  with  her  parents,  under 
whose  roof  she  is  rearing  her  two  children,  James  and  Philip.  !A[ugust  is  resid- 
ing in  Chicago,  Illinois.  The  other  children  of  the  family  died  in  infancy. 
Mr.  Lamp  was  a  member  of  the  German  lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of' 
Odd  Fellows  and  among  his  fraternal  brethren  had  made  many  stanch  friends 
by  whom  he  was  sincerely  mourned  at  the  time  of  his  death. 


P.  J.   THEDE. 

P.  J.  Thede,  who  is  cashier  of  the  Dixon  Savings  Bank  and  is  otherwise 
substantially  connected  with  the  commercial  life  of  the  town,  was  born  in 
Liberty  township,  Scott  county,  June  18,  1887,  a  son  of  John  H.  and  Catherine 
(Peterson)  Thede.  They  were  also  natives  of  Scott  county  and  are  of  German 
parentage.  At  present  they  are  residing  in  Liberty  township,  where  Mr.  Thede 
has  pursued  farming  for  many  years.  Six  children  were  born  to  them:  Lydia, 
who  is  the  wffe  of  Otto  Lensch,  of  Liberty  township;  P.  J.,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch;  Henry  R. ;  Millie;  Ella;  and  Verna. 

P.  J.  Thede  was  reared  upon  his  father's  farm,  in  the  work  of  which  he 
assisted  greatly  until  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age.  Having  completed  the 
course  of  study  provided  by  the  district  schools  of  his  locality,  in  1903  he  was 
enrolled  as  a  pupil  in  the  Capital  City  Commercial  College  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 
and  from  that  institution  received  his  certificate  for  work  completed  November 
25,  1905.  He  then  came  to  Davenport,  where  he  accepted  a  position  as  time- 
keeper with  the  American  Can  Company.  Later  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the 
Davenport  Fur  &  Carpet  Company  until  October,  1907,  when  he  was  called  to 
Dixon  to  become  cashier  of  the  Dixon  Savings  Bank.  While  he  has  proved 
himself  a  most  careful,  accurate  and  conscientious  employe,  he  has  also  found 
time  to  take  up  other  business,  from  which  he  has  derived  no  small  addition 
to  his  income.  He  is  the  agent  for  several  of  the  reliable  fire  insurance  com- 
panies, conducts  a  vigorous  business  in  real  estate  and  has  also  been  appointed 
notary  public.    When  the  German  Mutual  Telephone  Company  was  established 


586  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

here  Mr.  Thede  became  its  secretary,  which  is  another  evidence  that  he  is  ever 
on  the  alert  to  make  the  most  of  the  opportunities  for  advancing  his  own  in- 
terests and  at  the  same  time  contributing  to  the  welfare  of  his  associates.  He 
belongs  to  the  Dixon  Lodge,  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  also  to  that  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America.  In  both  of  these  organizations  he  has  made  stanch  and 
loyal  friends.  A  young  man,  who,  if  one  were  to  judge  only  by  his  years,  was 
just  entering  upon  his  business  career,  has  attained  distinction  which  would 
seem  to  augur  a  most  successful  and  brilliant  future. 


LOUIS  BENNBWITZ. 


No  history  of  Walcott  would  be  complete  without  extended  mention  of  Louis 
Bennewitz,  who,  during  his  residence  in  this  city  has  figured  prominently  in 
business,  financial  and  political  circles.  He  is  numbered  among  that  class  of 
representative  American  citizens  who  claim  Germany  as  the  place  of  their  na- 
tivity and  who,  in  the  new  world,  have  found  opportunity  for  advancement  and 
progress  in  business  lines.  He  was  born  in  Sachen  Gotha,  Germany,  on  the  3d 
of  December,  1845,  and  is  a  son  of  Octav  and  Paulina  Bennewitz,  also  natives 
of  that  country. 

Reared  to  manhood  across  the  waters,  Louis  Bennewitz  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  schools  of  Germany  and  remained  at  home  until  April,  1866,  when 
he  came  to  America,  making  his  way  direct  to  Davenport,  Iowa.  He  was  first 
engaged  in  farm  work  for  about  six  months  and  then  entered  the  employ  of  B. 
Swarting,  with  whom  he  came  to  Walcott  in  1867.  In  the  following  year  he 
located  in  Davenport,  where  he  worked  until  1870,  and  then  returned  to  Germany, 
where  he  remained  for  about  a  year.  Again  coming  to  America,  he  was  in  the 
employ  of  F.  Schlapkohl  in  Davenport  until  1872,  after  which  he  once  more 
entered  the  services  of  Schroeder  &  Brandt,  former  employers.  He  was  thus 
connected  until  1874,  when  he  made  another  visit  to  the  fatherland  which  lasted 
nearly  a  year.  The  year  1875  witnessed  his  removal  to  Stockton,  Iowa,  where 
he  entered  business  in  partnership  with  A.  Pieper,  and  this  connection  continued 
until  1876,  when  he  came  to  Walcott  and  became  the  senior  partner  in  the  firm  of 
Bennewitz  &  Company,  which  was  formerly  known  as  the  B.  Swarting  Company. 
He  has  since  made  his  home  in  this  city  and  has  become  well  known  as  one  of  the 
leading  business  men  of  the  community.  Although  busily  engaged  in  the  con- 
duct of  his  business,  he  has  nevertheless  found  time  to  devote  to  other  lines  of 
activity  and  in  1893,  when  the  Walcott  Savings  Bank  was  organized,  he  became 
one  of  the  stockholders  and  a  few  years  later  was  appointed  a  director.  In  1906 
he  was  elected  to  the  presidency  of  that  institution  and  since  that  time  has  mani- 
fested excellent  administrative  ability  and  executive  control.  His  opinions  are 
often  sought  by  patrons  of  the  bank  and  he  has  ever  manifested  toward  each  a 
sincere  interest,  a  kindly  spirit  and  a  thoughtful  consideration  that  has  made 
him  popular  with  all  who  have  any  dealings  with  the  institution. 

Mr.  Bennewitz  laid  the  foundation  for  a  happy  home  life  in  his  marriage  in 
1876  to  Miss  Mary  Fick,  a  native  of  Holstein,  Germany,  and  of  this  union  have 


LOUIS  BENNEWITZ 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  589 

been  born  two  children,  namely;  Tillie,  who  wedded  Louis  Mack;  and  Robert, 
the  assistant  cashier  in  the  Walcott  Savings  Bank,  who  married  Qara  Sindt,  a 
daughter  of  Henry  Sindt,  of  Walcott. 

Mr.'Bennewitz  is  well  known  and  prominent  in  fraternal  circles,  holding  mem- 
bership in  Walcott  Lodge,  No.  312,  K.  P.,  and  in  Hiawatha  Camp,  M.  W.  A.,  of 
Walcott,  and  likewise  belongs  to  the  Modern  Brotherhood.  In  politics  he  is  a 
stanch  republican,  at  all  times  taking  a  deep  interest  in  community  affairs  and 
something  of  the  feeling  entertained  for  him  by  his  fellow  citizens  is  manifest 
in  the  fact  that  in  1894  he  was  elected  mayor  of  the  city,  in  which  office  he  served 
very  capably  and  efficiently  until  1897.  He  has  since  served  as  a  member  of  the 
city  .council.  He  is  preeminently  a  man  of  business  and  has  never  had  occasion 
to  regret  his  determination  to  seek  his  fortune  in  this  country,  for  here  he  has 
been  most  successful,  not  only  becoming  the  head  of  two  important  and  substan- 
tial enterprises  but  also  being  the  owner  of  a  section  of  land  in  Osceola  county, 
Iowa,  from  which  he  derives  a  gratifying  annual  income.  He  finds  recreation 
in  outdoor  sports  and  is  an  enthusiastic  hunter,  taking  extensive  trips  through 
the  country  in  search  of  large  game.  A  man  of  resourceful  ability,  constantly 
watchful  of  opportunities,  he  has  seized  legitimate  advantages  as  they  have  arisen 
and  has  never  hesitated  to  take  a  forward  step  when  the  way  was  open.  For- 
tunate in  possessing  ability  and  character  that  inspired  confidence,  the  simple 
weight  of  his  character  and  ability  has  brought  him  into  positions  of  trust  and 
responsibility  and  he  ranks  high  among  the  well  known  and  valued  citizens  of 
Scott  county. 


HARVEY  E.  WEEKS. 


About  four  years  ago,  Harvey  E.  Weeks  came  to  the  city  of  Davenport  as 
secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Peoples  Light  Company  and  of  the  Tri-City 
Railway  Company  and  has  since  been  identified  with  the  business  and  commer- 
cial interests  of  the  city.  He  is  a  young  man  of  enterprise  and  experience, 
and  in  the  few  years  that  he  has  been  proving  his  ability  to  the  people  of  Daven- 
port has  won  a  right  to  be  considered  one  of  the  most  progressive  and  valuable 
citizens  here. 

He  was  born  in  Upper  Alton,  Illinois,  March  19,  1874,  his  parents  being 
Captain  Joseph  H.  and  Martha  M.  (McGill)  Weeks.  The  former  was  a  native 
of  Oyster  Bay,  New  York,  and  was  a  contractor  and  builder.  He  removed 
to  Upper  Alton,  Illinois,  in  i860,  where  at  the  opening  of  the  Civil  war  he  en- 
listed as  private  in  Company  F.  Seventeenth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  He 
served  throughout  the  years  of  the  great  struggle  and  attained  the  rank  of  cap- 
tain. Returning  to  his  home  after  its  close,  where  he  passed  the  remaining 
years  of  his  life,  thirteen  years  of  which  time  he  was  postmaster.  His  death 
occurred  July  13,  1907.    His  wife  is  still  living  in  Upper  Alton. 

Harvey  E.  Weeks,  who  was  the  first  son  of  the  four  children  born  to  his 
parents,  was  reared  in  the  city  of  his  birth,  and,  after  having  completed  the 
course  prescribed  in  the  public  schools,  he  became  assistant  postmaster  at  Upper 


590  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Alton,  Illinois,  serving  in  that  capacity  for  four  years.  This  was  necessitated 
by  the  fact  that  his  father's  health  was  so  impaired  by  seven  months  confine- 
ment in  Andersonville  prison  during  the  Civil  war  that  he  was  incapacitated 
for  active  business.  During  those  four  years,  Mr.  Weeks  took  special  studies 
in  Shurtleff  College.  In  1895  he  received  the  appointment  of  committee  clerk 
in  the  state  senate  of  Illinois,  serving  during  the  session  of  1894-5.  On  June 
I,  189s,  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  public  service  corporations  which  after- 
ward were  merged  by  J.  F.  Porter  under  the  name  of  Alton,  Granite  &  St.  Louis 
Traction  Company.  He  remained  with  that  concern  until  June,  1906,  having 
steadily  risen  in  those  years  until  he  was  secretary  of  the  company.  When  he 
severed  his  connection  with  them  he  came  to  Davenport  as  secretary  ,  and 
treasurer  of  some  of  the  more  important  companies  which  are  developing  the 
resources  of  the  city  and  serving  the  needs  of  its  citizens.  He  has  filled  his 
position  with  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  those  who  placed  con- 
fidence in  his  ability,  trustworthiness  and  business  acumen.  He  has  already  made 
a  place  for  himself  among  his  associates.  His  career  has  been  a  steady  advance 
from  one  responsible  position  to  another,  and  as  it  has  been  the  result  of  his 
own  efforts  he  has  every  reason  to  feel  a  gratification  in  the  guerdon  the  years 
have  brought  him.  In  addition  to  the  concerns  mentioned  at  the  opening  of 
this  sketch,  Mr.  Weeks  is  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Davenport  Gas  & 
Electric  Company  of  Davenport,  the  Peoples  Power  Company  of  Rock  Island 
and  Moline,  East  Moline  and  Watertown  Railway  Company  of  Moline;  and 
he  is  also  a  director  in  the  Cottage  Camps  Company  of  Davenport. 

On  the  27th  of  June,  1895,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Weeks  and 
Miss  Lutie  Vashti  Pope,  a  native  of  Kane,  Illinois,  and  daughter  of  Jacob  G.  and 
Susan  C.  Pope.  Two  sons  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Weeks :  Harold  Parker 
and  George  Edward. 

The  family  belongs  to  the  Calvary  Baptist  church.  Mr.  Weeks  has  always 
been  an  adherent  of  the  political  principles  of  the  republican  party.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Davenport  Commercial  Club  and  Davenport  Outing  Club.  Fra- 
tei-nally  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  He  is  secre- 
tary and  treasurer  of  the  American  Street  &  Interurban  Railway  Accountants'  - 
Association,  an  association  composed  of  the  accounting  officers  of  all  the  street 
and  interurban  railways  of  the  United  States,  Canada  and  Mexico,  which  posi- 
tion he  has  held  for  three  years.  Hard  working  and  popular,  he  has  attained 
to  a  respected  position  among  the  people  of  Davenport. 


CHARLES  EDWARD  GLYNN,  M.  D. 

The  demands  made  upon  the  members  of  the  medical  fraternity  are  in 
some  respects  greater  than  perhaps  upon  any  other  class  of  citizens.  If  the 
minister  is  reserved  and  austere  we  imagine  that  it  is  because  he  is  engaged 
with  thoughts  far  beyond  our  mental  ken ;  if  the  lawyer  is  brusque  and  crabbed 
it  is  considered  a  mark  of  genius.  There  is  demanded  unfailing  geniality  and 
courtesy  from  the  physician,  however,  and  to  his  broad  professional  knowledge 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  591 

he  must  add  sympathy  and  a  quick,  almost  intuitive  understanding  of  the  mental 
phases  which  he  sees  represented  before  him.  Meeting  the  various  requirements 
of  the  practitioner  of  medicine,  Dr.  C.  E.  Glynn  gives,  his  entire  time  to  his 
professional  service  and  is  now  president  of  the  Davenport  Hospital,  one  of  the 
be^t  appointed  establishments  of  this  character  in  the  state.  He  was  born  in 
Scott  county,  January  9,  1873.  His  father,  Thomas  J.  Glynn,  was  a  native 
of  Ireland  and  came  to  the  United  States  with  his  parents  when  a  child  of  six 
years,  spending  his  boyhood  days  in  Indiana.  He  afterward  removed  to  Scott 
county,  Iowa,  and  became  a  prosperous  farmer  and  stock-raiser,  closely  asso- 
ciated with  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  county  until  1892,  when  he  sold 
out  and  has  since  lived  retired,  making  his  home  in  Davenport,  Iowa.  He  has 
always  been  active  in  affairs  of  the  county,  contributing  to  public  progress 
through  his  cooperation  in  many  movements  for  the  general  good.  He  is,  more- 
over, recognized  as  a  leader  in  local  democratic  circles  and  was  elected  and 
served  as  chairman  of  the  board  of  supervisors.  He  married  Anna  M.  Ennis, 
a  native  of  Canada  and  of  Irish  parentage. 

The  public  schools  of  this  county  afforded  Dr.  Glynn  his  early  educational 
advantages  and  later  he  attended  St.  Ambrose  College  in  Davenport,  from'  which 
he  was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1888.  He  afterward  taught  school  for  two 
years  but  throughout  that  period  had  in  view  the  object  of  eventually  becoming 
a  member  of  the  medical  fraternity.  He  entered  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons  at  Chicago,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1902.  He  then  began 
practice  in  Davenport  and,  in  association  with  Dr.  J.  Siewert  Weber,  he  has 
organized  and  built  the  Davenport  Hospital  for  the  treatment  of  medical  and 
surgical  cases.  ^  This  is  one  of  the  best  appointed  and  most  modernly  equipped 
hospitals  in  the  state,  lacking  in  none  of  the  up-to-date  accessories  known  to 
medical  and  surgical  practice  at  the  present  time.  He  is  president  of  the  hos- 
pital and  is  also  a  member  of  the  various  medical  societies,  whose  object  is  to 
advance  the  efficiency  of  the  medical  fraternity  by  the  dissemination  of  knowl- 
edge'  acquired  through  original  research  and  experience.  He  is  likewise  as- 
sistant medical  director  in  the  Guaranty  Mutual  Insurance  Company  and  aside 
from  his  hospital  work  has  a  good  private  practice. 

Dr.  Glynn  was  married  November  22,  1905,  to  Miss  Blanch  J.  Langan,  a 
native  of  Dewitt,  Iowa,  and  in  this  city  they  have  many  friends.  Dr.  Glynn  is 
a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Columbus  and  other  fraternal  orders.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  American,  the  Iowa  State,  the  Iowa  and  Illinois  and  the  Scott 
County  Medical  Societies. 


JOHN  EGEL. 


John  Egel,  who  for  about  thirty  years  was  one  of  the  leading  agriculturists 
of  Buffalo  township,  and,  now,  having  given  up  the  arduous  work  of  the  farm 
is  residing  in  Blue  Grass,  was  born  in  Germany,  1831.  In  1854  he  crossed  the 
Atlantic  with  the  intention  of  making  a  place  for  himself  in  this  land  of  op- 
portunities.   For  several  years  he  made  his  home  in  the  east,  for  the  most  part 


592  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

in  New  Jersey,  and  then  the  fame  of  the  richness  of  the  Iowa  lands  having  reached 
him,  in  1869  he  came  to  Scott  county.  For  many  years  he  operated  rented  land 
and  it  was  not  until  1882  that  he  purchased  his  first  tract,  which  embraced  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Buffalo  township,  and  then  as  success  attended 
his  efforts  he  bought  forty  acres  more,  so  that  he  owned  a  quarter  of  a  section. 
On  it  he  engaged  in  farming  until  1899,  when  he  leased  the  farm  to  a  tenant 
and  removed  to  Blue  Grass,  for  he  felt  that  the  success  he  had  gained  entitled 
him  to  a  rest. 

While  living  in  Brunswick,  New  Jersey,  Mr.  Egel  wedded  Miss  Barbara 
Isenacher,  who  was  also  a  native  of  Germany  and  was  born  in  the  same  year 
as  her  husband,  that  of  1831.  Their  union  was  celebrated  in  1857  and  in  the 
course  of  years  was  blessed  with  ten  children,  five  sons  and  five  daughters,  all 
of  whom  married  and  were  well  established  in  life.  Louis,  died  in  1890;  John 
Chris  wedded  Miss  Rosa  Schroeder  and  lives  in  Muscatine  county,  Iowa ;  Henry 
married  Miss  Catherine  Kippe  and  also  resides  in  Muscatine  county.  George 
married  Miss  Annie  Zeyer,  of  Buffalo.  Charles  married  Miss  Paulina  Bak- 
man.  Louisa  became  the  wife  of  Henry  Brown.  Mary  is  the  wife  of  James 
Carpenter,  of  Buffalo  township.  Catherine  is  the  wife  of  William  Piatt.  Mrs. 
Nellie  Hovenagle  is  a  widow  and  lives  in  Blue  Grass. 

When  Mr.  Egel  was  admitted  to  citizenship  in  this  republic  he  looked  to 
the  democratic  party  for  political  guidance  and  has  since  given  to  it  his  un- 
swerving support.  While  he  ever  exercises  his  right  of  franchise  at  election  times, 
he  has  never  aspired  to  public  office,  nevertheless  exhibiting  an  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  his  fellowmen  and  being  ever  ready  to  exert  himself  in  their  behalf. 


HENRY  SCHROEDER. 

It  is  meet  that  when  one  is  well  advanced  in  years  the  opportunity  should 
come  to  put  aside  the  more  arduous  cares  of  active  business  life  and  rest  from 
further  labor.  In  youth  energy  and  ambition  are  dominant  and  in  mature  years 
these  are  guided  by  that  wisdom  which  comes  through  experience  and  apprecia- 
tion of  surrounding  conditions.  If  one's  opportunities  are  wisely  used  success 
follows  and  a  competence  for  the  evening  of  life  is  secured.  Such  has  been  the 
record  of  Henry  Schroeder,  formerly  well  known  as  a  merchant  of  Davenport 
but  now  living  retired. 

He  was  born  near  Hamburg,  in  Holstein,  Germany,  December  22,  1831,  and 
is  a  son  of  John  H.  and  Margaret  Schroeder.  The  father  served  in  the  war 
with  France,  and  Detlef  Schroeder,  a  brother  of  our  subject,  was  in  the  Hol- 
stein-Denmark  war  of  1850,  giving  his  life  in  defense  of  the  principles  in  which 
he  believed  during  the  progress  of  that  struggle.  The  father  was  a  farmer  and 
brewer  in  his  native  country,  where  both  he  and  his  wife  spent  their  entire  lives. 

Henry  Schroeder  acquired  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Germany  and 
afterward  served  in  the  Danish  army  from  1853  until  1855.  He  then  began  learn- 
ing the  brick-mason's  trade,  but  the  favorable  reports  which  he  heard  concerning 
the  business  conditions  and  opportunities  in  America  led  him  to  the  determrna- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  593 

tion  to  establish  his  home  on  this  side  the  Atlantic.  It  was  in  1857  that  he  heard 
and  heeded  the  call  of  the  western  world  and  boarding  a  sailing  vessel  spent  thirty- 
two  days  on  the  water  ere  he  landed  at  New  York.  He  did  not  remain  in  the  east, 
however,  but  car:-;  direct  to  Davenport  with  a  party  of  friends,  with  whom  he 
had  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  who  had  friends  in  this  city.  In  his  native  country 
Mr.  Schroeder  had  learned  the  brick-mason's  trade  and  on  reaching  Davenport  be- 
gan working  at  his  trade,  which  he  followed  for  about  two  years,  his  first  work  be- 
ing on  the  sewer  on  Iowa  street.  He  afterward  assisted  in  building  the  schoolhouse 
at  Bettendorf,  then  Gilberttown,  which  is  still  standing.  Subsequently  he  went  to 
Le  Claire,  where  he  aided  in  the  erection  of  a  number  of  buildings.  He  was  first 
engaged  on  a  store  for  Mr.  Becker  and,  remaining  in  Le  Claire,  he  worked  in  the 
store  for  Mr.  Becker,  thus  gaining  his  first  experience  along  mercantile  lines.  He 
spent  three  years  in  that  way  and  gained  valuable  knowledge  of  the  methods  of 
managing  commercial  .interests. 

While  in  Le  Claire  Mr.  Schroeder  was  married  November  20,  i860,  after 
which  he  returned  to  Davenport  vnth  his  wife  and  has  since  made  this  city  his  home. 
He  first  entered  the  employ  of  Beiderbecke  &  Moeller  in  the  wholesale  and  retail 
grocery  business  and  was  with  them  for  five  years,  when  he  had  opportunity  for 
making  a  forward  step  by  engaging  in  business  on  his  own  account.  Removing 
to  the  corner  of  Third  and  Fillmore  streets  he  took  charge  of  a  grocery  store  there 
with  Henry  Brandt  as  a  partner.  In  1868  they  purchased  the  store  of  Kasper 
Foster  and  conducted  the  business  until  1903,  when  Mr.  Schroeder  sold  his  inter- 
est in  the  grocery  and  retired.  After  about  ten  years  in  the  trade  he  and  his 
partner  purchased  the  property  which  they  had  previously  rented. 

Various  enterprises  in  time  claimed  the  attention  of  Mr.  Schroeder,  who  for 
twenty-two  years  conducted  stockyards  and  was  connected  with  a  large  number 
of  industrial  and  commercial  concerns.  He  was  also  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
Iowa  National  Bank  for  seventeen  years  after  aiding  in  the  organization  and 
establishment  of  the  bank.  He  then  resigned  but  is  still  one  of  the  directors 
of  the  Davenport  Security  Insurance  Company,  which  he  aided  in  organizing  in 
1889.  His  connection  with  business  interests  of  Davenport  has  been  of  an  im- 
portant character  and  of  far-reaching  benefit  to  the  city  inasmuch  as  his  labors 
have  constituted  an  element  in  the  promotion  of  commercial  and  financial  ac- 
tivity. He  has  been  quick  to  see  and  utilize  advantages,  recognizing  the  fact  that 
the  present  and  not  the  future  holds  his  opportunity.  He  was  also  a  stockholder  in 
the  glucose  works  and  was  one  of  the  company  to  establish  the  Davenport  Can- 
ning Factory,  which  was  afterward  changed  to  the  manufacture  of  tin  cans.  He 
was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Davenport  Foundry  &  Machine  shop,  of  which 
he  is  still  a  stockholder ;  was  a  stockholder  in  the  Masonic  Temple  when  it  was 
erected ;  and  also  a  stockholder  in  the  Davenport  Works  Company,  besides  being 
interested  in  other  industries. 

As  previously  stated,  it  was  on  the  20th  of  November,  i860,  that  Mr.  Schroeder 
wedded  Miss  Elizabeth  Schwen,  of  Le  Claire,  who  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Ger- 
many, in  1834  and  came  to  this  country  with  a  lady  friend  in  1856.  By  her 
marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  eight  children :  Henry  A.,  of  Seattle,  Wash- 
ington, who  married  Grace  Rose  and  has  one  son,  Frederick ;  Jennie,  the  wife  of 
John  Fahrner,  of  Davenport,  and  has  one  son,  Waldo;  Hugo,  who  is  also  liv- 


594  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

ing  in  this  city ;  Pauline,  deceased ;  Laura,  who  became  the  wife  of  Henry  Kohrs, 
Jr.,  and  died  leaving  a  son,  Robert ;  Lewis,  deceased ;  John  L.,  whose  home  is 
in  British  Columbia;  and  Amelia,  the  wife  of  William  Hetzel,  of  Davenport,  by 
whom  she  has  one  son,  Wilbur.  The  death  of  Mrs.  Schroeder  occurred  October 
8,  1909,  when  she  had  reached  the  age  of  seventy-five  years,  eight  months  and 

two  days. 

Mr.  Schroeder  is  a  member  of  the  Turners  and  of  the  German  Shooting 
Society.  He  has  always  been  a  man  of  influence  among  Davenport's  residents 
of  his  own  nationality,  nor  has  his  leadership  been  confined  alone  to  people  of  the 
Teutonic  race.  He  has  long  been  regarded  as  a  man  of  sound  judgment  and  keen 
discrimination  and  his  opinions  have  carried  weight  'in  business  circles  and  in 
matters  relating  to  the  public  life  of  the  city.  There  is  no  mor«  loyal  resident 
of  Davenport  than  this  adopted  son,  a  man  never  so  busy  with  private  affairs 
as  to  neglect  the  duties  of  citizenship  nor  so  concerned  with  public  interests  that 
his  private  business  has  suffered.  In  fact,  he  has  been  at  all  times  a  man  of 
well  balanced  capacities  and  powers  and  his  intelligently  directed  effort  has 
given  him  place  among  the  leading  and  influential  citizens  of  Scott  county. 


WILHELM  WULF. 


Wilhelm  Wulf,  one  of  Hickory  Grove  township's  leading  men,  is  German  by 
nativity,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Holstein,  February  11,  1858.  When  only 
about  sixteen  years  of  age  he  and  his  brother  Charley  became  imbued  with  the 
desire  to  try  their  fortune  in  "the  land  of  promise,"  and  upon  landing  on  our 
shores  came  at  once  to  Davenport,  where  they  have  since  resided.  His  parents 
were  John  and  Doris  (Hass)  Wulf.  His  father  died  when  he  was  a  lad  of  about 
six  years  of  age,  responsibility  in  consequence  falling  upon  his  shoulders  at  an 
unusually  early  age.  The  mother,  born  July  26,  1816,  followed  her  sons  to 
American  in  1875  ^^'^  made  her  home  with  Charley,  her  death  occurring  April 
19,  1909.  Although  advanced  in  years  she  enjoyed  good  health  nearly  to  the 
time  of  her  demise  and  took  much  pleasure  in  her  American  home  and  friends. 
In  the  family  were  six  children  as  follows:  Mrs.  Louisa  Thomson,  of  Daven- 
port, widow  of  Christ  Thomson;  Lena,  who  married  William  Groht  and  is  de- 
ceased ;  Christina,  the  wife  of  Peter  Stropfen,  a  retired  farmer  living  in  Daven- 
port; Doris,  the  wife  of  John  Hass,  of  Durant;  Charley,  a  citizen  of  Cleona 
township;  and  Wilhelm,  the  subject  of  the  sketch. 

Wilhelm  Wulf  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  its  wholesome,  independent  life 
has  appealed  to  him  sufficiently  to  induce  him  to  cling  to  agriculture  all  his  life, 
He  spent  his  first  five  years  in  this  country  as  a  farm  hand,  but  in  1880  rented 
property  which  he  managed  successfully  for  a  number  of  years.  In  1895  he 
bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Cleona  township  and  four  years  later 
sold  this  to  become  the  owner  of  his  present  homestead  in  sections  30  and  31, 
Hickory  Grove  township.  This  first  consisted  of  two  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
and  a  half  acres,  but  Mr.  Wulf  has  added  to  it  until  it  now  amounts  to  three 
hundred  and  thirty  acres.     On  this  very  desirable  tract  he  engages  in  general 


■52  J«3SSSi555?5;i^  I'ti^'MSI 


WILTIEI.^I   Wn.F 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  597 

farming  and  stock  raising-  and  his  advanced  agricultural  methods  have  been 
productive  of  the  best  results. 

In  1887  Mr.  Wulf  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Theresa  Siebke,  daughter 
of  Marx  and  Louise  Siebke,  natives  of  Holstein,  Germany.  She  was  bom  No- 
vember II,  1867,  in  Muscatine  county,  Iowa.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wulf  have 
been  born  the  following  children :  Henry,  Herman,  Amelia,  Mata,  Ella,  Rudolph 
and  Helda.    Louis,  the  third  child  is  deceased. 

Mr.  Wulf  has  many  friends  and  is  happy  in  all  the  relations  of  life.  He  is 
recognized  in  the  community  as  a  man  whose  support  is  always  ready  for  any 
measure  likely  to  prove  conducive  to  the  public  good.  Among  other  interests  he 
is  a  stockholder  in  the  Farmers'  Elevator  Company  of  Walcott. 


JOHANNES  THEDE. 


A  prosperous  farmer  of  Liberty  township,  who  is  contemplating  retiring  from 
the  active  pursuit  of  his  calling,  and  intends  to  take  up  his  residence  in  the  village 
of  Dixon,  is  Johannes  Thede,  who  was  born  in  Liberty  township,  June  28,  i860, 
about  one  and  a  half  miles  north  of  the  farm  on  which  he  is  now  living.  His 
parents  were  Peter  and  Marie  (Sierk)  Thede,  both  natives  of  Schleswig,  Ger- 
many, where  the  former  was  born  April  27,  1832,  and  the  latter  February  15, 
1828.  In  1857,  singly  and  alone,  they  came  to  America,  locating  in  Kempton, 
Illinois,  wh'ere  they  were  married.  Three  years  later,  in  the  spring  of  i860,  they 
came  to  Liberty  township,  this  county,  where  Mr.  Thede  engaged  in  farming. 
He  was  successful  beyond  the  ordinary  and  as  he  saw  opportunity  invested  in 
land  so  that  at  his  death  he  held  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  that  township. 
Toward  the  close  of  his  life  he  relinquished  the  heavier  cares  and  his  death  oc- 
curred January  4,  1909.  His  wife  had  died  some  years  previously,  for  she  passed 
away  in  Dixon,  May  8,  1903.  They  were  the  parents  of  six  children :  Peter,  of 
St.  Louis,  Missouri;  Johannes,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Henry,  who  died  in 
1893  at  the  age  of  twenty-one;  Mary  Lenora,  who  became  the  wife  of  George 
Pahl,  both  now  deceased;  William,  a  resident  of  Liberty  township;  and  Erna, 
the  wife  of  Charles  Frey,  of  Davenport. 

Johannes  Thede  was  less  than  one  year  old  when  his  parents  removed  from 
his  birthplace  to  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives  and  which  has  since  been  his 
home.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  the  district,  in  which  he  obtained  a  fair 
education,  but  his  practical  preparation  for  life  was  received  during  the  time  he 
assisted  his  father  in  the  cultivation  of  his  land.  A  tiller  of  the  soil  from  choice 
as  well  as  from  inheritance,  he  has  been  one  of  those  who  have  won  a  conspicu- 
ous success  from  his  vocation.  Besides  the  homestead  in  Liberty  township,  con- 
sisting of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  on  sections  35,  36,  and  25,  he  owns  an 
equal  amount  of  arable  land  in  Springfield  township.  Cedar  county,  and  five 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Oldham  county,  Texas.  The  place  which  he  makes 
his, home  is  well  improved  and  its  fields  excellently  adapted  to  general  farming 
which  he  has  pursued.  For  the  past  fifteen  years,  however,  he  has  made  a  spe- 
cialty of  stock  feeding,  feeding  about  one  hundred  head  annually.    He  was  one 


598  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

of  the  prime  promoters  of  the  Dixon  Savings  Bank,  in  which  he  is  a  large  stock- 
holder. 

On  the  8th  of  April,  1884,  Mr.  Thede  was  married  to  Miss  Katharine  Peter- 
sen, who  was  born  in  the  same  house  that  was  the  birthplace  of  her  husband, 
January  23,  1864.  Her  parents,  Henry  and  Wiepke  (Klink)  Petersen,  were 
both  natives  of  Schleswig,  Germany.  They  were  married  in  the  old  country  and 
came  to  America  about  1856,  locating  first  in  Illinois.  About  live  years  later  they 
came  to  Scott  county,  which  remained  their  home  for  the  rest  of  their  lives. 
Mr.  Petersen  was  actively  engaged  in  farming  but,  having  obtained  a  gratifying 
income,  retired  to  Dixon,  where  his  death  and  that  of  his  wife  occurred.  He 
owned  at  one  time  seven  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Liberty  township.  Five  chil- 
dren were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Petersen :  Mrs.  May  Ohde,  a  widow  living  in 
Seattle,  Washington ;  George,  of  Liberty  township ;  Charles,  a  resident  of  Dixon ; 
Mary,  who  is  unmarried  and  makes  her  home  in  Dixon ;  and  Katharine,  the  wife 
of  our  subject. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thede  have  been  born  seven  children:  Lydia,  now  the 
wife  of  Adolph  Lensch,  of  Liberty  township;  Peter  J.,  of  whom  extended  men- 
tion is  made  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Henry  R.  and  Millie,  at  home;  Ella,  a 
student  in  Brown's  Business  College ;  Verna,  at  home ;  and  Maloney,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  three  years. 

Since  he  has  obtained  such  a  pronounced  success  from  his  chosen  vocation, 
Mr.  Thede  has  determined  to  retire  fron;  ictive  life  and  live  in  Dixon.  With 
this  end  in  view  he  is  building  a  house,  whicn  he  intends  shall  be  the  finest  in  the 
village,  both  in  its  construction  and  in  the  many  appointments  that  will  make 
it  modern  and  convenient. 


PETER  A.  BOYLE. 


Peter  A.  Boyle,  a  Harvard  man  whose  liberal  educational  advantages  well 
qualified  him  for  a  successful  professional  career,  continued  in  the  practice  of 
law  in  Davenport  for  a  number  of  years  and  is  now  giving  his  attention  to  the 
supervision  of  important  property  interests.  He  was  born  in  New  Haven,  Con- 
necticut, on  the  nth  of  October,  1847,  and  is  a  son  of  John  R.  and  Mary  J. 
(Copley)  Boyle.  His  parents  were  natives  of  County  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  but 
were  of  English  descent.  The  father's  birth  occurred  May  15,  1815,  and  the 
mother  was  born  on  the  12th  of  March,  1812. 

John  R.  Boyle  came  to  the  United  States  in  1839  and  settled  in  New  England, 
where  he  conducted  an  extensive  business  as  a  contractor  and  builder  of  canals 
and  railroads.  He  was  married  in  New  York  city  in  1842  and  in  1850  came  to 
the  middle  west,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  building  of  the  Michigan  Southern 
Railroad.  Two  years  later  the  family  came  to  the  west  to  Ottawa,  Illinois.  In 
1854  they  removed  to  Muscatine,  Iowa,  coming  thence  to  Scott  county  in  1865. 
The  father  assisted  in  building  many  of  the  western  railroads,  including  the 
Union  Pacific  and  others.  After  taking  up  his  abode  in  Scott  county  he  pur- 
chased land  in  Davenport  township  and  settled  upon  a  farm,  his  remaining  days 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  599 

being  given  to  general  agricultural  pursuits.  His  life  was  one  of  untiring  business 
activity  and  his  strong  purpose  enabled  him  to  carry  forward  to  successful  com- 
pletion whatever  he  undertook.  He  died  September  16,  1895,  while  his  wife 
survived  until  the  i6th  of  May,  1902.  They  were  the  parents  of  two  children: 
C.  R.  Boyle,  who  is  now  living  in  New  York  city;  and  Peter  A.,  of  this  review 

Peter  A.  Boyle  spent  the  first  five  years  of  his  life  in  New  Haven,  Connecti- 
cut, and  afterward  attended  school  in  dififerent  places  as  his  parents  removed  from 
one  point  to  another,  the  father's  business  calling  him  to  different  localities  At 
length  he  was  graduated  from  Griswold  College  in  the  class  of  1870  and  with  broad 
general  information  to  serve  as  the  foundation  upon  which  to  rear  the  superstruc- 
ture of  professional  learning,  he  took  up  the  study  of  law  in  Harvard  University, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1872.  He  then  returned  to  Daven- 
port and  entered  upon  active  connection  with  the  profession  as  a  law  clerk  in  the 
office  of  Davison  &  Lane,  formerly  well  known  attorneys  of  this  city.  After 
ten  years  devoted  to  the  practice  of  law,  he  turned  his  attention  to  his  property 
interest,  which  now  claim  his  attention. 

On  the  Sth  of  June,  1884,  Mr.  Boyle  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jessie 
5\'.  Boyle,  of  Birmingham,  Alabama,  and  unto  them  were  born  two  children: 
Mary  Lee,  who  died  in  1898;  and  John  R.,  who  is  now  a  high-school  pupil.  The 
parents  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  church  and  are  prominent  socially  in  the 
city,  theirs  being  one  of  the  attractive  and  hospitable  homes  of  wealth  and  cul- 
ture. Mr.  Boyle  belongs  to  the  Commercial  Club  and  has  other  social  relations, 
being  usually  seen  where  the  most  intelligent  men  of  the  city  gather. 


JULIUS  SANDER. 


The  great  business  prosperity  which  has  come  to  Davenport  in  the  course  of 
years  is  reflected  in  the  success  of  Julius  Sander,  a  dealer  in  general  hardware, 
farm  implements,  seeds,  buggies,  wagons  and  automobiles.  Having  come  to  this 
country  when  a  mere  boy,  with  nothing  but  his  own  abilities  and  his  determination 
to  get  ahead,  the  position  he  holds  today  is  the  result  of  his  unaided  efforts, 
and  ready  discernment  of  potential  needs  and  the  quahty  of  being  a  good  man- 
ager. 

He  was  born  in  Neumunster,  Holstein,  Germany,  July  31,  1857,  and  was 
reared  and  educated  in  the  place  of  his  birth.  In  1871,  although  but  fourteen 
years  of  age,  he  emigrated  to  America,  coming  direct  to  Davenport  immediately 
after  landing  upon  our  shores.  Upon  his  arrival  here  he  secured  employment  as 
a  clerk  in  the  hardware  store  of  the  old  firm  of  E.  H.  Mack  &  Company,  which 
was  located  on  Second  Street  where  the  Davenport  Savings  Bank  now  stands. 
He  remained  with  that  concern,  until  1876,  when  it  went  out  of  business,  and 
for  five  years  he  worked  for  Sickles  Preston.  At  the  end  of  that  period,  in 
1871,  he  had  saved  enough  money  and  acquired  a  sufficient  familiarity  with  busi- 
ness methods  here  to  warrant  his  embarking  in  business  for  himself.  Accord- 
ingly at  325  West  Second  street,  he  opened  a  hardware  store,  which  was  well 
supplied  with  all  the  articles  generally  to  be  found  in  such  an  establishment. 


600  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

With  fourteen  years  of  success  behind  him,  in  1895  he  opened  another  store  at 
420  West  Fourth  street,  where  a  large  and  varied  Hne  of  farm  implements  were 
put  on  sale.  In  1902  he  combined  the  two  stores,  securing  his  present  location 
at  218,  220  and  222  Ripley  street,  and  here,  keeping  abreast  of  the  times,  he 
has  added  automobiles  of  reputable  make,  besides  carrying  a  good  line  of  buggies 
and  wagons.  Indeed,  he  has  left  no  opportunity  pass  by  unheeded,  without  try- 
ing to  wrest  from  it  some  measure  of  advancement  for  himself.  In  consequence 
his  is  one  of  the  busiest  stores  in  the  city,  and  the  record  of  its  sales  will  stand 
comparison  with  even  larger  concerns.  In  addition  to  hardware  interests,  Mr. 
Sander  has  been  active  in  the  financial  circles  here,  for  in  1893  he  was  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  Farmers  &  Mechanics  Savings  Bank,  of  which  he  is  still  a 
director,  and  later  he  was  one  of  the  organizers  and  directors  of  the  Guarantee 
Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  of  Davenport.  He  holds  the  position  of  vice 
president  of  the  Fairmount  Cemetery  Association  and  has  made  his  influence 
felt  in  all  walks  of  life. 

In  1881  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Sander  and  Miss  Lina  Ranzow, 
a  daughter  of  Charles  F.  Ranzow,  now  deceased.  They  have  a  son,  Harry,  who 
assists  his  father  in  business,  and  a  daughter,  Paula,  who  is  attending  high  school. 

Mr.  Sander  has  always  given  his  support  unfailingly  to  the  democi;atic  party, 
by  which  organization  he  was  elected  in  1908  to  the  board  of  county  commission- 
ers of  Scott  county.  He  holds  the  position  of  president  of  this  body  and  will 
continue  to  exercise  the  duties  of  that  office  through  the  three  years  of  his  term. 
He  belongs  to  several  organizations,  some  of  a  fraternal  nature,  others  social 
and  still  others  of  a  beneficent  character,  for  he  is  a  member  of  the  local  Ma- 
sonic lodge,  the  Turners,  the  Sharp  Shooters  Society,  the  Columbia  Relief  So- 
ciety and  the  Davenport  Cremation  Society. 


CHARLES  H.  ALT. 


Charles  H.  Alt,  a  successful  farmer  of  Buffalo  township,  was  born  in  the 
province  of  Schleswig,  Germany,  September  25,  1870,  his  parents  being  Karl  and 
Catherine  (Hansen)  Alt,  both  native  of  the  same  section  of  the  fatherland,  where 
the  former  was  born  in  1833  and  the  latter  in  1842.  In  1885  the  father  came  to 
America,  and  although  he  settled  first  in  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois,  after  one 
year's  experience  there  he  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa. 

Charles  H.  Alt,  being  about  fifteen  years  of  age  when  he  left  his  native  land, 
had  already  received  a  thorough  training  in  the  rudiments  of  education  as  taught 
in  Germany.  However,  after  he  reached  Illinois  he  again  entered  school  that  he 
might  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the  English  language  and  customs  more  systematic 
than  could  be  obtained  through  intercourse  with  the  men  and  women  he  should 
meet.  He  assisted  in  the  work  that  was  carried  on  upon  his  father's  farm,  assum- 
ing many  of  the  heavier  responsibilities  of  its  operation  as  the  years  proved  he  was 
a  man  of  power  and  ability.  Later  when  he  married  he  made  it  his  permanent 
home.  Although  yet  a  young  man  with  the  most  productive  years  of  his  life  still 
before  him,  he  has  already  made  a  record  of  which  he  has  no  reason  to  be  ashamed. 


MR.  AND  MRS.  C.   H.  ALT 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  603 

The  condition  of  his  buildings,  the  cultivation  of  his  fields,  tell  their  own  story, 
that  their  owner  is  a  man  of  industry  and  good  management.  While  he  is  never 
sparing  of  hard  work,  he  is  careful  that  neither  time  nor  substance  is  wasted,  and 
consequently  should  enjoy  a  pronounced  success  as  the  years  pass  on.  In  1908,  he 
purchased  his  present  farm  consisting  of  ninety-two  acres  in  Buffalo  township. 

In  early  manhood  Mr.  Alt  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Louise  Danz,  a 
daughter  of  Chris  Danz,  of  Muscatine,  Iowa.  A  son  and  a  daughter  have  been  born 
to  them — Herbert  and  Catherine.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Lutheran 
church,  while  Mr.  Alt  has  always  given  his  allegiance  in  political  matters  to  the 
democratic  party.  While  he  is  not  an  aspirant  for  office,  he  has  won  the  confi- 
dence of  his  fellow  citizens  who  elected  him  to  the  position  of  director  of  the 
Blue  Grass  schools.  He  belongs  to  Blue  Grass  Lodge,  No.  26,  of  the  Modern 
Brotherhood  of  America,  and  to  the  Grange,  and  he  has  made  friends  who  loyally 
accord  him  respect  and  good  will. 


JOHN  LANGSETH. 


John  Langseth,  who  is  the  president  of  the  Dixon  Savings  Bank  and  for  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  been  connected  with  the  stock  business  in  Iowa, 
was  bom  in  Christiania,  Norway,  September  29,  1846,  a  son  of  Hans  and  Chris- 
tina (Soleberg)  Langseth,  who  were  natives  of  the  same  place  as  their  son. 
The  father  followed  farming  somewhat  in  the  old  country  but  was  also  weigh 
master  in  the  city  scales  of  Christiania.  Nevertheless  he  determined  to  try  the 
opportunities  said  to  be  found  in  this  country  and  accordingly  in  1854  came  to 
America.  He  settled  first  in  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  where  he  secured  work  as 
a  laborer,  a  few  years  later  he  resumed  farming,  to  which  he  devoted  himself 
with  good  success.  In  1864  he  moved  his  family  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  and 
in  Aliens  Grove  township  secured  a  tract  of  land,  which  remained  his  home 
throughout  the  remaining  years  of  his  life.  Two  children  were  born  to  him  and 
his  wife:  John,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  and  Mrs.  Mary  Tarbet,  of  Calamus, 
Clinton  county,  Iowa. 

John  Langseth  accompanied  his  parents  when  they  came  to  the  United  States 
and  on  their  removal  to  Scott  county,  living  with  them  in  Aliens  Grove  town- 
ship, until  1871,  when  he  married  and  set  out  to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world. 
For  five  years  he  worked  on  a  farm  in  this  county  and  then  engaged  in  mercantile 
business  in  Buena  Vista,  Clinton  county,  which  he  conducted  for  about  twenty 
years.  At  the  end  of  that  period,  in  1896,  he  sold  his  store  and  went  to  Wright 
county,  spending  five  years  there,  although  he  did  not  relinquish  his  connection 
with  business  during  that  time  but  was  actively  engaged  in  buying  and  selling 
stock.  He  returned  to  Dixon  in  1904.  In  September  of  the  following  year  Mr. 
Langseth  became  instrumental  in  the  organization  of  the  Dixon  Savings  Bank, 
of  which  he  was  elected  president,  and  in  this  capacity  he  has  continued  to 
guide  the  policy  of  the  institution.  It  is  a  flourishing  concern,  supplying  a  long 
felt  want  in  the  community,  but  while  it  has  given  a  field  for  the  exercise  of  the 
pronounced  business  ability  which  is  one  of  Mr.  Langseth's  predominant  char- 


604  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

acteristics,  it  has  not  wholly  absorbed  his  time,  for  he  is  still  interested  in  the 
buying  and  selling  of  stock,  in  which  he  has  engaged,  in  connection  with  his  other 
enterprises,  for  more  than  twenty-five  years.  It  has  been  one  avenue  through 
which  success  has  come  to  him,  although  in  this  as  in  the  other  walks  of  life,  his 
good  fortune  has  been  dependent  upon  those  sterling  qualities  of  manhood  which 
came  to  him  as  a  heritage  from  his  father.  The  latter  was  one  of  the  substantial 
citizens  of  his  community,  although  he  had  come  to  this  country  a  poor  man, 
and,  profiting  by  his  example,  the  son  has  risen  to  a  position  of  honor,  respect 
and  prosperity  among  those  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact. 

It  was  in  1871  that  Mr.  Langseth  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ellen  E. 
Rothstein,  who  was  born  in  Mexico,  Pennsylvania,  June  29,  1850.  In  her  in- 
fancy she  was  adopted  by  F.  E.  Rothstein,  and  at  the  age  of  two  years  was  taken 
by  him  to  California,  where  she  lived  for  about  seven  years.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  she  came  to  Scott  county  and  was  living  in  Aliens  Grove  township  at  the 
time  of  her  marriage.  Five  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Langseth, 
namely:  Elizabeth,  now  the  wife  of  James  A.  Innes,  of  Eagle  Grove,  Iowa; 
Mary  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  J.  F.  Young,  of  Oklahoma;  Ruth  Irene,  a  senior  at 
the  State  College  at  Ames,  Iowa;  John  F.,  who  died  in  1885  at  the  age  of  seven; 
and  Ervin  S-,  who  also  passed  away  in  that  year  when  he  was  three  years  old. 

Mr.  Langseth  is  a  member  of  Dixon  Lodge,  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  of 
the  Masonic  lodge  at  Wheatland.  In  both  of  these  societies  he  is  very  active  and 
plays  a  prominent  part  in  their  work  and  social  affairs.  Indeed  he  is  a  man  who 
makes  his  way  to  the  fore  in  whatever  he  undertakes,  and  the  community  feels 
the  effect  of  his  energetic  personality  and  his  power  to  accomplish  the  things 
upon  which  he  sets  his  determination. 


THIES  NAGEL. 


Labor  is  the  law  of  life  and  the  world  has  little  respect  for  the  idler.  Not 
until  old  age  is  reached  does  it  seem  fitting  that  man  should  put  aside  the  cares 
and  responsibilities  of  business,  thus  relegating  to  others  the  burdens  that  he 
should  bear.  A  very  busy  and  useful  life  has  been  that  of  Thies  Nagel  and 
now,  at  the  age  of  ninety-one  years,  he  is  enjoying  a  well  earned  and  well  merited 
rest.  He  was  for  many  years  associated  with  industrial  interests  in  Davenport 
as  a  carpenter  and  cabinetmaker.  He  was  born  in  Dithmarschen,  Holstein, 
Germany,  January  16,  1819,  a  son  of  Henry  and  Margaret  Nagel,  who  spent 
their  entire  lives  in  Germany,  where  the  father  was  employed  as  a  farm  hand. 

Thies  Nagel  had  but  limited  opportunities  in  his  youth  but  learned  well  the 
lessons  of  industry  and  frugality.  After  attending  the  schools  of  the  neighbor- 
hood to  some  extent  he  took  up  the  trade  of  carpentering  and  cabinetmaking. 
When  he  was  asked  by  an  educated  man  why  he  was  coming  to  America  he 
answered  that  in  a  new  country  they  would  need  houses  and  there  would  be 
chances  for  the  builder.  He  therefore  boxed  up  his  tools  and  work  bench  and 
started  for  the  new  world  in  1852,  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  four  children. 
After  nine  weeks  spent  upon  the  briny  deep  they  landed  at  New  Orleans  and 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  605 

thence  made  their  way  up  the  Mississippi  river  by  steamboat  to  St.  Louis,  where 
they  arrived  after  a  trip  of  eleven  days.  By  that  time  there  was  so  much  ice 
in  the  river  that  they  could  not  get  a  boat  to  Davenport,  which  was  their  des- 
tination. They,  therefore,  spent  the  winter  in  St.  Louis  and  the  following 
spring  came  to  this  city.  After  arriving  in  Davenport  Mr.  Nagel  was  first  em- 
ployed by  Mr.  Kingsley,  an  English  carpenter  boss.  His  shop  was  on  the  alley 
between  Fifth  and  Sixth  streets  and  Brady  and  Main.  He  not  only  worked  at 
his  trade  but  also  began  to  learn  the  English  language  under  the  direction  of 
his  employer.  He  was  very  eager  to  master  the  language  and  to  this  end  had 
studied  all  the  way  over  from  Germany.  Among  his  fellow  workers  in  that 
early  day  was  George  McClellan,  who  later  became  one  of  the  most  prominent 
men  of  Davenport. 

Mr.  Nagel  was  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Kingsley  for  two  years,  his  first  labor 
being  in  connection  with  the  construction  of  a  building  for  Mr.  Sergent  at  the 
head  of  Brady  street.  Mr.  Sergent  was  the  first  banker  of  Davenport  and  Mr. 
Nagel  made  the  doors  and  window  frames  of  his  house  by  hand,  as  there  was 
no  machinery  for  such  purposes  at  that  time.  He  afterward  worked  on  the 
North  Putnam  building,  which  was  known  then  as  the  Le  Claire  row.  For  a 
long  time  he  was  engaged  on  the  construction  of  that  row,  which  when  completed 
was  the  finest  in  the  town.  He  was  also  employed  on  the  building  of  a  resi- 
dence for  Antoine  Le  Claire,  which  later  became  the  home  of  Bishop  Cosgrove. 
About  1853  he  also  worked  on  the  St.  Joseph's  Catholic  church  at  the  comer 
of  Fourth  and  Main  streets,  this  being  the  oldest  Catholic  church  in  Davenport, 
and  it  was  the  first  building  on  that  block,  the  entire  block  being  given  by  Antoine 
Le  Claire  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  used.  Carpenters  in  those  times  re- 
ceived a  wage  of  a  dollar  per  day.  Mr.  Nagel's  employer  had  three  prices — a 
dollar,  a  dollar  and  a  bit  and  a  dollar  and  two  bits — according  to  the  efficiency 
of  the  workman  and  the  importance  of  the  class  of  work  which  he  did.  Mr. 
Nagel  was  recognized  as  a  fine  mechanic  but,  as  he  was  a  new  man,  was  placed 
in  the  middle  class,  as  his  labor  was  somewhat  hampered  by  the  fact  that  he 
could  not  be  sent  out  alone  on  a  job,  as  he  did  not  then  sufficiently  understand 
the  English  language. 

In  1857  the  country  became  involved  in  a  financial  panic  and  work  became 
very  scarce.  Mr.  Nagel  was  then  compelled  to  go  to  Rock  Island,  where  lie 
worked  for  a  year  and  his  services  were  paid  for  only  in  merchandise.  Times 
improving,  however,  he  returned  to  Davenport  and  obtained  employment  in 
the  furniture  factory  of  Collins  &  Skeel,  there  continuing  until  the  time  of  the 
war,  when  he  turned  his  attention  to  bee  culture  and  has  since  devoted  his 
energies  largely  to  the  management  of  an  apiary.  During  the  war  he  purchased 
a  small  tract  6t  land  in  the  suburbs  of  Davenport,  erected  thereon  a  comfort- 
able residence  and  lived  there  until  1893,  when  he  went  to  live  with  his  son, 
J.  J.,  at  his  present  home  at  No.  906  West  Locust  street. 

Mr.  Nagel  was  married  in  1843  to  Ingeborg  Jensen,  who  died  in  1857,  leaving 
four  children:  Margaret,  the  wife  of  Hartwig  Wessel,  of  California;  Jens  J.; 
Christina,  the  wife  of  Hans  Jepsen,  of  Davenport;  and  Catherine,  the  wife  of 
Ferdinand  Junge,  of  Nebraska. 


606  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Of  this  family  Jens  J.  Nagel  was  born  in  Germany,  June  26,  1846,  and  was 
brought  to  America  by  his  parents  when  six  years  old.  The  first  school  he 
attended  was  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Scott  streets  in  Davenport  and  he  passed 
through  consecutive  grades  until  he  was  graduated  from'  the  high  school  and 
also  from  the  training  school.  Following  his  graduation  he  became  a  teacher  in 
the  country  school  in  Liberty  township,  eighteen  miles  from  Davenport',  there 
remaining  for  a  year.  This  was  during  the  period  of  the  Civil  war.  He  after- 
ward returned  to  Davenport  and  entered  the  training  school.  Subsequently  he 
spent  two  years  as  general  delivery  clerk  under  Edward  Russell  in  the  Daven- 
port postoffice  and  then  resumed  teaching,  since  which  time  he  has  devoted  his 
attention  to  the  profession.  He  taught  in  Davenport  until  1866  and  then  went 
to  Minneapolis,  where  he  became  principal  of  a  school,  so  continuing  until 
1869,  when  he  returned  to  this  city  and  was  continuously  numbered  among  its 
public-school  instructors  until  1909.  He  taught  in  the  Madison  school  for 
thirty-nine  years  and  at  present  is  connected  with  Duncan's  Business  College. 
He  is  one  of  the  best  known  representatives  of  educational  interests  in  this 
part  of  the  state  and  his  labors  have  been  a  most  forceful  and  beneficial  factor 
in  promoting  the  interests  of  public  education. 

Professor  Nagel  was  married  July  2,  1872,  to  Miss  Sadie  Gilmore,  a  daughter 
of  George  and  Maria  Gilmore,  of  Minneapolis,  Minnesota.  They  have  become 
parents  of  six  children.  Walter,  who  enlisted  for  service  in  Company  B,  Fiftieth 
Iowa  Regiment,  in  the  Spanish-American  war,  contracted  fever  from  which 
he  died  while  in  camp  at  Jacksonville,  Florida,  when  twenty-six  years  of  age. 
He  was  a  graduate  of  Stanford  University.  Laura  is  a  teacher  of  the  high  school 
in  California.  Alice  is  the  wife  of  John  E.  McDowell,  who  is  assistant  registrar 
of  Stanford  University,  and  they  have  two  sons,  Edgar  and  John.  Carl,  who  is 
in  the  employ  of  the  state  government  at  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  married  Ruby 
Pringle.  Helen  is  now  a  member  of  the  junior  class  in  Stanford  University. 
Margaret  is  a  pupil  in  the  grammar  school  of  Davenport. 

Thies  Nagel  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Lutheran  church  and  in  poli- 
tics is  a  stalwart  republican,  having  continuously  supported  the  party  since 
Fremont  was  its  first  presidential  candidate.  Professor  Nagel  and  his  family 
are  members  of  the  Congregational  church  and  he  is  an  advocate  of  prohibi- 
tion principles,  casting  his  ballot  in  support  of  the  men  and  measures  that 
promote  the  temperance  cause.  Both  father  and  son  have  led  honorable,  up- 
right lives  and  their  history  is  closely  interwoven  with  the  industrial  and  educa- 
tional records  of  this  city. 


FRANK  H.  MAASS. 


Frank  H.  Maass,  who  from  early  manhood  made  his  home  in  Scott  county, 
passing  away  in  Davenport  July,  19,  1900,  was  born  in  Prussia,  Germany,  on  the 
1st  of  August,  1852.  He  remained  a  resident  of  his  native  land  until  his  four- 
teenth year,  when  he  came  to  America  and  for  a  short  time  resided  in  Cincin- 
nati.   He  then  came  to  Scott  county  and  for  a  year  was  employed  at  farm  labor, 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  607 

after  which  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport  and  established  a  Hvery  business 
which  he  conducted  until  his  death.  He  first  drove  a  hack  for  Judge  Parsell  and 
managed  his  livery  barn,  but  later  formed  a  partnership  and  purchased  a  livery 
barn  on  Commercial  alley,  which  he  conducted  until  the  fall  of  1884.  The  fol- 
lowing spring  he  sold  out  there  and  bought  the  livery  business  of  Bob  Porter  on 
Fourth  street.  There  he  remained  until  his  death  and  his  barn  was  liberally 
patronized,  so  that  his  business  proved  a  profitable  enterprise.  He  also  con- 
ducted an  undertaking  business  for  a  time  and  bought  and  sold  horses  by  the 
carload,  making  shipments  to  Chicago.  He  was  an  excellent  judge  of  horses, 
being  seldom  if  ever  mistaken  in  the  value  of  an  animal,  so  that  his  investments 
were  directed  by  sound  judgment  and  resulted  in  substantial  success.  At  the 
husband's  death  Mrs.  Maass  became  the  owner  of  the  livery  barn  and  since  that 
time  has  sold  an  interest  in  the  business  to  Mr.  Atkinson,  who  has  charge  thereof. 
Mr.  Maass  was  a  member  of  Unity  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  which  he  filled 
nearly  all  of  the  chairs  and  at  one  time  served  as  master.  He  also  belonged  to 
Tecumseh  Tribe,  No.  32,  I.  O.  R.  M.  In  Masonry  he  attained  the  thirty-second 
degree  of  the  Scottish  Rite  and  was  ever  an  interested  exponent  of  the  principles 
of  the  craft.  In  politics  he  was  independent,  but  was  a  public-spirited  citizen  and 
a  charitable,  kindly  man,  ever  ready  to  lend  a  helping  hand  where  assistance  was 
needed. 


THEODORE  PETERSEN. 

The  history  of  Theodore  Petersen  constitutes,  an  interesting  and  important 
chapter  in  the  commercial  records  of  Davenport  for  through  forty  years  he  was 
classed  with  the  leading  merchants  of  the  city.  His  devotion  to  his  business 
interests,  his  close  application  and  his  thorough  reliability  were  features  in  his 
life  that  won  for  him  the  respect  of  his  colleagues  and  associates  and  con- 
stituted an  example  that  is  well  worthy  of  emulation. 

He  was  born  November  6,  1836,  on  the  island  of  Fehmarn,  Germany,  and 
spent  the  period  of  his  minority  in  his  native  country.  But  the  opportunities 
of  the  new  world  constituted  for  him  an  irresistible  call  and  in  1858  he  severed 
the  ties  which  bound  him  to  Germany  and  crossed  the  Atlantic.  For  a  year 
he  remained  a  resident  of  New  York  and  then  came  to  Davenport,  entering  busi- 
ness circles  in  this  city  as  a  salesman  in  the  employ  of  Otto  Klug,  with  whom 
he  continued  for  two  years.  He  afterward  went  to  Chicago  where  he  remained 
for  two  years,  being  employed  there  by  Sehn  Brothers,  the  firm  of  Herzberg 
&  Goodman  and  Kehoe  &  Company.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  re- 
turned to  Davenport  and  in  1872  formed  a  partnership  with  Fred  Kruse  at 
310  West  Second  street.  There  they  conducted  business  for  many  years  and 
in  that  period  developed  an  enterprise  of  large  proportions,  carrying  an  extensive 
stock  and  meeting  the  demands  of  the  public  in  a  liberal  business  policy  and  with 
progressive  methods.  Systematic  and  methodical  in  the  conduct  of  the  business, 
careful  in  management  and  reliable  in  all  commercial  transactions  and  rela-* 
tions    he  won  an  enviable  reputation  and  was  accorded  a  volume  of  business 


608  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

that  made  the  undertaking  one  of  substantial  profit.  After  the  death  of  Mr. 
Kruse  in  1902  Mr.  Petersen  retired,  turning  over  his  interests  to  his  son,  Jul- 
ius N. 

It  was  in  Davenport  that  Mr.  Petersen  was  married  to  Miss  Katherine  Weis, 
and  unto  them  were  bom  five  children:  Theodore,  who  died  in  1897  ^t  the 
age  of  twenty-seven  years;  George  P.;  Julius  N.,  junior  partner  in  the  firm  of 
Petersen  &  Petersen;  Olga,  the  wife  of  Louis  E.  Roddewig;  and  Elsa,  the 
wife  of  Philip  A.  Sonntag. 

Mr.,  Petersen  passed  away  on  the  i8th  of  April,  1904.  He  was  prominent 
among  the  German-American  residents  of  Davenport  and  was  one  of  the  or- 
ganizers of  the  Turngemeinde,  of  which  he  was  a  member  for  over  a  quarter 
of  a  century.  He  preferred  to  do  his  duty  as  a  private  citizen  yet  was  never 
neglectful  of  his  obligations  to  the  public  welfare  but  gave  of  his  time  and 
means  to  further  municipal  interests.  As  the  architect  of  his  own  fortune  he 
builded  wisely  and  well.  No  vain  hope  allured  him  to  the  new  world.  He 
had  no  untried  standards  but  at  all  times  recognized  the  fact  that  indefatigable 
labor  is  the  basis  of  success  and  that  commercial  integrity  constitutes  an  indis- 
pensable feature  therein.  He  therefore  labored  earnestly  to  win  his  advance- 
ment and  for  a  considerable  period  occupied  a  conspicuous  and  creditable  place 
among  the  successful  business  men  of  this  city. 


GEORGE  FRAUEN. 


A  highly  cultivated  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  section  20,  Hickory 
Grove  township,  is  the  home  of  George  Frauen.  He  was  born  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
February  22,  1852,  and  on  the  ist  of  April  following  was  brought  to  Scott  county 
by  his  parents,  Christian  and  Mary  (Golinghorst)  Frauen.  The  father  was  born 
in  Holstein,  Germany,  July  25,  1819,  and  came  as  a  youth  to  America.  For  four- 
teen years  thereafter  he  followed  the  sea,  touching  the  ports  of  New  York,  Boston, 
Philadelphia  and  New  Orleans.  He  then  abandoned  a  seafaring  life  and,  locating 
in  the  Crescent  city,  there  worked  on  cotton  presses.  It  was  while  still  a  resident 
of  that  city,  in  1849,  that  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Golinghorst,  who 
was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  January  i,  1828,  and  came  to  America  a  year  or 
two  prior  to  her  marriage.  They  began  their  domestic  life  in  the  Crescent  city 
but  there  remained  for  only  one  year,  removing  to  St.  Louis  in  1850.  It  was  while 
residing  in  that  city  that  their  two  sons,  John  and  George,  were  born,  the  former 
on  the  4th  of  April,  1850.  After  a  residence  of  but  two  years  in  St.  Louis,  the 
father  sought  a  home  in  Iowa,  making  a  permanent  location  on  eighty  acres  of  land 
in  Hickory  Grove  township,  Scott  county.  He  then  took  up  the  work  of  general 
farming,  which  he  continued  to  follow  throughout  his  remaining  years,  but  in  the 
meantime  he  added  to  his  possessions,  owning  at  the  time  of  his  death  a  half  section 
of  land.  The  wife  and  mother  departed  this  life  on  the  loth  of  May,  1889,  and  the 
father,  surviving  for  a  long  period,  was  called  to  the  home  beyond  on  the  7th  of 
February,  1907,  having  reached  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years.  Both  are  buried  on 
the  home  farm.     This  place  is  now  owned  by  the  son  John,  it  comprising  one  hun- 


CHUISTIAX  FRAUEN 


rjEoKCK  FPvAUEN 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  613 

dred  and  sixty  acres  on  section  19,  Hickory  Grove  township.  He  is  engaged  in 
farming  and  is  numbered  among  the  substantial  residents  of  this  section  of  Iowa. 

George  Frauen,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  review,  was  but  a  few  weeks  old 
when  brought  by  his  parents  to  Scott  county.  He  was  reared  to  farm  life,  spend- 
ing his  time  in  the  usual  manner  of  farm  lads  of  that  period.  When  starting  out 
upon  an  independent  career,  he  chose  the  occupation  to  which  he  had  been  reared, 
first  renting  land  of  his  father  and  cultivating  it  for  about  fifteen  years.  In  the 
meantime  he  prospered  and  in  1891  was  able  to  purchase  his  present  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  located  on  section  20,  Hickory  Grove  township.  Since 
taking  possession  he  has  made  substantial  improvements  and  now  has  a  valuable 
property,  the  soil  yielding  rich  harvests  in  their  season.  He  gives  his  time  to  farm- 
ing and  stock-raising  and  is  meeting  with  merited  success. 

Mr.  Frauen  has  been  married  twice.  He  first  wedded,  in  1875,  Miss  Doris 
Duge,  who  was  born  in  Davenport  and  passed  away  in  Hickory  Grove  township  in 
1891,  at  the  comparatively  early  age  of  thirty-three  years.  She  was  a  daughter  of 
Louis  Duge,  a  native  of  Germany.  At  her  death  she  left  eight  children :  Edward, 
a  resident  of  the  state  of  Washington ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Louis  Runge,  of  Aliens 
Grove  township,  Scott  county ;  Christ,  who  makes  his  home  in  Minnesota ;  George, 
who  is  located  in  Davenport ;  Dora,  the  wife  of  Charles  Boll,  a  resident  of  Hickory 
Grove  township ;  Henry ;  Louis ;  and  Annie.  Mr.  Frauen  was  married  on  the  12th 
of  April,  1896,  to  Hattie  Heilmann,  who  was  born  in  Bsearn,  Germany,  on  Christ- 
mas day  of  1872  and  came  to  the  new  world  in  1893.  After  a  time  spent  in  Chi- 
cago, she  came  to  Scott  county,  where  she  has  since  made  her  home.  By  her  mar- 
riage she  has  become  the  mother  of  seven  children :  Annie,  John,  Hugo,  William, 
Helbert,  Rosa  and  Leonard. 

Mr.  Frauen  belongs  to  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge  at  Davenport  and  to  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  lodge  at  Walcott.  He  is  an  enterprising  and  progressive  farmer,  as  is 
indicated  by  a  glance  at  his  well  kept  farm.  He  has  added  to  its  attractiveness  by 
well  kept  buildings,  while  an  interesting  feature  is  a  pond,  which  he  dug  about  six- 
teen years  ago  and  which  covers  an  area  of  about  two  acres.  This  is  well  supplied 
with  fish.  His  farm  is  one  of  the  nice  country  homes  of  Hickory  Grove  township 
and  its  hospitality  is  one  of  its  most  pleasing  features. 


JOHN  BENEDICT. 


John  Benedict,  who  is  one  of  the  prominent  and  successful  business  men 
of  Davenport,  was  born  in  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  September  2,  1864.  His  father, 
John  Benedict,  Sr.,  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  where  he  grew  to  maturity 
and  was  married,  but  with  the  hope  of  bettering  his  fortunes  he  brought  his 
family  west.  He  chose  Rock  Island  as  his  destination,  but  at  Geneseo,  Illinois, 
was  stricken  with  typhoid  fever  and  there  died.  His  widow,  continuing  to  the 
end  of  the  journey,  took  up  her  residence  in  Rock  Island  where  she  made  her 
home  throughout  the  rest  of  her  life. 

John  Benedict,. reared  in  the  city  of  his  birth,  is  indebted  to  its  public  schools 
for  the  education  he  acquired.    He  was  not  long  permitted,  however,  to  devote 


614  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

his  time  to  his  studies,  for  at  any  early  age  he  had  to  begin  work.  Then,  as 
now,  he  beheved  that  a  man  could  do  his  best  work  when  conducting  his  own 
business,  and  through  pluck  and  industry,  he  was  soon  able  to  open  an  estab- 
lishment of  which  he  was  the  head,  being  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  reed 
chairs  and  children's  carriages.  He  notably  prospered  while  in  Rock  Island, 
but  feeling  that  larger  opportunities  lay  in  Davenport,  he  removed  to  this  city. 
Shortly  after  his  arrivel  here  he  sold  his  business  and  became  a  traveling  rep- 
resentative and  later  manager  of  the  Morgan  Match  Box  Company,  continu- 
ing in  the  latter  capacity  until  1904,  when  he  again  established  a  business  of  his 
own.  In  the  subsequent  years  he  has  dealt  in  building  material,  his  trade  cover- 
ing a  radius  of  two  hundred  miles  from  Davenport.  While  Mr.  Benedict  pos- 
sesses in  high  degree  those  faculties  which  are  so  potent  in  winning  trade,  he 
is  also  endowed  with  the  ability  to  so  conduct  his  affairs  that  they  will  gain  for 
him  a  well  deserved  success  financially  and  the  good  will  of  those  who  have  deal* 
ings  with  him. 

In  December,  1889,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Benedict  and  Miss 
Minnie  May  Keys,  a  native  of  Rock  Island.  Two  daughters,  Almira  May  and 
Minnie  Esther,  have  been  born  to  them.  Mr.  Benedict  is  a  member  of  the 
local  lodge  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  also  belongs 
to  other  organizations  of  a  social  and  fraternal  nature.  He  is  a  republican  in 
his  political  preferences  but  is  not  an  aspirant  for  office.  Nevertheless  he  has 
strong  feelings  upon  the  matter  of  government,  and  high  ideals  as  regard  citi- 
zenship in  general  but  in  particular  in  regard  to  the  freedom  of  office,  from 
graft  and  all  illicit  practices.  He  has  always  taken  a  keen  interest  in  matters 
of  public  concern,  and,  being  a  man  of  strong  convictions  and  endowed  with  a 
power  of  expressing  his  views  convincingly,  his  influence,  ever  asserted  in 
worthy  cause,  is  not  without  its  effect. 


ISAAC  H.  SEARS. 


Isaac  H.  Sears,  long  one  of  the  most  prominent  representatives  of  the  busi- 
ness men  of  Davenport,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  city  for  more  than  a  half 
century  and,  although  he  has  now  passed  the  eighty-eighth  milestone  on  life's 
journey,  he  may  still  be  seen  each  day  at  the  Scott  County  Savings  Bank,  of 
which  he  has  been  the  only  president,  called  to  this  office  in  1883.  Klthough 
the  snow  of  many  winters  has  whitened  his  hair,  in  spirit  and  in  interest  he  seems 
yet  in  his  prime.  Old  age  need  not  suggest  as  a  matter  of  course  helplessness 
or  want  of  occupation.  On  the  contrary,  there  is  an  old  age  which  grows 
stronger  and  brighter  mentally  and  morally  as  the  years  advance  and  continually 
gives  out  of  its  rich  stores  of  wisdom  and  experience  for  the  benefit  of  others. 
Such  is  the  record  of  Isaac  H.  Sears,  a  man  honored  wherever  known  and 
most  of  all  where  he  is  best  known. 

Mr.  Sears  was  born  near  Ballston,  Saratoga  county,  New  York,  October  9, 
1821,  his  parents  being  Alexander  and  Mary  (Howe)  Sears,  who  were  also 
natives  of  that  locality,  although  the  Howes  were  of  an  old  Connecticut  family, 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  615 

while  the  Sears  came  from  Massachusetts.  The  father  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade 
and  died  about  1845.  The  mother  lived  to  be  more  than  ninety  years  of  age. 
Both  the  grandfathers  of  Isaac  H.  Sears  were  soldiers  of  the  Revolutionary  war. 
In  the  father's  family  were  nine  children,  of  whom  three  died  in  infancy.  One 
of  the  sons,  Epeneus  Sears,  was  an  early  settler  of  Fremont  county,  Iowa,  where 
he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  and  served  as  judge  of  the  district  court. 

Isaac  H.  Sears  attended  the  common  schools  until  eighteen  years  of  age, 
when  he  left  home  in  order  to  have  better  opportunities  of  earning  a  livelihood. 
The  first  year  he  was  employed  in  a  clerical  capacity  in  connection  with  the 
Croton  Water  Works.  He  afterward  went  to  Berlin,  Connecticut,  where  he 
spent  a  year  as  a  clerk  for  a  brother  who  was  a  contractor  for  the  New  Haven 
&  Hartford  Railroad.  He  afterward  occupied  a  clerical  position  in  connection 
with  the  Erie  canal  which  was  being  widened  and  deepened.  He  spent  about  a 
year  in  that  way  and  also  a  similar  period  in  the  service  of  the  Albany  &  West 
Stockbridge  Railroad.  Returning  home,  he  entered  the  employ  of  a  wall-paper 
manufactory  which  was  organized  about  that  time.  Gradually  he  worked  his 
way  upward  in  that  service  until  he  became  superintendent  of  the  business,  his 
connection  therewith  covering  five  years.  In  April,  1855,  he  came  to  Iowa  and 
made  his  way  at  once  to  Davenport,  which  at  that  time  contained  a  popula- 
tion of  about  seven  thousand  but  had  no  railroad.  In  company  with  W.  K. 
Haight  he  established  the  first  wholesale  and  retail  saddlery  hardware  business 
in  Davenport,  his  store  being  located  at  the  corner  of  Perry  and  Second  streets. 
The  business  is  still  carried  on  under  the  name  of  the  Sears,  Frizzell  Company. 
Mr.  Sears  began  operations  on  a  small  scale  but  continued  the  business  for  over 
thirty  years,  during  which  time  he  gradually  increased  his  stock  to  meet  the 
growing  demands  of  the  trade  until  the  enterprise  assumed  extensive  and  prof- 
itable proportions.  After  a  time  he  purchased  his  partner's  interest  and  a  little 
later  turned  over  the  business  to  his  sons,  giving  into  their  charge  what  had 
become  one  of  the  large  and  important  mercantile  interests  of  the  city. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Sears  had  become  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Scott 
County  Savings  Bank,  which  was  established  in  1883.  He  was  chosen  a  trustee 
and  director  and  at  the  organization  was  also  elected  president,  in  which  capa- 
city he  has  continued  to  serve  to  the  present  time.  The  record  of  the  bank  is 
synonymous  with  his  own  honorable  name  and  no  name  is  more  truly  a  syno- 
nym for  business  integrity  and  enterprise  in  Davenport.  Mr.  Sears  also  became 
a  director  of  the  Davenport  Woolen  Mills,  was  long  vice  president  of  the  com- 
pany and  for  four  years  has  been  president,  succeeding  Samuel  A.  Jennings.  He 
has  ever  been  recognized  as  a  man  of  sound  business  judgment,  carefully  co- 
ordinating forces  and  utilizing  methods  which  lead  to  legitimate  success.  He 
has  been  quick  to  recognize  the  essential,  to  do  away  with  all  that  is  unneces- 
sary and  to  economize  time,  material  and  labor  but  never  at  the  expense  of 
high  class  production  or  capable  service. 

In  1843  Mr.  Sears  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nancy  Jennings,  a  sister  of 
Samuel  A.  Jennings  and  a  native  of  Saratoga  county.  New  York.  They  became 
parents  of  seven  children:  Samuel,  a  member  of  the  Sears,  Frizzell  Company; 
Alexander,  who  is  located  at  Colorado  Springs,  Colorado;  Minnie,  the  wife  of 
George  W.  Knostman,  of  Davenport;  Jennie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty- 


616  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

two  years ;  Nancy,  the  wife  of  John  F.  Dow,  of  Davenport ;  Bertha,  the  wife 
of  George  W.  Murphy,  a  civil  engineer  of  Seattle ;  and  Isaac  L.,  manager  of  the 
leather  saddlery  business  of  the  Sears,  Frizzell  Company.  The  wife  and  mother 
died  July  i,  1900,  after  a  happy  married  life  of  about  fifty-seven  years. 

In  all  the  period  of  his  residence  in  Davenport  Mr.  Sears  has  stood  as  the 
champion  of  those  measures  which  tend  to  benefit  the  city  along  the  lines  of  ma- 
terial, intellectual,  political  and  moral  progress.  He  is  an  old-school  democrat, 
loyal  to  his  belief,  and  for  several  years  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  city  coun- 
cil and  also  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  being  chairman  of  the 
board  for  some  time,  including  that  period  in  which  the  courthouse,  the  poor 
house  and  other  public  buildings  were  erected.  He  saw  the  courthouse  built  and 
paid  for  and  then  retired  from  the  board.  While  living  in  the  east  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  has  long  been^  identified 
with  the  Episcopal  church  and  his  life  has  ever  been  actuated  by  high  and  honor- 
able principles,  in  harmony  with  his  professions.  There  are  few  men  whose 
lives  are  crowned  with  the  honor  and  respect  which  is  uniformly  accorded  to 
Isaac  H.  Sears,  but  through  more  than  a  half  century's  connection  with  Daven- 
port's history  his  has  been  an  unblemished  character.  With  him  success  in  life 
has  been  reached  by  his  sterling  qualities  of  mind  and  a  heart  true  to  every  manly 
principle.  He  has  never  deviated  from  what  his  judgment  would  indicate  to  be 
right  and  honorable  between  his  fellowmen  and  himself.  He  has  never  swerved 
from  the  path  of  duty  and  now,  after  a  long  and  eventful  career — in  which  his 
usefulness  still  continues — he  can  look  back  over  the  past  with  pride  and  enjoy 
the  remaining  days  of  his  earthly  pilgrimage  with  the  consciousness  of  having 
gained  for  himself  by  his  honorable,  straightforward  life  the  confidence  and  re- 
spect of  the  entire  community  in  which  he  lives. 


CLAUS  STOLTENBERG. 

Investigation  into  the  history  of  Davenport  shows  that  the  native  sons 
of  the  fatherland  have  been  prominent  and  conspicuous  factors  in  the  business 
activity  and  development  of  the  city.  The  industry  and  resolute  purpose  char- 
acteristic of  the  representatives  of  the  Teutonic  race  have  constituted  salient 
features  in  the  commercial  progress  of  the  city  and  prominent  as  a  representa- 
tive of  this  class  is  Claus  Stoltenberg,  now  president  of  the  Farmers  &  Mechan- 
ics Savings  Bank. 

He  was  born  April  i,  1831,  in  Germany,  and  when  sixteen  years  of  age  ac- 
companied his  father,  Hans  Stoltenberg,  to  the  United  States,  the  year  of  emi- 
gration being  1847.  The  mother  had  previously  died  in  her  native  land.  On 
reaching  American  shores  the  father  made  his  way  into  the  interior  of  the 
country,  settling  in  Davenport  township,  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  he  entered 
land  from  the  government  and  developed  a  homestead,  on  which  he  reared  his 
family. 

Claus  Stoltenberg  had  acquired  a  good  education  in  his  native  country  and 
after  coming  to  the  United  States  bent  his  energies  to  the  development  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  617 

home  farm.  Scott  county  at  that  time  was  largely  an  unimproved  district,  in 
which  were  many  evidences  of  frontier  life.  There  were  no  schools  in  Daven- 
port township  at  that  time  and  the  homes  were  widely  scattered,  while  much 
of  the  land  was  still  unclaimed  and  uncultivated,  but  the  state  was  rich  in  its 
natural  resources  and  the  opportunities  afforded  made  for  success  when  am- 
bition and  energy  prompted  their  immediate  utilization.  Claus  Stoltenberg  was 
one  of  the  younger  children  of  his  father's  family  and,  like  the  others,  was 
reared  to  farm  life  amid  the  scenes  of  a  pioneer  existence.  He  and  his  brothers, 
Hans  and  Joachim,  turned  their  attention  to  farming,  each  receiving  eighty  acres. 
The  subject  of  this  review  remained  upon  his  father's  farm  for  forty-six  years, 
prospering  as  time  passed  and  accumulating,  as  the  result  of  his  well  directed 
industry,  considerable  land  and  money.  He  was  diligent  and  persistent  and 
his  careful  management  brought  him  substantial  success.  In  1893  he  retired 
from  farm  work  and  came  to  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  figured  in  the  finan- 
cial circles  of  the  city.  In  connection  with  Fred  Heinz  and  others  he  organized 
the  Farmers  &  Mechanics  Savings  Bank,  of  which  Mr.  Heinz  became  president, 
while  Mr.  Stoltenberg  accepted  the  vice  presidency  and  later  succeeded  Mr. 
Heinz  as  president.  B.  J.  Meyer  became  cashier  and  the  business  was  instituted 
upon  a  safe  and  paying  basis,  its  conservative  methods  commending  it  to  the 
patronage  and  support  of  the  general  public.  Mr.  Stoltenberg  was  also  con- 
nected with  the  Davenport  Malting  Company  for  a  number  of  years. 

In  1853  Mr.  Stoltenberg  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Sindt,  a  native  of 
Germany,  who  came  to  Davenport  in  1851  with  her  father,  Hans  Sindt.  Mr. 
Stoltenberg  is  very  prominent  in  Masonry,  having  attained  the  thirty-second 
degree  of  the  Scottish  Rite,  his  life  being  a  splendid  exemplification  of  the  basic 
principles  of  the  order.  His  political  allegiance  has  been  given  to  the  democracy 
since  age  conferred  upon  him  the  right  of  franchise  and  he  served  as  county 
supervisor  from  1892  until  1895.  While  he  is  interested  in  the  political  situ- 
ation of  the  country,  he  has  concentrated  his  efforts  more  largely  upon  business 
affairs  and  has  won  commendable  success.  He  stands  as  a  splendid  type  of  the 
German  pioneer  of  worth  in  citizenship,  progressive  in  thought  and  action — a 
man  of  high  character,  honored  wherever  known  and  most  of  all  where  best 
known. 


JOSEPH  H.  SKELLY. 


The  death  of  Joseph  H.  Skelly  occurred  in  Davenport,  November  25,  1900, 
after  a  residence  of  seven  years  in  this  city.  He  was  born  in  La  Salle,  Illinois, 
December  16,  1854.  His  father  was  a  pioneer  of  that  locality  and  engaged  ii? 
teaming  in  La  Salle.  In  his  youthful  days  the  son  attended  the  Brothers  schools 
and  was  baptized  and  confirmed  in  the  Roman  Catholic  church  at  La  Salle. 
When  fourteen  years  of  age  he  began  providing  for  his  own  support,  taking  up 
railroad  work,  in  which  position  he  was  advanced  from  ofi&ce  boy  to  clerk,  opera- 
tor and  train  dispatcher.  He  thoroughly  learned  the  railroad  business  and  be- 
came a  warm  personal  friend  of  William  C.  Brown,  they  starting  in  together  as 
telegraph  operators.     Mr.  Skelly  spent  many  years  in  the  service  of  the  Rock 


618  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Island,  Northern  Pacific  and  the  Burlington  Companies,  and  while  at  Creston, 
Iowa,  became  affected  with  telegrapher's  paralysis  in  his  right  arm.  In  1893  he 
came  to  Davenport  from  Kansas  City  and  opened  a  cigar  store,  handling  all 
kinds  of  smokers'  supplies  and  winning  for  himself  a  large  and  profitable  trade. 
He  was  popular  with  the  people  here  and  built  up  a  good  business,  which  enabled 
him.  at  the  time  of  his  death  to  leave  his  family  a  comfortable  competence. 

Mr.  Skelly  was  married  in  Stillwater,  Minnesota,  in  1888,  to  Miss  Ernestine 
P.  Paulson,  a  daughter  of  P.  A.  Paulson,  who  came  to  Davenport  in  the  'sos  and 
was  for  many  years  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  the  city,  carrying  on  a 
jewelry  store  here.  He  was  lost  at  sea  in  the  wreck  of  the  Schiller,  May  9, 1875. 
His  wife  had  previously  passed  away.  He  left  five  children,  all  of  whom  sur- 
vive him:  Mrs.  H.  T.  Jassoy  and  Mrs.  L.  L.  Mauwaring,  both  of  Stillwater, 
Minnesota;  Mrs.  Theodore  Oelkers,  of  this  city;  G.  A.,  also  of  Davenport;  and 
Mrs.  Skelly.  The  mother,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Julia  Sieboldt,  was  a 
native  of  Germany.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Skelly  was  born  but  one  child,  E.  J., 
who  is  at  home  with  his  mother. 

The  death  of  the  husband  and  father  occurred  November  25,  1900.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  first  Business  Men's  Club  of  Davenport,  also  held  member- 
ship in  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  gave  his  political  allegiance  to  the  republican 
party.  Although  confirmed  in  the  Catholic  church,  he  attended  Grace  cathedral, 
now  Trinity  cathedral,  of  the  Episcopal  faith,  after  his  marriage.  His  marked 
qualities  were  those  which  won  him  kindly  regard  and  warm  friendship  as  well 
as  the  abiding  love  of  his  family.  His  success  in  business  was  attributable  en- 
tirely to  his  own  efforts,  for  at  the  early  age  of  fourteen  he  started  out  empty- 
handed  and  labored  for  those  advantages  which  others  sometimes  receive 
through  inheritance  or  through  the  offices  of  influential  friends.  His  own  dili- 
gence constituted  the  key  which  unlocked  for  him  the  portals  of  success. 


FRITZ  RANN. 


A  valuable  farm  of  two  hundred  and  ten  acres  in  Cleona  township  still  pays 
tribute  to  Fritz  Rann,  although  he  has  put  aside  the  active  work  of  the  fields 
and  is  now  living  retired  in  Davenport.  He  was  for  many  years  busily  engaged 
in  tilling  the  soil  and  his  labors  brought  him  the  success  which  enables  him  now 
to  rest  from  further  effort.  He  was  born  in  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany, 
September  6,  1844,  and  is  a  son  of  Frederick  and  Louisa  Rann.  The  father  was 
a  laborer  there  and  remained  in  his  native  country  until  1872,  when  he  and  his 
wife  came  to  America,  joining  their  son  Fritz,  who  had  some  time  before  crossed 
the  Atlantic.  They  both  died  in  Davenport,  the  father  when  eighty-seven  years 
of  age,  the  mother  when  about  fifty-five  years  of  age.  In  their  family  were 
three  children:  Fritz;  Peter,  who  is  a  retired  farmer  living  in  Muscatine,  Iowa; 
and  Henry,  whose  home  is  in  Omaha. 

Fritz  Rann  attended  school  in  Germany  and  afterward  learned  the  cboper's 
trade,  but  followed  farming  in  Germany  until  he  came  to  the  United  States.  In 
1870  he  landed  at  New  York  and  made  his  way  direct  to  Davenport.    Soon  he 


mi;,  and  MRS.  FRITZ  RANN 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  621 

secured  employment  as  a  fann  hand  in  Scott  county  and  worked  in  that  way  for 
about  five  years,  after  which  he  went  to  Nebraska,  where  he  rented  a  farm.  Two 
years  later,  however,  he  lost  all  of  his  money  and  returned  to  Scott  county. 
Here  he  again  worked  as  a  farm  hand  for  two  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 
was  married.  His  wife  owned  a  small  farm  in  Cleona  township  and  they  lived 
thereon  for  about  two  years,  after  which  they  removed  to  Davenport,  where 
Mr.  Rann  has  since  made  his  home. 

Mr.  Rann  has  been  married  twice.  In  1880  he  wedded  Miss  Minnie  Rusch, 
who  died  in  1895.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he  wedded  Louisa  Stearhmann 
and  unto  them  was  born  one  child,  who  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Rann  now  rents  his 
farm  and  from  it  derives  a  good  income,  so  that  he  does  not  have  to  resort  to 
active  labor  for  a  livehhood.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Claus  Groth  Gilde  and  is 
well  known  among  the  German-American  citizens  of  the  county.  All  entertain 
for  him  confidence  and  good  will. 


FRED  WERNENTIN,  JR. 

Fred  Wernentin,  Jr.,  whose  life  record  has  been  characterized  by  an  orderly 
progression,  is  now  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Midland  Plumbing  Sup- 
ply Company,  conducting  a  wholesale  plumbing  and  supply  business  that  is 
hardly  exceeded  in  the  extent  of  trade  in  the  state.  Correctly  judging  of  his 
own  capacities  and  powers,  he  has  utilized  each  passing  moment  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage and  at  all  times  based  his  business  principles  and  conduct  upon  the  rules 
which  govern  strict  and  unswerving  commercial  integrity.  Davenport  is  proud 
of  his  record,  inasmuch  as  he  is  one  of  her  native  sons,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred here  in  1870, 

His  parents  were  Fred  and  Mary  (Doering)  Wernentin.  The  former  came 
from  Germany  when  a  young  man.  He  had  previously  acquired  a  good  edu- 
cation in  that  country,  and,  attracted  by  the  reports  of  opportunities  here  offered, 
he  crossed  the  Atlantic,  hoping  to  benefit  his  financial  condition  in  the  new  world. 
He  came  direct  to  Davenport,  where  he  followed  the  stone-mason's  trade,  which 
he  had  previously  learned  in  the  land  of  his  birth.  He  worked  on  Government 
Island  for  a  time  and  later  was  appointed  mail  carrier,  which  position  he  filled 
for  a  number  of  years.  He  then  entered  the  employ  of  John  Berwald  but  all 
through  this  period  was  actuated  by  the  laudable  ambition  and  determination 
of  one  day  engaging  in  business  for  himself.  When  his  industry  and  careful 
expenditure  made  this  course  possible,  he  established  a  stationery  and  book 
business,  in  which  he  met  with  growing  success,  building  up  a  good  trade.  Later, 
however,  he  disposed  of  his  store  and  became  connected  with  the  Corry  &  Wer- 
nentin Company,  with  which  he  was  associated  until  about  three  years  ago, 
and  up  to  the  time  that  this  company  sold  their  interests  to  the  Midland  Plumb- 
ing Supply  Company,  when  he  retired  from  active  life  to  spend  his  remaining 
days  in  the  enjoyment  of  well  earned  rest.  He  has  never  had  occasion  to  re- 
gret his  determination  to  come  to  America,,  for  he  has  here  found  the  oppor- 
tunities which  he  sought  and  in  their  utilization,  as  the  years  have  gone  by,  has 


622  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

gained  a  substantial  competence.  Moreover,  his  social  environment  has  been 
a  pleasing  one,  for  he  has  gained  many  friends  during  the  period  of  his  resi- 
dence in  the  city.  . 

Fred  Wernentin,  Jr.,  is  the  second  eldest  of  four  children,  the  others  being, 
Oscar,  Edward  and  Clara  Wernentin.  At  the  usual  age  he  entered  the  public 
schools  but  when  still  quite  young  took  up  the  plumbing  trade,  to  which  he  ap- 
plied himself  diligently  until  he  had  mastered  the  business  and  became  an  ex- 
pert workman.  He  remained  in  the  service  of  others  for  some  time  but  de- 
siring that  his  labors  should  more  directly  benefit  himself,  he  embraced  what  he 
believed  to  be  a  favorable  opportunity  for  starting  out  upon  an  independent 
venture.  He  joined  John  Corry  in  organizing  what  was  then  called  the  Corry 
&  Wernentin  Company.  From  the  beginning  the  new  enterprise  prospered  and 
its  progressive  policy  has  led  to  the  continual  expansion  of  the  business,  which 
more  recently  has  been  organized  and  incorporated  imder  the  name  of  the  Mid- 
land Plumbing  Supply  Company,  controlling  one  of  the  largest  concerns  of  the 
kind  in  the  state.  They  do  a  wholesale  plumbing  and  supply  business  and  the 
extent  of  their  trade  makes  this  one  of  the  foremost  business  enterprises  in 
Davenport. 

In  1898  Mr.  Wernentin  was  married  to  Miss  Annie  Lembke,  a  daughter  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Lembke,  and  unto  them  have  been  born  two  children,  but 
the  elder,  Elwin,  is  now  deceased,  having  been  unfortunately  killed  in  June, 
1909.    The  younger  son  Leon,  is  still  in  school. 

Mr.  Wernentin  is  a  very  prominent  Mason,  the  "Degree  of  Knight  Com- 
mander of  the  Court  of  Honor"  having  been  conferred  upon  him,  an  honor  to 
which  few  attain.  Diligent  and  determined,  he  brooks  no  obstacles  that  can 
be  overcome  by  persistent  and  honorable  efifort,  and  his  unfaltering  industry 
has  carried  him  into  important  business  relations. 


J.  C.  DUNCAN. 


One  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  Davenport,  whose  name  at  least  is  known 
throughout  the  state,  is  J.  C.  Duncan,  of  the  Duncan  Davenport  Business  Col- 
lege. He  was  born  in  Allegheny  county,  Pennsylvania,  December  14,  1840,  of 
Scotch  ancestors,  for  his  grandfather,  James  Duncan,  came  from  the  land  of 
hills  and  heather  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century.  His  son,  James 
Duncan,  was  born  in  Virginia,  but  was  reared  by  a  farmer  in  Allegheny  county, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  made  his  home  until  1855,  when  he  came  to  Iowa,  lo- 
cating near  Le  Claire,  Scott  county.  There  he  lived  throughout  the  remainder 
of  his  life  and  there  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine  years.  His  wife,  who  had  been 
Miss  Jane  Wilson,  before  her  marriage,  was  a  native  of  Allegheny  county, 
Pennsylvania,  and  lived  to  the  ripe  age  of  sixty-eight  years.  Eleven  children 
were  born  to  them,  all  of  whom  grew  to  maturity  and  eight  are  still  living. 

The  second  in  this  family  and  the  eldest  son,  J.  C.  Duncan,  grew  to  man- 
hood with  many  of  the  responsibilities  that  fall  to  the  share  of  the  eldest  among 
a  number  of  children.     He  was  about  fourteen  when  his  parents  came  to  Iowa 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  623 

and  can  well  remember  the  tedious  trip  by  water  in  those  days,  when  con- 
veniences for  traveling  were  few.  He  had  received  his  early  education  in  the 
state  of  his  birth,  but  after  his  advent  here  attended  the  public  schools  of  this 
county  while  giving  the  best  of  his  labor  to  the  cultivation  of  the  farm  under 
the  guidance  of  his  father.  When  he  was  nineteen  he  started  out  to  make  his 
own  way  in  the  world.  He  went  first  to  Kansas  with  the  intention  of  remain- 
ing for  one  month,  but  he  discovered  opportunities  in  that  state  and  it  was  two 
years  before  he  returned  to  Scott  county  to  take  up  farming.  For  the  next  fifteen 
years  he  toiled  assiduously  in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  except  three  years  dur- 
ing the  Civil  war,  but  although  he  was  successful  in  a  measure,  he  was  con- 
fident that  larger  opportunities  and  a  more  congenial  occupation  awaited  him 
elsewhere.  Accordingly  he  entered,  as  a  student,  the  Bryant  and  Stratton  Bus- 
iness College  of  Davenport  and,  having  completed  the  course  of  study,  ac- 
cepted a  position  as  teacher  in  that  institution,  which  he  held  until  1883,  when  he 
became  part  owner  of  the  concern.  Three  years  later,  in  1886,  he  bought  the 
interests  of  his  partners,  changed  the  name  of  the  school  to  the  Duncan  Daven- 
port Business  College  and  as  such  has  conducted  it  to  the  present  time.  Its 
students  and  graduates  are  found  throughout  the  country,  but  in  the  state  of 
Iowa  alone  fifty-six  cashiers  and  thirty-five  assistant  cashiers  of  banks  were 
initiated  into  the  intricacies  of  business  in  his  school.  This  is  surely  a  grati- 
fying percentage,  but  it  does  not  include  the  many  other  graduates  who  are 
proving  a  credit  to  the  institution  and  its  head  in  positions  of  equal  responsi- 
bility, for  Mr.  Duncan  has  made  a  name  for  himself  as  a  thorough  instructor, 
a  man  of  fine  business  ability  and  high  principles,  so  that  the  college  is  recog- 
nized as  an  institution  in  which  thorough  instruction  is  given  and  the  nobler  ideals 
of  life  inculcated.  The  students  as  they  issue  from  his  doors  are  well  fitted 
to  fill  responsible  positions  and  by  their  achievements  spread  the  fair  reputation 
of  the  Duncan  Davenport  Business  College  more  effectively  than  paid 
advertising. 

In  1862,  Mr.  Duncan  wedded  Miss  Nancy  McConnell,  who  like  her  husband 
was  born  in  Allegheny  county,  Pennsylvania.  Of  the  children  born  to  them  three 
sons  and  four  daughters  are  still  living.  They  are  Ella,  now  a  teacher;  E.  H., 
head  accountant  for  the  Armour  car  lines  of  Chicago,  Illinois;  Violet,  at  home; 
Katie,  the  wife  of  Phillip  Freytag,  of  Reynolds,  Illinois;  J.  D.,  the  manager  of 
J.  H.  C.  Petersen's  general  store  in  Davenport ;  Charles,  who  is  in  the  wholesale 
grocery  business  in  Davenport,  being  secretary  of  the  company  and  also  of  the 
Crosset  Timber  Company;  and  Laura,  a  stenographer  for  the  J.  H.  C.  Petersen 
Company. 

For  more  than  half  a  century  Mr.  Duncan  has  been  a  resident  of  Scott  county, 
and  while  he  has  taken  little  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  local  government  his  in- 
fluence has  ever  been  exerted  in  behalf  of  the  best  interests  of  his  fellow  citi- 
zens. His  support  has  always  been  given  to  the  republican  party.  Frater- 
nally he  is  connected  with  the  Modem  Woodmen  and  with  the  Masons.  In 
the  latter  organization  he  is  particularly  active  for  he  has  advanced  to  the 
thirty-second  degree,  has  been  knighted  in  the  commandery  and  has  been  ad- 
mitted to  the  Order  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  is  one  of  the  well  known  men 
of  Davenport,  where  he  enjoys  an  enviable  reputation  as  the  result  of  his  many 


624  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

years  of  earnest  endeavor  and  devotion  to  what  he  believed  to  be  the  right.  Dur- 
ing the  dark  days  of  the  Civil  war  he  manifested  his  patriotism  by  enlisting  as 
a  private  August  15,  1862  in  Company  G,  Twentieth  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry, 
which  was  engaged  in  frontier  service  through  Missouri,  Arkansas  and  Indian 
Territory.  The  regiment  also  took  part  in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  and  Fort 
Morgan  and  continued  in  active  service  until  hostilities  ceased.  Mr.  Duncan 
is  now  an  honored  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 


CHARLES  FAUSTIAN. 

Charles  Paustian  is  known  as  a  successful  farmer  of  Hickory  Grove  town- 
ship, his  possessions  comprising  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land  all  in  one 
body,  this  place  being  called  the  Home  Farm.  It  is  also  his  birthplace,  his  natal 
day  being  September  6,  1865.  His  parents,  Frederick  and  Christina  (Roehs) 
Paustian,  were  natives  of  Holstein,  Germany,  the  former  born  January  14,.  1820, 
and  the  latter  bom  on  the  25th  of  August,  1825.  They  were  reared  in  the  old 
country  and  came  to  the  new  world  in  185 1.  They  were  married  soon  after 
their  arrival  here  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Scott  county,  which  the  father  bought. 
Prior  to  coming  to  America  he  had  followed  his  trade  of  a  mason  but  after  lo- 
cating in  Scott  county  gave  his  time  to  general  farming  throughout  his  busi- 
ness career.  His  family  numbered  twelve  children  but  two  of  the  number  died 
in  childhood,  the  others  being:  Caroline,  the  wife  of  Martin  Greenwald,  of  Qeona 
township;  Fred,  who  resides  in  Minnesota;  August,  of  Hickory  Grove  town- 
ship; Emma,  the  wife  of  Christ  Paustian,  of  Cleona  township;  Louis,  who 
makes  his  home  in  Cedar  county,  Iowa;  Sophia,  the  wife  of  William  Buhmahn, 
a  resident  of  O'Brien  county,  Iowa ;  James,  of  Hickory  Grove  township ;  Charles, 
of  this  review;  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Herman  Meinert,  who  resides  in  Cleona 
township ;  and  Bertha,  the  wife  of  Henry  Paulsen,  a  resident  of  Muscatine  county, 
Iowa.  The  parents  became  well-to-do  and  highly  respected  pioneers  of  Scott 
county  but  both  are  now  deceased.  The  father  passed  away  on  the  27th  of 
January,  1885,  when  he  had  reached  the  age  of  sixty-five  years,  while  the 
mother,  surviving  for  about  fifteen  years,  departed  this  life  July  21,  1900,  when 
she  was  seventy-five  years  of  age. 

Charles  Paustian  was  reared  under  the  parental  roof,  assisting  his  father 
in  the  work  of  the  fields  during  the  spring  and  summer  seasons,  while  in  the 
winter  months  he  pursued  his  studies  in  the  district  schools  near  his  Rome.  He 
has  made  farming  his  life  work  and  is  now  the  owner  of  the  old  homestead  farm, 
the  tract  embracing  two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  eighty  acres  of  which  lies  on 
section  29,  while  the  remainder  is  located  on  section  30,  Hickory  Grove  town- 
ship. On  the  place  stands  a  substantial  brick  residence,  which  was  erected  by 
the  father,  while  all  the  outbuildings  have  been  built  by  Mr.  Paustian  of  this  re- 
view. Each  year  his  labors  are  rewarded  by  bounteous  harvests,  for  he  is  sys- 
tematic in  his  methods  of  farming  and  knows  what  plan  to  follow  to  bring  the 
best  results. 


FltEDEIUrK  PAISTIAX 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  627 

Mr.  Paustian  was  married  in  1891  to  Miss  Lizzie  Dietz,  who  was  born  in 
Cleona  township,  this  county,  September  20,  1868,  a  daughter  of  John  Dietz, 
a  residence  of  Cleona  township.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Paustian  have  been  born 
one  son  and  eight  daughters :  Christina,  Agnes,  Horace,  Elsie,  Malinda,  Evelyn, 
Elvira,  Norma  and  Leona. 

In  the  midst  of  a  busy  life  on  the  farm  Mr.  Paustian  finds  time  to  give  to  other 
interests  of  a  pubUc  nature,  acting  as  a  director  of  the  Walcott  Savings  Bank 
and  of  the  Farmers  Elevator  Company  of  Walcott.  In  his  political  views  he  is  a 
democrat  but  is  not  active  as  an  office  seeker.  His  fraternal  relations  are  with 
the  Knights  of  Pythias  at  Walcott.  Mr.  Paustian  chose  rather  a  significant  name 
for  his  place — Home  Farm — for  while  its  surroundings  are  characteristic  of 
all  that  the  name  implies,  it  has  as  well  been  the  place  of  his  abode  from  the 
date  of  his  birth  to  the  present  time,  and  the  associations  of  his  early  boyhood 
and  youth  as  well  as  those  of  later  manhood  have  made  it  to  him  a  cherished 
spot. 


HENRY  SINDT. 


With  the  passing  away  of  Henry  Sindt  in  1898  Walcott  lost  one  of  if  not  its 
most  public-spirited  citizen,  who  for  more  than  twenty  years  had  been  prominently 
connected  with  the  business  interests  and  public  affairs  of  the  city.  One  of 
Iowa's  native  sons,  his  birth  occurred  in  Davenport  on  October  9,  1850,  his 
parents  being  Thies  and  Abel  ( Stoltenberg)  Sindt,  both  natives  of  Holstein, 
Germany,  where  the  father  was  born  on  the  19th  of  November,  1824.  The  year 
1847  witnessed  the  arrival  of  the  parents  in  America,  the  family  home  being  es- 
tablished in  Davenport,  where  they  were  married.  The  father  followed  the  tin- 
ner's trade  until  1855.  He  then  took  up  the  occupation  of  farming  in  which  he 
was  engaged  for  a  number  of  years.  He  still  survives  at  the  age  of  eighty-five 
years,  and  makes  his  home  in  Davenport,  where  he  is  living  retired  from  active 
labor,  enjoying  a  well  earned  rest. 

Henry  Sindt,  whose  name  initiates  this  review,  was  the  eldest  in  a  family  of 
eight  children,  and  under  the  parental  roof  passed  the  period  of  his  boyhood  and 
youth.  At  the  usual  age  he  was  sent  as  a  pupil  to  the  public  schools  of  Daven- 
port, and  in  Bryant  &  Stratton  Business  College  of  that  city  received  thorough 
and  comprehensive  commercial  training  that  well  equipped  him  for  the  practical 
and  responsible  duties  of  business  life.  In  1873  he  came  to  Walcott  and  the  suc- 
ceeding two  years  were  devoted  to  the  occupation  of  farming,  after  which,  in 
1875,  he  became  identified  with  hotel  interests,  conducting  a  hostelry  up  until 
189s,  three  years  prior  to  his  death.  His  excellent  business  training  and  his 
good  judgment  and  wise  discrimination  well  fitted  him  for  carrying  on  such  an 
enterprise,  and  with  the  passing  of  the  years  his  establishment  proved  a  most 
profitable  and  paying  investment.  The  proprietor  believed  in  providing  the  very 
best  at  all  times,  recognizing  that  there  could  be  no  better  advertisement  than 
satisfied  patrons,  and  the  hotel;  modern  and  up-to-date  in  all  of  its  appointments, 
became  well  known  throughout  the  locality  for  its  excellent  service  and  was  the 
favorite  stopping  place  of  a  large  number  of  persons  visiting  this  community. 


628  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

It  was  on  the  22d  of  February,  1873,  that  Mr.  Sindt  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Catharina  Horst,  a  native  of  Holstein,  Germany,  and  a  daughter  of 
Jochim  Horst,  who  also  became  a  citizen  of  Walcott.  Four  children  came  to 
bless  this  union,  of  whom  two  are  still  living,  namely :  August,  a  resident  of  Lake 
Park,  Iowa;  and  Clara,  the  wife  of  Robert  Bennewitz,  of  Walcott.  Alma  passed 
away  on  the  29th  of  May,  1904,  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  while  Laura  died, 
in  1876  when  eleven  months  old. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Sindt  belonged  to  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen 
of  Walcott,  while  politically  he  gave  stalwart  allegiance  to  the  principles  of  the 
democratic  party.  Public-spirited  to  an  eminent  degree,  he  at  all  times  cooper- 
ated in  every  movement  which  had  for  its  object  the  advancement  and  upbuild- 
ing of  the  community.  His  fellow  citizens,  recognizing  his  ability  and  worth, 
called  him  to  various  positions  of  honor  and  trust,  and  for  nine  years  hs  served  as 
trustee  of  Blue  Grass  township.  For  six  years  he  filled  the  office  of  township 
clerk  and  from  1888  until  1894  acted  as  a  member  of  the  county  board  of  super- 
visors, also  serving  as  township  constable  for  seventeen  years.  Faithful  and 
efficient  at  all  times  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  that  devolved  upon  him  in  his 
public  office,  he  was  not  only  popular  with  the  members  of  his  own  party  but 
won  the  honor  and  esteem  of  his  political  opponents  and  no  citizen  of  Walcott 
occupied  a  higher  place  nor  more  richly  merited  the  respect  and  admiration  of 
his  fellowmen  than  did  Mr.  Sindt.  He  was  equally  well  known  in  the  social 
circles  of  this  city  and  therefore  the  news  of  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the 
9th  of  June,  1898,  caused  a  feeling  of  personal  loss  throughout  the  entire  com- 
munity, with  the  affairs  of  which  he  had  been  so  closely  and  thoroughly  identified 
during  the  period  of  his  residence  here.  His  widow  still  survives  and  makes  her 
home  in  Walcott,  where  she  is  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  know  her  for  her 
many  excellent  traits  of  heart  and  mind. 


JOHN  A.  LITTIG. 


There  is  perhaps  no  other  man  in  Davenport  who  has  done  as  much  toward 
the  improvement  of  the  streets  and  the  building  of  good  roads  as  has  John  A. 
Littig,  who  for  the  past  seven  years  has  given  his  time  to  construction  work 
along  this  line.  In  the  paternal  line  he  comes  of  French  descent  and  his  great- 
grandfather, Peter  Littig  served  as  an  officer  under  Napoleon  in  the  battle  of 
Waterloo.  His  son  John  was  the  progenitor  of  the  family  in  America.  His 
family  included  Peter  N.  Littig,  who  became  the  father  of  our  subject.  The 
latter  lived  on  a  farm  just  outside  the  city  limits  in  Davenport  township,  and  is 
one  of  the  oldest  pioneer  settlers  of  this  section  of  Iowa.  After  residing  on  his 
farm  for  many  years  he  removed  to  Davenport,  where  he  now  lives  practically 
retired  although  he  assists  his  son  in  the  management  of  his  business  interests 
merely  for  pastime.     He  wedded  Miss  Erma  Fidler,  who  died  in  1902. 

John  A.  Littig  was  born  on  the  home  farm  in  Davenport  township,  the 
date  of  his  birth  being  June  8,  1872.  At  the  usual  age  he  was  sent  to  the  com- 
mon schools  and  during  the  periods  of  vacation  he  rendered  assistance  to  his 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  629 

father  in  the  work  of  the  fields.  After  completing  his  studies  in  the  common 
schools  he  pursued  a  course  in  Griswold  College,  after  which  he  engaged  in 
teaching  for  three  years.  Subsequently  he  engaged  in  the  creamery  business 
for  a  time  but  eventually  returned  to  the  home  farm  and  assisted  his  father  in 
its  management  until  seven  years  ago,  when  he  came  to  Davenport  and  took  up 
the  work  of  contracting,  being  the  first  to  institute  the  building  of  roads  by  con- 
tract in  Scott  county.  He  began  on  a  small  scale,  doing  all  the  work  him- 
self, even  driving  the  team  in  grading.  He  has  continued  in  this  line  of  ac- 
tivity to  the  present  time  and  has  already  gained  a  reputation  for  high-grade 
work.  He  has  always  been  interested  in  good  roads  and  while  advancing  his 
own  personal  interests,  he  is  at  the  same  time  doing  an  important  work  for  the 
community  at  large. 

Mr.  Littig  was  married  on  the  3d  of  October,  1900,  to  Miss  Josephine  An- 
derson, a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  S.  Anderson,  of  Moline,  Illinois.  Three 
daughters  and  two  sons  grace  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Littig,  Marion  V., 
Earl  C,  Cloyd  E.,  Inez  C.  and  Marie  A.  Fraternally  Mr.  Littig  is  affiliated 
with  the  Elks  and  he  and  his  wife  are  communicants  of  the  Episcopal  church,  in 
the  work  of  which  they  take  an  active  and  helpful  interest.  The  family  home  is 
a  modern  residence  at  No.  223  West  Thirteenth  street  and  it  is  noted  for  its  gen- 
erous and  warm-hearted  hospitality.  In  everything,  Mr.  Littig  has  been  emi- 
nently practical  and  this  has  been  manifest  not  only  in  his  business  undertak- 
ings but  also  in  social  and  private  life. 


CHARLES  W.  PINNEO. 

Charles  W.  Pinneo  has  completed  the  three  score  years  and  ten  allotted  by 
the  Psalmist  as  man's  span  of  life  and  is  now  living  retired  in  the  village  of 
Princeton,  where  he  owns  some  valuable  property.  For  a  long  period  he  was 
identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of  Princeton  township  and  for  almost 
four  decades  was  a  factor  in  the  educational  work  of  his  section  of  Scott  county. 
His  life  covers  the  period  of  Iowa's  great  development,  and  he  is  a  son  of  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  this  section  of  the  state  whose  energy,  courage  and  progres- 
sive spirit  made  possible  the  conditions  which  are  now  enjoyed  by  all. 

Giles  M.  Pinneo,  the  father  of  Charles  W.,  is  especially  deserving  of  men- 
tion on  the  honored  roll  of  Scott  county's  early  settlers,  and  his  name  fre- 
quently appears  as  that  of  the  man  who  was  a  leader  in  various  affairs.  He  was 
bom  in  Waterbury,  Vermont,  April  10,  1809,  and  was  a  son  of  Giles  Pinneo. 
The  family  is  of  French  descent  and  was  established  on  this  side  of  the  At- 
lantic by  Jacques  Pinneaux  and  a  brother,  who  fled  to  America  at  the  time  of 
the  French  revolution.  Giles  M.  Pinneo,  Sr.,  the  grandfather  of  Charles  W. 
Pinneo,  and  his  brother  Daniel  served  in  the  American  war  of  1812,  while  two 
sons  of  the  former,  Giles  and  Haswell  Pinneo,  enlisted  in  Lincoln's  troops  at 
the  time  of  the  Black  Hawk  war.  Haswell  Pinneo  was  in  active  service  through- 
out the  conflict,  but  the  other  was  taken  sick  and  never  did  duty  upon  the  field. 


630  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Giles  M.  Pinneo,  the  father  of  our  subject,  lived  in  the  vicinity  of  Water- 
bury,  Vermont,  until  of  age,  receiving  his  education  in  the  public  schools  there. 
In  1832  he  came  west,  settling  first  near  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  where  he  worked 
for  Judge  Spencer.  In  the  fall  of  1833  he  crossed  the  river  and  took  up  a  claim 
in  Pleasant  Valley  township,  Scott  county,  Iowa,  and  the  wheat  he  sowed  upon 
that  land  was  the  first  planted  in  Scott  county.  About  a  year  later  he  came  to 
Princeton  township,  where  he  secured  at  the  government  price  three  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  prairie  land,  which  is  still  in  the  possession  of  his  son  Charles 
W.  Pinneo.  He  did  not  live  upon  that  tract  at  first,  however,  but  he  and  his 
brother  Haswell  H.  built  a  house  upon  the  river  bank,  in  which  they  kept  bach- 
elor quarters  for  a  year.  Then  Giles  M.  Pinneo  married  and  removed  to  his  own 
farm  in  Princeton  township,  the  claim  for  which  is  the  first  recorded  in  the  books 
of  the  township,  and  thereon  he  built  a  log  cabin,  in  which  he  and  his  wife  lived 
until  1855,  when  he  erected  a  fine  brick  house  that  is  still  standing.  He  made 
other  improvements  on  the  place  and  later  went  to  Sangamon  county,  Illinois, 
to  purchase  two  cows  and  a  bull,  which  were  the  first  cattle  brought  to  Prince- 
ton township. 

Giles  M.  Pinneo  occupied  a  prominent  place  in  his  township  and  county,  be- 
ing the  incumbent  of  some  office  through  the  greater  part  of  his  active  life.  He  took 
the  first  assessment  in  Scott  county  and  made  his  own  books  of  foolscap  paper, 
as  it  was  impossible  to  get  books  for  the  purpose  here.  He  also  served  as  su- 
pervisor for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  one  of  three  commissioners  appointed 
to  find  a  location  for  the  county  seat  of  Polk  county  and  it  was  largely  through 
his  influence  that  in  1846  Des  Moines  was  determined  upon,  which  later  on  led 
to  the  location  of  the  state  capital  there.  He  and  a  friend,  Wilbur  Warren,  built 
the  first  schoolhouse  here,  bringing  all  the  lumber  and  doing  all  the  work  them- 
selves, and  Mr.  Pinneo  was  instrumental  in  establishing  the  first  Sabbath  school. 
Later  he  was  a  member  of  the  school  board  and  was  ever  a  potent  factor  in  ad- 
vancing the  educational  opportunities  of  his  locality.  In  politics  he  was  a  dem- 
ocrat until  1856,  when  he  became  a  stalwart  republican,  while  his  religious  al- 
legiance was  given  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which  he  frequently 
held  office.  The  cause  of  temperance  always  found  in  him  a  strong  advocate. 
Indeed,  he  was  a  man  who  was  ever  at  the  head  of  any  movement  for  the  public 
good  and  was  well  and  favorably  known  throughout  Scott  county  and  this  sec- 
tion of  Iowa.  He  claimed  that  he  had  witnessed  the  greatest  miracle  ever 
wrought  for  the  benefit  of  man,  namely,  the  transformation  of  the  wild,  un- 
broken prairie  into  the  fertile  farms  and  prosperous  towns  now  to  be  seen  in 
this  county,  and  in  his  death,  which  occurred  July  5,  1895,  the  community  lost 
one  of  the  vaHant  men  whose  labors  had  been  so  effective  in  bringing  about  this 
change. 

In  November,  1837,  Giles  M.  Pinneo  was  married  to  Miss  Asenath  Strieker, 
who  was  born  in  Clark  county,  Indiana,  in  1818.  In  their  family  were  three 
children,  namely:  Charles  W.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Sarah,  the  deceased 
wife  of  Charles  Ritch;  and  Mary  E.,  who  lives  upon  the  old  homestead.  The 
wife  and  mother  endured  all  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life  bravely  and  was  called 
to  her  final  rest  in  1861. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  631 

Charles  W.  Pinneo  was  born  in  Princeton  township,  December  25,  1839, 
and  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  this  locality.  After  completing  the  course  in  the 
district  schools  he  entered  Cornell  College  at  Mount  Vernon,  Iowa,  but  was  com- 
pelled to  leave  school  after  the  second  year  on  account  of  his  mother's  death. 
Thereupon  he  returned  to  the  farm,  which  he  operated  in  the  summer,  while  in 
the  winter  he  taught  school.  As  a  teacher  he  was  connected  with  the  schools  of 
Princeton  township  for  thirty-eight  years,  for  twenty-two  years  of  that  period 
having  held  classes  in  the  same  room.  In  1882  he  removed  to  Princeton  and 
taught  in  the  village  school  until  1897,  when  he  laid  aside  active  business.  He 
still  retains  possession  of  three  hundred  and  thirty  acres  of  farm  land  he  in- 
herited from  his  father  and  owns  the  fine  town  property  where  he  lives.  Like 
his  father  he  has  participated  in  the  public  life  of  the  township,  for  he  served 
as  trustee  for  twenty  years,  was  clerk  of  elections  a  number  of  times  and  was 
a  member  of  the  town  council.  He  has  also  rendered  valuable  service  to  the 
cause  of  education  as  a  member  of  the  school  board,  and  his  influence  has  al- 
ways been  exerted  in  behalf  of  improvement. 

In  Chicago,  Illinois,  December  24,  1868,  Mr.  Pinneo  was  married  to  Miss 
Josephine  E.  Bell,  a  native  of  Machias  Port,  Maine."  Her  father.  Dr.  George 
L.  Bell,  owned  considerable  land  in  this  county  and  for  a  short  time  practiced 
medicine  here,  but  his  professional  labors  were  for  the  most  part  confined  to 
Boston,  Massachusetts.  He  died  in  Chicago  in  1891.  His  wife,  who  was  Miss 
Eliza  A.  Fairbanks  in  her  maidenhood,  was  bom  November  9,  1817,  and  is  still 
living.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pinneo  have  one  son,  George  M.,  who  was  born  June 
7,  1874,  and  is  now  a  railroad  man. 

Mr.  Pinneo  holds  active  membership  in  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
society  and  has  passed  all  the  chairs  of  the  lodge.  The  circle  of  his  friends, 
however,  is  not  limited  by  the  number  of  his  fraternal  brethren,  for  he  is  widely 
and  favorably  known  in  this  county,  where  his  entire  life  has  been  passed  and 
where  he  has  so  directed  his  energies  and  his  activities  as  to  win  the  respect 
and  good  will  of  those  who  have  known  him  through  a  long  period.  Not  only 
have  his  labors  been  productive  of  financial  success,  but  he  has  been  also  afforded 
many  opportunities  to  do  a  large  measure  of  good  for  others,  and  the  mem- 
ory of  his  deeds  will  survive  even  after  he  has  passed  away. 


JOHN  HAAK. 


One  of  the  most  enterprising  young  business  men  of  Davenport  is  John 
Haak,  manager  of  the  Davenport  Leaf  Tobacco  Company,  which  is  located  at 
319  Western  avenue.  A  native  of  this  city,  he  was  born  August  7,  1872,  a  son 
of  Ferdinand  and  Caroline  (Kohrdt)  Haak.  The  father  was  bom  in  Elmshorn, 
Germany,  about  four  miles  from  Hungary,  in  1845,  his  parents  being  Carsten 
and  Lesette  (Oldendorf )  Haak.  Carsten  Haak  was  a  man  of  means,  who  came 
to  this  country  in  1857  and  began  farming  in  the  vicinity  of  Davenport.  He 
died  in  1888.  His  son,  the  father  of  our  subject,  came  here  at  about  the  age 
of  twelve  years,  completing  the  education  he  had  begun  in  Germany  in  the 


632  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

schools  of  Davenport.  His  early  life  was  spent  upon  a  farm,  but  when  he 
reached  manhood  he  learned  the  trade  of  a  cigarmaker,  became  foremen  of  a 
factory,  and  then,  in  1870,  engaged  in  his  present  business,  which  has  grown  to 
be  one  of  the  largest  in  the  west.  In  it  he  had  the  assistance  of  his  son  John, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch.  He  was  married  in  1867  and  became  the  father  of 
seven  children:  Minnie,  now  the  wife  of  Charles  Meier;  PauHne,  the  wife  of 
E.  Gruenewald  and  the  mother  of  one  child;  John,  the  subject  of  this  sketch; 
Richard,  living  in  this  county,  who  is  married  and  has  two  daughters,  Ermia 
and  Elsie;  Edna  and  Elsie,  who  are  at  home;  and  Theckla  the  wife  of  Frank 
Hetzel,  of  Sioux  City,  Iowa.  The  father  belongs  to  the  Turners  and  is  a  direc- 
tor in  the  Iowa  National  Bank. 

John  Haak  received  his  early  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Davenport 
and  then  took  a  commercial  course  in  the  business  college  here,  after  which  he 
learned  the  trade  of  cigarmaker  under  his  father's  tutelage.  He  worked  for  the 
latter  until  1896,  when  he  branched  out  for  himself,  organizing  the  Globe  Cigar 
Company.  This  business  he  conducted  profitably  until  February,  1905,  when  a 
severe  fire  destroyed  his  father's  establishment.  Thereupon  he  sold  his  plant  to 
the  latter  and  engaged  in  4eaf  tobacco  buying  and  selling.  He  started  in  a  small 
way  but  through  good  management  has  brought  his  business  up  to  the  present 
high  standard  it  now  enjoys.  Indeed,  he  is  the  only  man  in  his  section  of  the 
county  who  goes  into  the  fields  and  buys  his  stock.  In  consequence  he  ob- 
tains the  very  best  and  in  its  freshest  condition,  so  that  he  is  able  to  dispose  of  it 
quickly  and  profitably,  hampered  by  few  competitors.  He  has  eviriced  strong 
business  qualities,  is  keen  in  discovering  opportunities  and,  having  made  a  rep- 
utation for  honesty,  his  word  is  as  good  as  his  bond. 

On  the  19th  of  October,  1899,  Mr.  Haak  wedded  Miss  Mae  Barbour,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Katherine  (Mason)  Barbour,  of  Ainsworth,  Iowa.  Three 
children  have  been  born  to  the  couple:  Minnie,  Gertrude  and  Ferdinand,  Jr., 
all  of  whom  are  attending  school.  Mr.  Haak  belongs  to  the  Turners  Society 
and  to  the  fraternal  lodge  of  the  T.  P.  A. 


MRS.  KATHRYN  W.  BLUEDORN. 

Mrs.  Kathryn  W.  Bluedorn,  who  owns  a  valuable  tract  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty-nine  acres  in  Davenport  township,  is  the  widow  of  Frederick  O.  Bluedorn 
and  a  daughter  of  August  and  Kathryn  Petersen,  who  were  among  the  very 
early  German  settlers  of  Scott  county.  They  came  from  Germany  in  1843  and 
upon  their  arrival  here  took  up  from  the  government  the  tract  now  occupied  by 
their  daughter.  It  was  prairie  land,  and  had  never  known  the  touch  of  plow 
or  harrow,  so  that  it  was  a  difficult  task  that  confronted  the  family  when  they 
set  out  to  make  their  home  in  the  new  world.  Mr.  Petersen  broke  the  land, 
prepared  it  for  cultivation  and  instituted  some  of  the  improvements  which  now 
adorn  the  property. 

On  this  homestead,  Mrs.  Bluedorn  began  her  life,  April  30,  1850.  She  was 
enrolled  as  a  pupil  in  the  district  school  of  the  locality,  but  owing  to  the  death 


KATHftYX   W.  BLURDORX 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  635 

of  her  father,  while  she  was  still  a  child,  she  was  forced  to  leave  her  lessons 
before  well  advanced  in  her  studies  and  assist  with  the  great  amount  of  work 
there  was  to  be  done  at  home.  She  was  but  little  more  than  eighteen  years  of 
age  when,  on  the  loth  of  November,  1868,  she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to 
Frederick  Bluedom,  who  had  been  born  in  Germany  in  1840  and  had  come  to 
this  land  with  his  parents,  Charles  and  Louisa  Bluedorn,  when  he  was  about 
fifteen  years  of  age.  He  settled  first  in  Davenport,  where  he  worked  at  the 
trade  of  a  cabinetmaker  and  later  engaged  in  farm  labor  in  the  township  of 
Davenport.  After  his  marriage  he  assisted  in  the  operation  of  the  farm  be- 
longing to  his  wife  but  was  called  to  his  final  rest  in  1892. 

Mrs.  Bluedorn  became  the  mother  of  eleven  children.  Emelia  married  Ver- 
nard  Hencher,  of  Davenport,  and  they  have  two  children,  Adolph  and  Florence. 
Gustave,  who  is  residing  in  Sheridan  township,  wedded  Miss  Anna  Kurt,  and 
they  have  three  daughters.  Norma,  Mildred  and  Malinda.  Rosie  became  the 
wife  of  William  Schumacher,  of  Davenport  township,  and  they  have  one  daugh- 
ter, Rosie.  Rudolph  married  Miss  Rosie  Sepke.  They  live  in  Walcott,  Iowa, 
and  have  four  sons,  Herbert,  Rudolph,  Edgar  and  Carl.  Theodore,  who  lives  in 
Sheridan  township,  wedded  Miss  Emma  Kurt,  and  they  have  three  daughters 
and  one  son,  Edna,  Ermal,  Hilda  and  Stella.  Emanda  married  Adolph  Specie, 
of  Davenport  township,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Ella.  Fannie  became  the 
wife  of  John  Eggers,  of  Davenport,  Iowa.  Frank  lives  at  home  and  operates 
his  mother's  farm.     The  other  three  children  died  in  infancy. 

Mrs.  Bluedom  has  experienced  the  many  hardships  which  fell  to  the  lot 
of  those  courageous  men  and  women  who  sought  to  make  a  home  for  them- 
selves in  this  county  in  the  early  years  of  its  settlement,  but  she  has  also  sur- 
mounted all  the  trials  of  that  period  and  in  addition  to  being  well  situated  now 
she  has  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  her- children  have  grown  to  a  useful 
maturity  and,  having  profited  by  her  teachings,  hold  honorable  positions  in  their 
respective  communities. 


WILLIAM  WARNOCK  BAILEY,  M.  D. 

Dr.  William  Warnock  Bailey  is  engaged  in  the  general  practice  of  medicine 
in  Le  Claire  and  stands  high  among  the  members  of  the  medical  profession  in 
Scott  county.  He  was  born  just  across  the  Mississippi  river  in  Rock  Island 
county,  Illinois,  January  23,  1866,  a  son  of  James  and  Margaret  (Warnock) 
Bailey,  and  is  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  The  father  was  born  in  County  Down, 
Ireland,  January  7,  1829,  and  came  to  the  United  States  when  a  youth  of  nine- 
teen years,  accompanying  his  parents,  Robert  and  Jane  (Campbell)  Bailey.  The 
family  home  was  established  in  Rock  Island  county  and  Robert  Bailey  being, a 
stone  mason  by  trade,  became  a  pioneer  in  this  line  in  that  county.  He  also  en- 
tered eighty  acres  of  raw  land  there,  which  he  later  improved,  making  his  home 
thereon  until  the  time  of  his  demise.  This  place  eventually  came  into  possession 
of  his  son  James,  who  for  a  number  of  years  engaged  in  general  farming  and 
cattle  raising,  and  as  his  financial  resources  permitted  he  extended  the  boundaries 


636  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

of  his  farm  until  it  comprised  two  hundred  and  forty  acres.  He  became  one  of 
the  influential  and  enterprising  men  of  that  community,  where  he  lived  until  1897, 
when  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest,  his  death  occurring  on  the  i8th  of  August  of 
that  year.  He  was  a  member  of  the  United  PreslDyterian  church  and  held  vaTJous 
official  positions,  taiking  an  active  and  helpful  part  in  all  departments  Of  the 
church  work.  His  wife,  Who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Margaret  Warnock,  was 
likewise  born  in  County  Down  and  was  a  little  maiden  of  seven  years  when  she 
accompanied  her  parents,  John  and  Mary  (Campbell)  Warnock,  -on  their  trip 
across  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States.  'After  a  long  and  wearisome  journey 
of  twelve  weeks  on  the  water  they  loca,ted  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  the  year  of 
their  arrival  there  being  1848.  In  the  following  spring  they  continued  their 
journey  to  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois,  where  the  father  purchased  land.  This 
tract  was  situated  in  Rural  township  and  Mr.  Warnock  thus  became  identified 
with  the  early  development  of  the  locality  as  an  agriculturist,  and  both  he  and  his 
wife  passed  away  on  the  home  farm. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Bailey  were  born  eight  children,  as  follows :  Mary, 
who  is  still  at  home ;  Anna,  who  holds  the  principalsliip  of  the  Ridgeview  school 
in  Moline,  Illinois ;  William  W.,  of  this  review ;  Jennie,  the  wife  of  Roland  Metz- 
ler,  a  farmer  of  Rural  township.  Rock  Island  county;  John,  who  also  resides  in 
that  township ;  Hugh  W.,  who  graduated  from  a  veterinary  college  in  ChicagQ 
and  is  now  engaged  in  practice  in  Orion,  Illinois ;  Ella,  the  wife  of  Roy  Ferguson, 
of  Henry  county,  Illinois ;  and  Betsey,  a  teacher  in  the  schools  of  Rural  township. 
Rock  Island  county. 

Dr.  WilHam  W.  Bailey  was  reared  to  the  pursuits  of  the  home  farm  during 
the  period  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  and  in  the  meantime  he  pursued  his  studies 
in  the  district  schools  near  the  homestead  in  Rock  Island  county.  He  remained 
under  the  parental  roof  giving  his  father  the  benefit  of  his  services  until  he  had 
attained  his  majority  and  then  for  five  years  engaged  in  teaching.  He  used  this 
means  of  livelihood  merely  as  a  foundation  for  a  higher  calling  and  haviHg  de- 
cided upon  the  profession  of  medicine  as  u  life  work,  to  this  end,  in  September, 
1894,  he  entered  Marion  Sims  Medical  College,  the  medical  department  of  St. 
Louis  University.  He  pursued  a  three-years'  course,  graduating  from  that  insti- 
tution in  April,  1897,  standing  fourth  highest  in  a  class  of  ninety.  During  the 
vacation  seasons  he  did  special  work  in  Rebecca  Hospital  of  that  city  and  thus 
gained  a  practical  knowledge  of  medicine.  Soon  after  his  graduation.  May  30, 
1897,, he  opened  an  office  in  Le  Claire  and  from  that  time  to  the  present  has 
engaged  in  general  practice.  In  the  years  that  have  passed  he  has  built  up  a 
good  patronage  and  is  numbered  among  the  successful  physicians  of  Scott 
county. 

The  Doctor  was  married  December  27,  1894,  to  Miss  Anna  Mae  Deal,  a 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Sarah  A.  (Sinclair)  Deal,  residents  of  Rural  township, 
Rock  Island  county,  Illinois.     They  have  one  daughter,  Grace. 

Dr.  Bailey  is  a  Mason,  belonging  to  Snow  Lodge,  No.  44,  at  Le  Claire  and  to 
the  Mystic  Shrine  at  Davenport.  He  likewise  holds  membership  relations  with 
the  Woodmen  of  the  World,  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and  the  Court  of 
Honor.  In  politics  he  is  a  republican  and  is  a  member  of  the  town  council  and 
is  president  of  the  school  board,  while  he  is  financially  interested  as  a  stock- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  637 

holder  in  the  Le  Claire  Savings  Bank.  He  is  a  man  of  culture  and  sense,  gener- 
ous to  friend  or  foe,  and  his  Hfe  of  industry  has  brought  a  rich  reward  in  the 
high  estimate  his  acquaintances  place  upon  him  as  a  physician  and  a  man. 


CHARLES  W.  LAU. 


A  well  developed  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  owned  by  Charles 
W.  Lau,  forms  one  of  the  attractive  features  in  the  landscape  of  Lincoln  town- 
ship. This  is  the  old  home  place  of  the  family  and  it  was  in  this  township  that 
Charles  W.  Lau  was  born,  March  26,  1855,  his  parents  being  Peter  N.  and  Maria 
(Siiehl)  Lau,  who  were  early  German  settlers  of  Scott  county.  They  were  both 
born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  and  were  there  reared  and  married.  The  father  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  farming  and  had  charge  of  a  large  estate  in  his  native 
country,  where  he  continued  to  reside  until  after  the  birth  of  four  of  his  chil- 
dren. He  then  brought  his  family  to  the  United  States,  landing  at  New  York 
on  the  22d  of  May,  1853.  Two  of  his  children,  William  and  Fritz,  had  died  at 
sea  and  their  remains  were  interred  in  a  cemetery  at  Brooklyn,  New  York. 
The  family  then  continued  on  their  westward  way  to  Davenport,  making  the 
journey  by  rail  to  Chicago  and  thence  by  prairie  schooner.  They  arrived  in 
June,  1853,  and  Peter  N.  Lau  purchased  prairie  land.  He  left  his  family  for 
about  a  half  year  in  Davenport,  while  he  prepared  the  land  for  cultivation,  built 
a  house  and  otherwise  placed  his  farm  in  condition  for  a  family  home.  With 
the  exception  of  a  brief  period  spent  in  the  city,  he  continued  a  resident  of  Lin- 
coln township  from  the  time  of  his  arrival  until  called  to  his  final  rest.  As  the 
years  passed  by  he  prospered  and  at  one  time  was  an  extensive  landowner.  Later, 
however,  he  disposed  of  much  of  the  property  and  at  the  time  of  his  demise 
owned  only  a  half  section.  He  was  prominent  in  community  affairs,  serving  in 
a  number  of  township  offices,  including  that  of  school  director  and  trustee.  His 
last  years  were  spent  in  retirement  from  active  business  and  he  died  on  the  5th 
of  March,  1884,  at  the  age  of  sixty-four  years.  His  wife  passed  away  in  1897, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-one  years.  In  their  family  were  six  children,  four  of  whom 
are  yet  living:  Henry,  of  Lincoln  township;  Margaret,  of  Davenport;  Charles 
W.,  of  this  review;  and  Elizabeth,  of  Davenport. 

Charles  W.  Lau  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Lincoln  township  and  his  early 
education,  acquired  in  the  district  schools,  was  supplemented  by  study  in  Gris- 
wold  College.  He  then  returned  home  and  assisted  his  father  in  the  cultivation 
of  the  farm.  In  1881  he  married  and  took  possession  of  the  farm,  while  his 
parents  retired  and  removed  to  Davenport.  Here  Charles  W.  Lau  has  resided 
continuously  since,  devoting  his  time  and  energies  to  the  further  development 
and  improvement  of  his  land  as  the  years  have  gone  by.  He  is  diligent  and  perse- 
vering in  all  that  he  undertakes  and  his  farm  is  one  of  the  highly  developed  prop- 
erties of  the  locality.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  raising  alfalfa  and  has  given 
much  time  to  introducing  the  crop  here.  He  also  carries  on  general  farming  and 
keeps  a  number  of  cows,  making  a  specialty  of  the  production  of  butter.  The 
house  which  he  occupies  was  erected  by  his  father  in  1866  and  is  one  of  the  old 


638  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

landmarks  of  the  county.  The  father  purchased  this  place  when  it  was  all  wild 
prairie  land,  not  a  furrow  having  been  turned  nor  an  improvement  made  upon  it, 
but  as  the  years  went  by  the  labors  of  father  and  son  have  transformed  it  into 
one  of  the  best  properties  of  this  section  of  the  state. 

It  was  on  the  loth  of  March,  1881,  that  Mr.  Lau  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Kreiter,  a  daughter  of  Charles  and  Marie  Kreiter,  of  Davenport  township. 
Her  parents,  of  German  birth,  came  to  the  United  States  about  1866.  Her  father 
died  in  1906,  at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years,  and  the  mother  is  still  living.  Mrs. 
Lau  was  born  in  Wheeling,  West  Virginia,  and  by  her  marriage  has  become  the 
mother  of  six  children :  Alfred  H.,  at  home ;  Oscar  M.,  who  wedded  Ethel  Down 
and  makes  his  home  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa ;  Carl  S.,  who  recently  enjoyed  a  trip 
around  the  world  and  is  now  at  home;  Elmer  H.,  who  is  in  the  navy;  Cora  M., 
who  is  a  high-school  student ;  and  Victor  Charles. 

In  addition  to  his  farming  interests  Mr.  Lau  is  serving  as  vice  president  of 
the  German  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company  and  has  been  active  along  many 
lines  whereby  the  interests  of  the  community  and  the  county  at  large  have  been 
promoted.  He  has  served  as  a  trustee  of  the  township  and  for  about  eleven 
years  was  school  director.  He  is  a  prominent  member  of  Grange  No.  2029,  of 
which  he  is  master  and  he  is  also  master  of  the  Pomona  Grange,  and  president 
of  the  Farmers  Cooperative  Association.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
Grange,  has  always  taken  a  prominent  part  in  its  meetings  and  has  been  actively 
identified  with  the  Farmers  Institute  work,  which  he  helped  to  organize,  serving 
on  the  board  of  directors.  He  is  likewise  identified  with  the  German  Pioneer 
Society  of  Scott  county.  His  labors  have  been  practical  and  effective  and  the 
material  interests  of  this  portion  of  the  state  have  been  greatly  enhanced  through 
his  efl^orts.  His  labors  have  resulted  not  only  to  his  own  benefit  but  have  been 
of  material  assistance  in  promoting  general  progress. 


HENRY  STENDER. 


Henry  Stender  is  a  member  of  the  Holstein,  Germany,  colony,  which  may  be 
said  to  be  a  section  of  that  old-world  province  transplanted  within  the  limits  of 
Scott  county.  He  was  born  in  Neumunster,  Holstein,  March  19,  1854,  his  parents 
being  Hans  and  Margaret  (Harder)  Stender,  good  German  citizens  who  followed 
farming  and  passed  their  whole  lives  in  their  native  land.  They  had  the  following 
five  children :  Dietlieb,  who  died  in  Germany;  Lina,  a  resident  in  Germany;  Henry, 
of  this  sketch;  Julius,  who  came  to  the  United  States  in  1884  and  is  at  present  a 
citizen  of  Montana,  and  Mary,  who  died  in  Germany. 

When  a  young  man  twenty  years  of  age,  Henry  Stender  came  to  the  new  world 
as  so  many  of  his  associates  had  done  before  him.  He  first  set  foot  on  American 
soil  June  27,  1874,  no  doubt  a  somewhat  forlorn  and  doubtful  youth,  for  he  had 
been  courageous  enough  to  come  quite  alone.  By  advice,  he  journeyed  west  to 
Scott  county,  Iowa,  and  was  so  well  pleased  with  the  associations  he  formed  here 
that  he  has  remained  ever  since.  For  the  first  seven  years  he  earned  his  livelihood 
as  a  farm  hand  and  then  found  himself  in  a  position  to  contemplate  matrimony. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  641 

Upon  his  marriage  in  1881  he  began  the  cultivation  of  a  rented  farm  and  was 
engaged  in  this  fashion  for  the  next  eight  years.  In  1888  he  purchased  the  farm 
upon  which  he  now  resides,  a  tract  of  two  hundred  acres  located  in  section  28, 
Hickory  Grove  township,  and  at  present  a  fine  piece  of  property  in  a  high  state  of 
improvement.  He  prospered  sufficiently  to  add  to  his  holdings  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  section  35,  the  same  township,  which  he  rents  to 
another. 

Mr.  Stender  was  married  in  1881  to  Miss  Cecelia  Arp,  a  native  of  Hickory 
Grove  township,  where  she  was  born  May  i,  i860,  and  where  she  has  always  made 
her  home.  Her  parents  were  Hans  and  Abel  (Vieths)  Arp,  natives  of  Holstein, 
Germany.  Her  father  came  to  America  when  eighteen  years  of  age  and  her 
mother  when  twelve,  their  marriage  being  celebrated  a  few  years  later.  Mr.  Arp 
became  a  landholder  and  he  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  five  of 
whom  are  living.  The  father  was  born  January  3,  1835,  and  died  October  12, 
1907,  while  the  mother,  who  was  born  June  4,  1834,  passed  away  January  12,  1906. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stender  have  been  born  seven  children :  Hans,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  three  months ;  Amanda,  who  died  when  one  year  old ;  Louis,  at  home ;  Ru- 
dolph, residing  at  Avoca,  where  he  holds  the  position  of  assistant  cashier  of  the 
Avoca  State  Bank;  Hugo,  Henry,  and  Hilda,  at  home. 

Mr.  Stender  gives  loyal  support  to  the  men  and  principles  of  the  democratic 
party.  He  has  been  honored  with  several  of  the  public  trusts  and  for  the  past 
decade  has  been  treasurer  of  the  Fairview  school  district.  No.  3.  For  two  years . 
he  has  been  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Farmers  Savings  Bank  of  Walcott.  His 
life  record  is  inspiring,  for  without  means  he  came  to  a  strange  land  and  has 
become  a  man  of  influence  and  property. 


JAMES  B.  PADGHAM,  M.  D. 

Dr.  James  B.  Padgham,  who  has  recently  taken  up  the  practice  of  medicine 
in  Donahue,  Aliens  Grove  township,  was  born  at  Inland,  Cedar  county,  Iowa, 
March  30,  1883,  a  son  of  Dr.  George  W.  and  Magdalena  (Rager)  Padgham. 
The  father  was  born  near  Troy,  New  York,  in  1849,  but  as  a  mere  child  came  to 
Iowa  with  his  parents,  settling  in  Scott  county.  He  received  his  early  education 
in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  attended  the  State  University  of  Iowa,  from 
which  he  obtained  his  medical  degree.  For  a  number  of  years  he  practiced  in 
Cedar  county,  then  removing  to  Scott  county,  made  his  home  in  Dixon  for  ten 
years,  after  which  he  returned  to  the  former  county,  where,  in  the  town  of  Ben- 
nett, he  spent  the  last  four  years  of  his  life.  His  death  occurred  July  4,  1898. 
His  wife  was  born  near  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania,  in  1848  and  was  about  four- 
teen years  of  age  when  her  parents  located  in  Cedar  county,  Iowa,  where  she 
grew  to  maturity.  She  is  now  living  in  Dixon,  Scott  county.  Five  children 
were  born  to  Dr.  and  Mrs.  George  Padgham :  Mary  Myrtle,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  seventeen  years ;  John  T.,  a  physician  in  Dayton,  Iowa,  who  attended  the  high 
school  at  Davenport  and  later  the  State  University  of  Iowa,  from  which  he  was 


642  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

graduated  June  i6,  1909;  Laura  Edith,  the  wife  of  P.  R.  Bell,  of  Bennett,  Iowa; 
Benjamin  Walter,  a  resident  of  Dixon;  and  James  B.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

James  B.  Padgham  was  about  three  months  old  when  his  parents  left  their 
Cedar  county  home  and  removed  to  Dixon,  Scott  county,  where  he  attended  the 
public  schools.  Later  he  was  a  student  in  the  State  Normal  School  at  Cedar 
Falls  for  one  year  and  having  determined  to  make  the  practice  of  medicine  his 
profession  he  was  enrolled  as  a  student  in  the  State  University  of  Iowa,  from 
which  he  received  his  degree  of  M.  D.  Jiine  16,  1909,  at  the  conclusion  of  a  four 
years'  course.  On  the  nth  of  August  of  that  year  he  took  up  his  residence  in 
Donahue,  and  in  the  few  months  he  has  been  here  there  have  been  many  occa- 
sions on  which  he  has  proved  his  efficiency.  As  he  is  becoming  better  known 
daily  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  in  less  than  a  year  he  will  have  built 
up  a  large  practice. 

Shortly  after  his  arrival  here.  Dr.  Padgham  was  married,  September  8,  1909, 
to  Miss  Ida  Louise  Battey,  who  was  born  in  Hodgeman  county,  Kansas,  July  18, 
1886.  Her  grandfather,  William  C.  Battey,  had  been  a  physician,  practicing  in 
the  vicinity  of  Muscatine,  Iowa,  while  her  father,  Dr.  Francis  H.  Battey,  was 
also  a  member  of  the  medical  profession.  He  wedded  Miss  Minnie  Kniflfen  and 
shortly  after  their  union  moved  to  Kansas,  where  the  family  lived  until  1896, 
when  they  returned  to  Iowa,  taking  up  their  residence  at  West  Liberty,  Musca- 
tine county.  Mrs.  Padgham  received  her  early  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  Hodgeman  county,  Kansas,  later  attending  the  high  school  at  Springdale, 
Cedar  county,  Iowa,  and  at  West  Liberty,  from  both  of  which  institutions  she 
obtained  a  diploma.  She  was  also  a  pupil  in  the  business  college  at  Muscatine. 
For  a  period  of  four  years  she  was  telephone  girl  at  the  West  Liberty  exchange 
and  for  the  two  years  prior  to  her  marriage  was  a  stenographer,  spending  half  of 
that  time  in  the  employ  of  Dr.  E.  T.  Kischner,  the  superintendent  of  the  State 
Sanitarium  for  the  Treatment  of  Tuberculosis,  at  Oakdale,  Iowa.  She  is  a 
young  woman  of  many  attainments  who  should  prove  of  valuable  assistance  in 
advancing  the  interests  of  Dr.  Padgham  in  Donahue. 


WILLIAM  T.  GOERING. 

William  T.  Goering,  one  of  the  influential  men  of  Hickory  Grove  township, 
was  born  in  Blue  Grass  township,  December  9,  1870,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  G. 
Goering,  a  native  of  Prussia,  whose  birth  occurred  June  11,  1829.  The  pater- 
nal grandfather  was  John  Goering.  Henry  Goering  had  a  natural  penchant 
for  books  and  study  and  loved  nothing  better  than  to  delve  in  a  library.  In  con- 
sequence, although  he  never  had  any  regular  schooling,  he  acquired  a  great  deal 
of  useful  knowledge  and  was  better  educated  than  the  majority  of  men.  Upon 
coming  to  America  he  was  advised  to  locate  in  Iowa  and  for  the  first  nine  month* 
of  his  residence  here  found  employment  on  a  farm  in  Blue  Grass  township.  For 
the  next  three  years  he  rented  land  and  by  prudent  management  found  himself 
in  a  position  to  buy  a  farm,  the  nucleus  of  his  present  property  of  six  hundred 
and  forty  acres  in  Blue  Grass  township.     He  has  a  timber  tract  in  addition  to 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  643 

this  splendid  tract  of  cultivated  land,  and  makes  his  home  on  section  lo.  He 
was  married  in  1855  to  Mary  E.  Robison,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  thir- 
teen children,  of  whom  seven  sons  and  four  daughters  are  now  living. 

William  T.  Goering  resided  under  the  parental  roof  until  1893,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Colorado,  and  for  five  years  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  on  his 
own  responsibility  on  a  farm  fifty  miles  north  of  Denver.  In  1899  he  returned 
to  Iowa  and  the  following  year  began  cultivating  his  present  homestead,  al- 
though only  as  a  renter.  Later  he  purchased  this  and  is  now  the  possessor  of 
some  two  hundred  acres  of  valuable  land,  one  hundred  and  twenty  in  Hickory 
Grove  township  and  eighty  acres  in  Blue  Grass  township.  He  has  met  with 
great  success  in  general  farming  and  stock  raising. 

Mr.  Goering  was  married  January  3.0,  1895,  to  Miss  Mary  Gasseling,  who 
was  bora  on  the  present  home  farm,  April  7,  1871,  her  father  being  J.  H.  Gasse- 
ling. Five  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goering,  namely:  Ger- 
trude, Naomi,  Aloysius,  Harvey  and  Madeline.  Both  as  a  progressive  agricul- 
turist and  a  conscientious  man  Mr.  Goering  is  a  valuable  asset  to  the  community. 


WILLIAM  A.  BARNES. 

Among  the  important  farmers  and  stockmen  of  Blue  Grass  township  is 
William  A.  Barnes,  a  son  of  Isaac  and  Lucinda  (Speer)  Barnes,  both  natives 
of  Pennsylvania.  The  father,  who  was  a  son  of  William  Barnes,  was  born 
'in  1816,  while  his  wife,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Apollo,  Armstrong  county, 
was  born  in  August  1830.  On  the  ist  of  April,  1865,  they  came  to  Scott  county, 
Iowa,  where  Mr.  Barnes  bought  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  acres  of  land  on  the 
boundary  between  Blue  Grass  and  Buffalo  townships.  He  followed  farming 
and  as  success  attended  his  efforts  he  invested  quite  extensively  in  land,  until 
at  his  death,  July  i,  1889,  he  was  the  possessor  of  five  hundred  and  fifteen  acres. 
Two  sons  and  two  daughters  were  born  to  him  and  his  wife:  William  A.,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch ;  John  D.,  who  married  Minnie  Vance,  a  daughter  of 
Richard  Vance,  of  Muscatine  county,  Iowa,  and  is  now  engaged  in  the  drug 
business  in  Chicago,  Illinois;  Nancy,  who  became  the  wife  of  M.  E.  Moorehead; 
and  Ella  S.,  who  makes  her  home  with  her  brother  William  A.  The  mother 
died  November  15,  1908. 

William  A.  Barnes  was  born  in  Armstrong  county,  Pennsylvania,  January 
30,  1859,  but  received  the  greater  part  of  his  education,  however,  in  Scott  county, 
for  he  was  little  more  than  six  years  of  age  when  his  parents  removed  to  this 
state.  Reared  to  the  life  of  a  farmer,  he  has  followed  it  as  his  vocation,  and 
on  the  death  of  his  father  inherited  one  hundred  and  fifteen  acres  of  the  old 
homestead,  on  which  he  is  now  living.  He  has  also  purchased  forty  acres  of  tim- 
ber land  in  Muscatine  county,  which  he  has  held  as  an  investment.  It  is  from 
his  arable  fields  that  he  has  derived  his  success,  for  he  has  tilled  the  land  with 
care  and  diligence,  and,  being  thoroughly  conversant  with  agricultural  methods, 
has  known  the  character  of  crops  best  adapted  to  the  soil.  While  be  has  con- 
sistently followed  diversified  farming,  he  has  devoted  considerable  time  to  the 


644  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

stock  business,  making  a  specialty  of  raising  shorthorn  cattle  and  Poland  China 
hogs.  This  branch  of  his  business  has  proved  most  profitable,  so  that  he  well 
deserves  to  be  numbered  among  the  successful  men  of  Blue  Grass  township. 

It  was  in  1890  that  Mr.  Barnes  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Minerva  Burn- 
sides,  a  daughter  of  Amos  Bumsides,  of  Buffalo  township,  and  a  descendant  of 
one  of  the  early  families  of  Scott  county,  for  her  grandfather,  James  Burn- 
sides,  was  one  of  its  pioneers.  Three  children  have  been  born  to  them,  namely: 
Chester,  Wilma  and  Roland^  all  of  whom  are  at  home. 

Mr.  Barnes  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  republican  party  and  for  the  last 
twenty-five  years  has  served  as  school  treasurer.  With  a  realization  of  the 
advantages  of  educational  institutions  of  high  grade,  he  has  steadily  given 
his  support  to  progressive  measures  and  everything  that  is  calculated  to  ad- 
vance the  welfare  of  his  fellow  citizens.  While  he  is  ever  interested  in  public 
affairs  he  has  never  sought  any  public  office. 


MAURICE  F.  DONEGAN. 

Maurice  F.  Donegan,  a  practitioner  at  the  Davenport  bar  since  1901  and  now 
filling  the  office  of  city  attorney,  was  born  in  Welton,  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  on 
the  2d  of  September,  1871.  As  the  name  indicates,  he  is  of  Irish  lineage.  His 
father,  Jeremiah  Donegan,  a  native  of  the  Emerald  isle,  came  to  the  United 
States  when  seventeen  years  of  age  and  after  living  in  various  parts  of  the  coun- 
try went  to  California  in  1849,  attracted  by  the  discovery  of  gold  on  the  Pacific 
coast  and  the  business  opportunities  incident  thereto.  After  a  few  years  spent 
•  in  the  west  he  returned  to  Ireland  on  a  visit  but  in  1853  again  came  to  America 
and  settled  in  Clinton  county,  where  he  secured  land  and  followed  farming  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1895.  He  wedded  Miss  Mary  Lucey,  who 
was  born  in  England  but  was  of  Irish  lineage. 

Maurice  F.  Donegan  was  reared  on  a  farm  with  the  usual  experiences  and 
environment  of  rural  life  and  pursued  his  early  education  in  the  district  schools, 
after  which  he  continued  his  studies  in  Dewitt  high  school  and  in  Creighton 
University  at  Omaha,  Nebraska,  from  which  institution  he  was  graduated  with 
the  class  of  1895,  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  being  then  conferred  upon  him. 
He  afterward  pursued  a  post-graduate  course  in  Georgetown  University  in  the 
District  of  Columbia,  where  he  won  the  degrees  of  Master  of  Arts  and  Doctor 
of  Philosophy.  He  pursued  a  two-years'  lavv  course  in  the  same  institution  and 
continued  his  preparation  for  the  bar  in  the  Iowa  State  University,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1901. 

Immediately  afterward  Mr.  Donegan  located  for  practice  in  Davenport, 
where  he  has  since  remained.  He  was  in  partnership  with  E.  M.  Sharon  from 
1903  until  1908,  and  the  firm  enjoyed  a  liberal  clientage.  In  the  latter  year, 
however,  he  withdrew  from  that  association,  having  been  elected  city  attorney, 
which  positon  he  now  fills.  He  entered  upon  active  practice  thoroughly  qualified 
for  his  chosen  profession.  The  local  press  has  said  of  him :  "The  thorough  prep- 
aration for  his  work  which  his  scholastic  years  gave  him  and  the  ambition  to 


M.  F.  DONEGAN 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  647 

succeed  which  that  preparation  evinced,  were  high  recommendations  to  the 
friendship  and  assistance  of  his  emplojrer.  A  close  association  proved  him  not 
only  willing  and  anxious  to  succeed  by  hard  work  but,  having  unusual  character 
and  traits  of  individuality,  made  the  association  as  partner  agreeable  and  eventu- 
ally beneficial." 

On  the  29th  of  November,  1905,  Mr.  Donegan  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  I. 
Martin,  a  native  of  Davenport  and  a  daughter  of  C.  D.  Martin,  of  this  city. 
They  now  have  one  son,  Charles  Maurice,  who  was  born  July  5,  1907.  Mr. 
Donegan  is  prominent  in  the  Knights  of  Columbus  lodge.  He  has  served  as  its 
recorder  and  has  held  the  office  of  chancellor  for  three  years.  His  standing  in 
his  profession  is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  in  1904  he  was  called  to  the  presidency 
of  the  Davenport  Bar  Association,  a  position  which  he  filled  with  dignity  and 
credit.  He  is  modest  and  quiet  in  demeanor,  free  from  ostentation  and  display, 
yet  is  a  congenial  companion  and  one  whose  true  worth  gains  him  many  friends. 
His  strong  intellect  and  the  analytical  trend  of  his  mind  are  evidenced  in  the 
success  which  he  has  achieved  and  in  the  excellent  service  which  he  is  now  giving 
to  Davenport  as  its  city  attorney. 


AUGUST  N.   HEDEN. 


August  N.  Heden,  residing  at  No.  1426  Bridge  avenue,  Davenport,  is  a 
retired  harness  maker,  whose  persistent  labor  in  former  years  brought  to  him 
substantial  return.  He  was  born  in  Sweden,  March  8,  1831,  and  is  a  son  of 
Gustave  and  Christina  Heden,  both  of  whom  spent  their  entire  lives  in  Sweden. 
August  N.  Heden  is  indebted  to  the  schools  of  his  native  country  for  the  edu- 
cational privileges  he  enjoyed  and  after  putting  aside  his  text-books  he  learned 
the  harness  maker's  trade.  He  worked  in  a  number  of  places  in  Sweden  and 
in  other  parts  of  Europe  and  in  1869  he  came  to  America,  for  his  fellow  coun- 
trymen had  sent  back  favorable  reports  concerning  business  conditions  in  the 
United  States.  He  landed  at  New  York  on  the  2d  of  May  of  that  year  and  made 
his  way  directly  westward  to  Chicago,  where  he  worked  for  about  four  months. 
He  then  went  into  the  interior  of  the  state,  where  he  was  employed  as  a  harness 
maker  in  various  places  until  he  determined  to  make  Scott  county,  Iowa,  his 
home. 

It  was  in  February,  1876,  that  Mr.  Heden  settled  in  Davenport  and  soon 
afterward  secured  employment  in  the  harness  department  of  the  Rock  Island 
Arsenal,  where  he  was  employed  for  more  than  thirty-one  years.  He  then  re- 
tired in  1907  and  is  now  enjoying  a  well  earned  and  richly  merited  rest. 

Ere  leaving  his  native  land  Mr.  Heden  was  married  in  Sweden,  on  the  ist 
of  April,  1864,  to  Miss  Caroline  Hogberg,  and  they  have  had  seven  children, 
three  of  whom  died  in  childhood,  while  one  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years. 
Mrs.  Heden  was  born  in  Sweden,  April  27,  1837.  The  surviving  children  are: 
Smma  A.,  who  resides  at  home  and  is  a  public-school  teacher  of  Davenport? 
Edith  C,  who  also  lives  at  home  and  is  instructor  in  writing  in  the  Davenport 
schools;  and  Phillip  E.,  of  this  city,  who  married  Katherine  Rowley,  by  whom 


648  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

he  has  three  children,  Richard  R.,  Katherine  M.,  and  Phillip  E.  The  chil- 
dren were  all  provided  with  good  educational  privileges  and  are  a 
credit  and  honor  to  their  parents.  The  two  daughters  butlt  the  fine  residence 
which  the  family  occupy,  while  Mr.  Heden  built  the  adjoining  dwelling;  He 
worked  persistently  year  after  year  in  the  Arsenal  and  his  long  service  there  was 
proof  of  his  excellent  workmanship,  his  reliability  and  his  energy.  His  fellowi 
workmen  and  those  under  whom  he  served  entertain  for  him  high  regard  and 
in  the  long  years  of  his  residence  in  Davenport  he  has  made  many  friends. 


CHARLES  H.  SUITER. 

Each  opportunity  that  has  been  presented  in  the  life  of  Charles  H.  Suiter 
has  been  improved  by  him  for  further  advancement.  This  has  led  to  his  present 
position  as  cashier  of  the  Farmers  Saving  Bank  of  Princeton.  He  represents 
one  of  the  oldest  families  of  Scott  county,  his  great-grandfather,  Philip  Suiter, 
having  located  here  in  1834.  He  entered  land  in  Le  Claire  township  and  was 
identified  with  the  development  and  improvement  of  this  section  of  the  county 
until  his  death.  His  son,  John  H.  Suiter,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was 
a  rapids  pilot  on  the  Mississippi  river  for  many  years,  and  it  was  his  son,  Zach 
G.  Suiter,  who  became  the  father  of  our  subject.  The  father  was  born  on 
the  old  homestead  farm  near  Le  Claire  in  1852  and  throughout  his  entire  bus- 
iness career  followed  the  river  as  a  pilot.  He  wedded  Miss  Angelime  David 
and  they  had  a  family  of  six  children:  Grace,  the  wife  of  C.  W.  Bartine,  an  at- 
torney of  Pierre,  South  Dakota;  Elmer  M.,  a  druggist  of  Murray,  Idaho; 
Charles  H.,  of  this  review ;  Zach  G.,  Jr.,  who  makes  his  home  in  Scott  county ; 
and  two  who  died  in  infancy.    The  father  died  June  13,  1907. 

Charles  H.  Suiter  was  born  in  Le  Claire,  January  5,,  1886,  and  at  the  usual 
age  began  his  studies  in  the  public  schools,  completing  the  high-school  course 
at  Le  Claire.  He  then  joined  an  engineer's  corps  and  worked  on  the  Iowa  and 
lUinois  Railroad  for  a  time,  while  subsequently  he  went  to  northern  Idaho, 
where  he  worked  in  the  mines  for  a  few  years.  Returning  to  Le  Claire  he  be- 
came assistant  cashier  in  the  Le  Claire  Savings  Bank,  holding  that  position  one 
year.  He  then  came  to  Princeton  and  accepted  the  position  of  cashier  in  the 
Farmers  Savings  Bank  at  this  place.  The  bank  is  capitalized  for  ten  thousand 
dollars  and  is  managed  by  the  following  officers:  J.  H.  Shaff,  president;  J.  D. 
Dennis,  vice  president;  and  Charles  H.  Suiter,  cashier.  The  service  is  charac- 
terized by  integrity,  accuracy,  promptness  and  courteous  treatment  af  cus- 
tomers and  Mr.  Suiter  is  ever  interested  in  keeping  the  management  of  the 
bank  up  to  its  present  standard.  In  addition  to  his  work  at  the  bank  he  also 
handles  real  estate  and  is  engaged  in  the  insurance  business.  He  is  also  a  no- 
tary public. 

Charles  H.  Suiter  was  married  on  the  2Sth  of  June,  1908,  to  Miss  Anna 
I.  Pollock,  a  daughter  of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Morey)  Pollock,  of  Le  Claire. 
They  have  an  infant  son,  Charles,  Jr.,  born  August  13,  1909.     Mrs.  Suiter  was 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  649 

born  at  Herald,  South  Dakota,  but  her  parents  afterward  removed  to  Le  Claire 
where  they  still  reside.  Mr.  Suiter  is  a  Mason,  belonging  to  Snow  Lodge,  at 
Le  Claire,  is  also  an  Odd  Fellow,  belonging  to  Swan  Lodge  of  Princeton  and 
he  likewise  holds  membership  with  Ebony  Camp,  No.  35,  M.  W.  A.  at  Prince- 
ton. His  success  in  the  business  world  has  been  uniform  and  rapid.  He  thor- 
oughly enjoys  home  life  and  takes  great  pleasure  in  the  society  of  his  family 
and  friends  and  all  who  know  him  entertain  for  him  the  warmest  regard  and 
his  estimable  wife  shares  with  him  in  the  esteem  in  which  he  is  held. 


AUGUST  HENRY  DORMAN. 

August  Henry  Dorman,  a  representative  of  financial  interests  in  Scott 
county,  is  now  bending  his  efforts  to  administrative  direction  and  executive 
control  as  the  cashier  of  the  Buffalo  Savings  Bank.  He  is  one  of  the  best 
known  residents  of  the  town  of  Buffalo,  whither  he  came  with  his  father, 
Henry  Dorman,  in  1855.  The  latter,  well  known  as  one  of  the  pioneer  business 
men  here,  erected  a  home  and  store  building  and  conducted  a  mercantile  enter- 
prise, continuing  in  the  same  until  a  few  years  ago,  when  he  retired.  Reared 
under  the  parental  roof,  August  H.  Dorman  benefited  by  the  instruction  of- 
fered by  the  public  schools  and  by  the  business  training  which  he  received  un- 
der his  father's  direction,  for  at  a  suitable  age  he  entered  the  store  and  assisted 
in  the  conduct  of  the  business.  As  he  advanced  in  years  and  experience  the  man- 
agement of  the  enterprise  more  and  more  largely  devolved  upon  him.  With- 
drawing from  the  mercantile  enterprise,  he  engaged  with  the  Hammond  Pack- 
ing Company  as  traveling  salesman  and  represented  that  house  upon  the  road 
until  the  organization  of  the  Buffalo  Savings  Bank,  when  he  accepted  the  po- 
sition as  cashier,  in  which  he  has  since  continued.  He  is  also  one  of  the  stock- 
holders of  the  institution,  which  has  been  placed  upon  a  paying  basis.  The  bank 
was  organized  May  i,  1909,  and  capitalized  for  twelve  thousand  dollars,  with 
S.  H.  Moorhead  as  president,  J.  G.  Dutcher,  vice  president  and  A.  H.  Dorman, 
as  cashier.  These  officers  are  members  of  the  board  of  directors,  together 
with  J.  W.  Walsh,  of  Davenport ;  Ed.  Dougherty,  of  Long  Grove,  Iowa ;  Charles 
Wenks;  C.  R.  Frank,  of  Buffalo;  Joseph  Metzger  and  Charles  H.  Dorman  of 
Buffalo;  and  Rudolph  Schroeder.  The  institution  has  conducted  all  depart- 
ments of  business  that  are  in  harmony  with  legitimate  banking  and  the  con- 
servative policy  inaugurated  is  winning  a  growing  and  substantial  patronage. 

In  1873  Mr.  Dorman  was  married  in  Buffalo  to  Miss  Robie  De  Lap,  of 
Buffalo,  and  unto  them  have  been  born  four  children:  C.  E.,  who  is  manager 
of  the  Hammond  Packing  Company  of  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania ;  A.  Harold,  who 
wedded  a  Miss  Patnoe  and  makes  his  home  in  Buffalo;  Francis  Earl,  who  is 
employed  by  the  Citizens  Trust  &  Savings  Bank  in  Davenport ;  and  Daisy,  the 
wife  of  E.  W.  Oxner. 

Mr.  Dorman  attends  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  His  life,  honorable 
in  all  af  its  relations  and  its  purposes,  has  won  for  him  the  high  esteem  and 
good  will  of  those  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact  and  his  fellow  towns- 


650  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

men  have  expressed  their  confidence  in  his  political  integrity  by  electing  him 
to  several  village  offices.  In  the  discharge  of  his  duties  he  has  ever  been 
prompt  and  reliable  and  whether  in  office  or  out  of  it  has  always  been  a  stalwart 
champion  of  projects  and  movements  that  have  promoted  public  progress. 


WILLIAM  BRAITHWAITE. 

William  Braithwaite,  whose  demise  occurred  on  the  i8th  of  December,  1904, 
made  his  home  in  Davenport  for  almost  a  half  century  and  was  actively  identified 
with  its  industrial  interests  as  a  blacksmith.  He  was  born  in  Lancaster,  England, 
on  the  2ist  of  December,  1814,  his  parents  being  Thomas  and  Jane  (Seed)  Braith- 
waite, both  of  whom  passed  away  in  that  country.  He  attended  the  common 
schools  until  fourteen  years  of  age  and  then  began  learning  the  blacksmith's  trade, 
working  as  an  apprentice  until  he  had  attained  his  majority.  By  that  time  he 
had  become  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  trade  in  every  department  and  was  able 
to  make  anything  from  a  common  nail  to  a  locomotive  frame,  using  his  own 
drawings.  In  1852,  having  determined  to  establish  his  home  on  this  side  the 
Atlantic,  he  set  sail  for  the  United  States  in  company  with  his  wife  and  one 
child,  landing  at  New  York  on  the  24th  of  July.  The  following  Saturday  he 
secured  employment  and  worked  at  his  trade  in  New  York  for  about  twenty- 
two  months,  on  the  expiration  of  which  period  he  removed  to  Susquehanna, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  accepted  a  position  as  foreman  in  the  blacksmithing  de- 
partment of  the  Susquehanna  Railroad  shops.  At  the  end  of  two  years  he  jour- 
neyed westward  to  Laporte,  Indiana,  but  illness  was  prevalent  there  and  soon 
afterward  he  came  to  Davenport,  arriving  at  this  place  in  April,  1856.  Here 
he  entered  the  Rock  Island  Railroad  shops  and  in  a  short  time  was  made  fore- 
man of  the  blacksmithing  department,  which  position  he  held  continuously  for 
a  period  of  thirty-four  years,  when  he  retired  from  active  life.  His  long  reten- 
tion in  the  service  of  the  corporation  speaks  volumes  for  his  capability  and  faith- 
fulness as  an  employe.  In  April,  1857,  he  ha.d  purchased  a  lot  at  the  corner  of 
Fourteenth  and  Farnam  streets  from  Antoine  LeClaire,  who  bought  it  from  the 
Indians.  Mr.  Braithwaite  paid  twelve  hundred  dollars  for  the  property  and 
during  the  summer  erected  the  residence  which  remained  his  home  until  the  time 
of  his  death  and  in  which  his  two  daughters  are  still  living. 

On  the  29th  of  February,  1836,  Mr.  Braithwaite  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Elizabeth  Barraclough,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Yorkshire,  England,  on  the  22d 
of  December,  1809.  All  of  their  children  are  deceased  with  the  exception  of 
two  daughters,  Sarah  and  Jennie,  who  reside  in  the  family  home  at  No.  1408 
Farnam  street.  The  wife  and  mother  was  called  to  her  final  rest  on  the  8th  of 
March,  1882. 

Mr.  Braithwaite  exercised  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  republican  party  and  at  one  time  served  as  alderman  from  the 
fifth  ward.  He  was  a  worthy  exemplar  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and,  though 
not  a  church  member,  contributed  liberally  to  the  cause  of  charity  and  religion. 
An  unfortunate  countryman  never  sought  his  aid  in  vain  and  there  are  many 


WILLIAM   KItAITHWAITE 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  653 

who  have  reason  to  remember  his  timely  assistance  with  gratitude.  He  passed 
away  on  the  i8th  of  December,  1904,  at  the  venerable  age  of  ninety  years.  He 
enjoyed  an  unassailable  reputation  for  honesty  and  integrity  of  character,  was 
kindly  in  spirit,  generous  in  disposition  and  faithful  to  every  trust. 


ERNST  H.  IHMS. 


Ernst  H.  Ihms,  a  successful  representative  of  the  agricultural  interests  of 
Sheridan  township,  where  he  owns  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  on 
which  he  lives,  is  one  of  the  sons  of  the  fatherland  who  in  his  life  work  has 
been  able  to  realize  some  of  the  ambition  which  led  him  to  cross  the  Atlantic 
and  try  the  opportunities  of  the  new  world. 

He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  August  14,  1853,  his  parents  being 
Johan  and  Louisa  Ihms,  both  of  whom  are  deceased.  Eleven  children  were 
bom  to  them,  namely:  Claus,  who  died  in  Walcott,  Scott  county,  Iowa;  John, 
who  is  now  a  resident  of  Davenport  and  before  coming  to  America  served  in 
the  Holstein  war  of  1848-50;  Henry,  who  died  in  Russia;  Anna,  the  widow 
of  John  Lutt  and  a  resident  of  Sheridan  township,  this  county;  Peter,  who  is 
living  in  Germany;  Katie,  the  deceased  wife  of  Henry  Rolth;  Christ,  of  Cher- 
okee county,  Iowa;  Ernst  H.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  and  three  who  died 
in  infancy. 

Ernst  H.  Ihms  enjoyed  the  educational  privileges  afforded  by  the  public 
schools  of  Germany  and  in  that  country  obtained  some  experience  in  farm 
work  before  coming  to  America.  It  was  in  1871  that  he  crossed  the  ocean 
with  the  determination  to  avail  himself  to  the  fullest  extent  of  the  oppor- 
tunities for  advancement  he  had  heard  awaited  the  man  who  was  willing  to 
work.  On  landing  in  New  York  he  came  direct  to  Scott  county,  for  his  brother 
Claus  had  come  here  some  years  before  and  was  residing  in  Davenport  and  here 
he  secured  work  as  a  farm  hand  with  several  persons.  Later  he  rented  land  in 
Lincoln  township,  and  in  1892,  when  as  the  result  of  his  diligence  and  careful 
economy  he  was  able  to  buy  a  place,  he  purchased  a  tract  of  fifty-eight  acres 
there.  It  remained  his  home  for  about  thirteen  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
period  he  felt  justified  in  enlarging  the  fields  of  his  operations  and  accordingly 
sold  that  farm  and  bought  the  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  which  he  now 
lives.  Since  it  has  been  his  home  he  has  made  a  number  of  improvements 
upon  it,  the  character  of  the  buildings  and  the  excellent  cultivation  of  the  fields 
being  a  tangible  evidence  of  the  progressive  ideas  which  have  guided  him 
in  his  work. 

It  was  on  the  14th  of  September,  1880,  that  Mr.  Ihms  led  to  the  marriage 
altar  Miss  Lizzie  Kiiehl,  who  was  born  in  Germany,  April  3,  1852,  and  came 
to  Scott  county  with  her  brother  in  1869.  Her  parents,  John  and  Louisa  Kuehl, 
spent  tlieir  entire  lives  in  the  fatherland  and  there  died.  Mrs.  Ihms  has  also 
passed  away,  her  death  having  occurred  December  9,  1908.  She  had  been  a 
faithful  wife  and  devoted  mother,  and  her  loss  was  deeply  mourned  by  her 
family  and  by  the  large  circle  of  friends  her  gentle  spirit  had  gathered  about 


654  ■  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

her.  Five  children  were  born  to  her  and  her  husband,  as  follows:  One  who 
died  in  infancy;  Emma,  who  married  Ivan  Wrisley,  of  Muscatine,  and  is  now 
the  mother  of  three  children,  Ernest,  Mina  and  Lucile;  and  Detlef,  Harry 
and  Ruth,  who  are  at  home. 

Mr.  Ihms  holds  membership  in  the  Turners  Society  of  Eldridge,  and  has 
there  made  many  friends.  The  hope  that  led  him  to  leave  his  native  land  and 
seek  a  home  in  America  has  been  more  than  realized.  He  here  found  the  op- 
portunities he  sought,  and,  making  the  most  of  them,  has  steadily  worked  his 
way  upward,  until  he  well  deserves  to  be  numbered  among  the  substantial  citi- 
zens of  Sheridan  township. 


GEORGE  S.  SHAW. 


Through  the  period  of  his  residence  in  Davenport,  George  S.  Shaw  made 
for  himself  an  honorable  position  in  business  circles  and  a  firm  place  in  the 
affection  of  his  fellow  citizens.  It  is  meet,  therefore,  that  his  record  be  per- 
petuated in  the  pages  of  this  volume  inasmuch  as  his  labors  were  an  element 
in  the  progressive  business  development  of  the  city.  He  was  born  in  Chel- 
sea, Orange  county,  Vermont,  April  14,  1824,  and  resided  in  the  east  until  the 
outbreak  of  the  Civil  war.  Within  that  period  he  acquired  his  education  and 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he  followed  continuously  in  that  section 
of  the  country  until  failing  health  caused  his  removal  to  the  west.  Hoping  to 
be  benefited  by  a  change  of  climate,  he  went  as  far  as  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kan- 
sas, where  he  lived  for  a  short  time.  In  1864  he  came  to  Davenport  and  was 
identified  with  building  operations  as  a  contractor  for  a  considerable  period,  be- 
ing an  expert  workman  at  his  trade.  As  time  advanced  he  saw  and  utilized 
his  opportiinities  for  real-estate  speculation  and  laid  out  what  is  known  as 
Shaw's  addition,  north  of  the  Renwick  estate,  laying  out  three  additions  in  all. 
In  1875  he  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Renwick,  Shaw  &  Crossett,  which 
for  a  number  of  years  operated  a  sawmill  and  conducted  a  lumber  business  in 
Davenport,  the  interests  of  the  firm  being  capably  conserved,  so  that  excellent 
results  rewarded  the  efforts  of  the  partners.  About"  1885  Mr.  Shaw  removed 
to  Cloquet,  Minnesota,  where  his  firm  purchased  two  large  sawmills,  beginning 
operations  there  under  the  name  of  the  Cloquet  Lumber  Company.  After  a 
time  Mr.  Renwick  and  Mr.  Crossett  both  withdrew,  but  Mr.  Shaw  remained 
in  his  field  of  labor,  building  up  a  mammoth  business  in  the  lumber  trade,  so 
that  he  became  known  in  lumber  circles  throughout  the  entire  country.  In  fact 
he  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  representatives  of  the  lumber  interests  of 
the  north  and  his  success  was  the  legitimate  and  direct  outcome  of  judicious  in- 
vestment, well  directed  enterprise  and  indefatigable  energy. 

Mr.  Shaw  always  retained  a  warm  place  in  his  heart  for  Davenport  and  had 
intentions  of  making  this  city  his  home  again,  but  he  passed  away  at  Cloquet, 
Minnesota,  November  5,  1897.  While  residing  in  Davenport  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  city  council  for  a  number  of  years  and  served  as  alderman  from 
the  sixth  ward.     He  was  the  most  popular  alderman  ever  elected  from  that 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  655 

ward  and  the  regard  entertained  for  him  by  his  fellow  townsmen  was  manifest 
in  the  gift  of  a  gold  watch  from  the  people  of  his  ward.  It  was  an  expression 
of  high  regard  for  Mr.  Shaw  personally  and  of  appreciation  of  his  official 
service,  which  resulted  in  many  substantial  benefits  for  his  section  of  the  city. 

In  1846  Mr.  Shaw  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Ross,  who,  surviv- 
ing her  husband  for  several  years,  returned  to  Davenport,  where  she  had  many 
friends.  Here  she  died  September  30,  1905.  There  were  four  children  in  the 
family:  Mrs.  J.  E.  Lynds,  Mrs.  Jules  J.  De  Lescaille,  Edward  and  William. 
The  memory  of  Mr.  Shaw,  his  kindly  spirit,  his  genial  nature,  his  business  in- 
tegrity and  his  public-spirited  citizenship,  are  still  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of 
many  who  knew  him  while  he  was  yet  an  active  factor  in  the  life  of  Davenport. 


JULES  J.  DE  LESCAILLE. 

Jules  J.  De  Lescaille  was  a  resident  of  Davenport  for  but  a  comparatively 
brief  period,  yet  within  that  time  his  genial  nature  won  him  expressions  of 
warm  friendship  and  he  became  recognized  as  a  most  honorable,  upright  man. 
He  was  born  in  Belgium  in  1849  and  was  brought  to  this  country  when  but 
eight  years  of  age.  His  education,  therefore,  was  acquired  on  this  side  the 
Atlantic.  On  the  14th  of  September,  1884,  he  married  Miss  Harriet  Shaw  and 
unto  them  were  born  four  children:  Victor,  who  is  now  at  home;  Raymond, 
who  is  at  Cloquet,  Minnesota,  where  he  is  learning  the  lumber  business ;  Mrs. 
Mary  Stafford,  a  resident  of  Chicago;  and  Jules,  at  home.  In  1898  Mr.  De 
Lescaille  removed  with  his  family  from  Cloquet,  Minnesota,  to  Davenport,  where 
his  remaining  days  were  spent.  He  manifested  in  his  life  many  traits  of  char- 
acter which  won  him  high  and  favorable  regard  and  gained  him  a  large  circle 
of  friends.  In  Masonry  he  attained  the  Knight  Templar  degree  and  in  his  life 
exemplified  the  beneficent  spirit  of  the  craft.  His  religious  faith  was  manifest 
in  his  membership  in  the  Episcopal  church  and  he  lived  in  harmony  with  his 
professions,  seeking  to  deal  justly  with  all  men  and  to  recognize  at  all  times 
the  rights  and  privileges  of  others. 


PETER  DETTMER. 


Peter  Dettmer,  a  retired  farmer  and  dairyman,  who  has  taken  up  his  resi- 
dence in  Davenport  where  he  owns  considerable  town  property,  is  one  of  the  sons 
of  Germany,  who,  having  come  to  the  United  States  in  the  hope  of  bettering 
bis  fortunes,  has  achieved  his  desires  to  such  an  extent  that  he  felt  justified  in 
retiriiag  from  active  farming.  He  was  born  in  the  province  of  Holstein,  Oc- 
tober 28,  1843,  his  parents  being  Pettr  and  Margaret  (Goetsch)  Dettmer,  who 
passed  their  entire  lives  in  the  land  of  their  birth. 

In  1864  Peter  Dettmer  and  an  older  sister  came  to  the  new  world.  They 
landed  at  New  York,  whence  they  made  their  way  to  Davenport,  as  they  had 


656  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

relatives  living  here.  On  his  arrival  Mr.  Dettmer  found  employment  in  a  tannery, 
where  he  intended  learning  the  trade,  but  the  concern  went  out  of  business 
and  accordingly  he  turned  his  attention  to  farming.  For  a  few  years  he  worked 
for  others,  but  later  he  and  his  brother-in-law  rented  a  tract  of  land  which  they 
operated  in  conjunction  until  1871,  when  they  severed  their  connection  and 
Mr.  Dettmer  engaged  in  farming  alone.  He  bought  six  acres  of  land  and  built 
a  little  two  room  house  upon  it,  in  which  he  lived  for  the  next  eleven  years. 
He  procured  at  that  time  about  fifty  head  of  cattle  with  the  intention  of  enter- 
ing extensively  into  the  dairy  business  and  he  was  successful  in  this  under- 
taking for  the  quality  of  his  products  found  a  ready  market.  As  his  income 
increased  he  invested  in  real  estate  until  he  owned  about  one  hundred  acres,  a 
part  of  which  was  included  within  the  boundaries  of  Davenport,  and  he  divided 
it  into  town  lots,  from  the  sale  of  which  he  derived  a  handsome  profit,  a  tribute 
to  his  forsight  in  selecting  the  location  he  had  purchased.  After  about  nine- 
teen year  devoted  to  farming  he  felt  justified  in  retiring  from  active  participa- 
tion in  that  work  and  now  gives  his  whole  attention  to  looking  after  his  financial 
interests. 

Mr.  Dettmer  has  been  three  times  married.  His  first  wife,  who  was  Miss 
Anna  Hendricksen  in  her  maidenhood,  died  January  8,  1879.  To  them  were  bom 
three  children:  William  and  Dora,  who  are  deceased;  and  Fred,  who  married 
Miss  Freda  Smith  and  lives  on  a  farm  in  Rockingham  township,  where  he  is 
rearing  his  five  children.  Mr.  Dettmer's  second  wife  was  Miss  Anna  Ross,  who 
has  also  passed  away.  They  had  three  children:  Lewis,  who  married  Miss 
Anna  Starder  and  lives  in  Rockingham  township ;  Paulina,  who  became  the 
wife  of  Paul  Heckendorf,  living  on  the  Rockingham  road;  and  Peter.  On  the 
5th  of  May,  1906,  Mr.  Dettmer  married  Miss  Helen  Poller,  a  daughter  of  W. 
W.  and  Helen  Poller,  of  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania.  Her  father  was  for  thirty 
years  superintendent  of  the  United  States  mint  at  Philadelphia. 

Mr.  Dettmer  has  always  taken  a  keen  interest  in  local  affairs,  and  in  recog- 
nition of  his  success  and  as  a  tribute  to  his  character  as  a  man,  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  board  of  education,  an  office  he  held  for  five  years.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  the  improvement  committee  of  the  Fairmount  cemetery.  Some  years 
ago  he  made  a  trip  to  his  old  home  in  Germany.  At  present  he  lives  in  a 
handsome  home  which  he  erected  in  1885  and  in  which  he  enjoys  the  many 
comforts  to  which  his  former  toil  so  well  entitles  him.  For  twenty  years  he  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen. 


CHARLES  HAMANN. 


Among  Scott  county's  native  sons  who  are  seeking  their  fortunes  in  agri- 
cultural lines  and  through  their  well  directed  efforts  and  untiring  industry  and 
diligence  are  meeting  with  gratifying  prosperity,  is  numbered  Charles  Hamann, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Davenport  on  the  17th  of  October,  1859.  His  parents, 
Henry  and  Christina  (Petersen)  Hamann,  were  both  natives  of  Holstein,  Ger- 
many, the  former's  birth  there  occurring  on  the  12th  of  August,  1821,  and  the 


HEXRY  HAMAXy 


CHARLES  HAMANX 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  661 

latter's  on  the  loth  of  September,  1815.  In  1856  they  came  to  the  United 
States,  making  their  way  direct  to  Davenport,  and  with  the  exception  of  about 
four  years  spent  in  Clinton  county  soon  after  their  arrival  in  Iowa,  their  re- 
maining days  were  passed  in  Scott  county,  the  greater  portion  of  the  time  being 
spent  on  a  farm  in  Cleona  township.  The  father  followed  the  occupation  of 
farming  throughout  his  entire  life,  and,  although  a  poor  man  when  he  came 
to  this  state,  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  the  owner  of  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  valuable  land,  all  well  improved  and  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
He  passed  away  on  the  28th  of  June,  1905,  his  wife's  death  occurring  on  the 
4th  of  September,  1899.  In  their  family  were  six  children,  of  whom  our  sub- 
ject was  the  youngest.  The  others  are :  Henry,  a  resident  of  Durant ;  Lena,  the 
deceased  wife  of  Rudolph  Sebbelen;  Dora,  who  married  Christopher  Schneck- 
loth,  of  Sunbury,  Cedar  county,  Iowa ;  George,  residing  in  Durant ;  and  Adolph, 
who  lives  in  Portland,  Oregon. 

Under  the  parental  roof  Charles  Hamann  spent  the  period  of  his  boyhood 
and  youth,  acquiring  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Scott  county.  He 
was  about  eight  or  nine  years  of  age  when  his  parents  took  up  their  abode  on 
the  old  homestead,  and  here  our  subject  has  made  his  home  continuously  since. 
At  an  early  age  he  began  working  in  the  fields,  assisting  in  the  cultivation  of 
the  farm,  and  under  his  father's  direction  learned  many  valuable  lessons  con- 
cerning the  best  methods  of  plowing,  planting  and  harvesting.  Agricultural  pur- 
suits have  always  characterized  his  efforts,  for,  upon  attaining  man's  estate  he 
wisely  chose  as  his  hfe  work  the  occupation  to  which  he  had  been  reared.  He 
has  made  a  close  study  of  farming,  possesses  good  business  ability  and  is  pro- 
gressive and  up-to-date  in  his  methods,  and  that  he  has  met  with  gratifying 
success  in  his  undertakings  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  is  now  the  owner 
of  three  farms  in  Cleona  township,  each  consisting  of  a  quarter  section  of  land, 
all  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  The  home  farm  is  located  upon  section  22, 
and  is  a  well  improved  and  valuable  property,  containing  two  sets  of  substantial 
buildings  and  equipped  with  all  modern  conveniences  and  accessories  for  facili- 
tating farm  labor.  In  connection  with  his  general  farming  he  also  deals  largely 
in  stock,  raising  and  fattening  from  three  to  four  carloads  annually.  This 
branch  of  his  business  is  proving  very  profitable. 

It  was  on  the  4th  of  December,  1884,  that  Mr.  Hamann  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Thrina  Arp,  a  native  of  Germany,  who  was  born  in  Holstein  on 
the  30th  of  July,  1866,  and  came  to  Davenport  with  her  parents,  who  arrived  in 
this  country  in  the  spring  of  1870.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Hans  and  Liza  (Brock- 
mann)  Arp,  both  natives  of  the  fatherland.  The  father,  who  was  born  on  the 
i8th  of  July,  1841,  was  a  weaver  in  the  old  country,  but  after  coming  to  Amer- 
ica was  engaged  as  a  farmer  and  laborer  for  a  number  of  years.  His  death 
occurred  on  the  19th  of  April,  1896.  The  mother,  whose  natal  day  was  the 
nth  of  August,  1840,  still  survives  and  makes  her  home  in  Davenport.  In 
their  family  were  five  children,  as  follows:  Hans,  who  passed  away  at  the  age 
of  six  years ;  Helena,  who  died  when  twenty-one  years  old ;  Thrina,  the  wife  of 
our  subject;  Julius,  residing  in  Minnesota;  and  Rudolph,  of  Davenport.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hamann  have  been  born  eight  children,  namely :  Albert,  operating 
one  of  his  father's  farms  in  Cleona  township;  Emil,  also  making  his  home  in 


662  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

that  township;  and  Hugo,  Leonard,  Walter,  Leona,  Luella  and  Lerby,  all  under 
the  parental  roof. 

In  the  political  life  of  the  community  Mr.  Hamann  has  never  taken  an  active 
part  for,  although  he  gives  stalwart  support  to  thfe  principles  of  the  republican 
party,  he  has  nevei"  sought  not  desired  public  office  as  the  reward  for  party 
fealty.  Public-spirited  and  loyal  in  his  citizenship,  however,  he  is  thoroughly 
identified  with  the  interests  of  the  community  and  gives  ready  cooperation  to 
all  measures  which  have  for  their  bbject  the  general  progress,  advancement,  im- 
provement and  reform.  Having  passed  his  entire  life  within  the  borders  df 
Scott  county,  he  has  become  well  known  here,  the  circle  of  his  friends  being 
almost  coextensive  with  the  circle  of  his  acquaintances,  and  all  who  know  hini 
entertain  for  him  high  regard  and  respect  because  of  his  many  excellent  traits 
of  character. 


HENRY  KLINDT,  JR. 


The  business  interests  of  Maysville,  Scott  county,  find  a  worthy  represen- 
tative in  Henry  Klindt,  who  was  born  in  this  village,  September  25,  1880,  a 
son  of  Henry  and  Celia  (Sindt)  Klindt.  The  father  was  bom  in  Hohndorf, 
Probstei,  Germany,  March  12,  1846,  and  was  there  reared  to  the  age  of  fifteen 
years,  when  his  parents,  Heinrich  and  Katharine  (Stelk)  Klindt,  removed  to 
Prussia,  Germany.  Heinrich  Klindt  was  a  wagon  maker  by  trade  and  followed 
that  occupation  in  the  old  country  but  in  1868  he  emigratfed  to  America  and 
settling  in  Scott  county,  here  engaged  in  farming  throughout  the  remainder  of 
his  business  career.  Their  family  numbered  seven  children,  but  the  youngest 
a  daughter,  was  drowned  in  Germany  at  the  age  of  six  years.  The  other  mem- 
bers were:  Claus,  now  a  resident  of  Davenport;  Maggie,  the  wife  of  Fritz 
Kardel,  also  of  that  city;  Lena,  who  became  the  wife  of  Jochim  Lamp,  but  is 
deceased;  Jochim,  who  has  also  departed  this  Hfe;  Henry,  Sr. ;  and  Katie,  the 
wife  of  John  Sindt,  a  resident  of  Lyon  county,  Iowa.  Both  the  parents  passed 
away  in  Maysville,  the  father  when  seventy-one  years  of  age,  and  the  mother 
at  the  age  of  sixty-nine  years. 

Henry  Klindt,  Sr.,  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  various  removals  and 
was  a  young  man  of  twenty-two  years  when  the  family  sought  a  home  in  the 
new  world,  and  from  that  time  to  the  present  he  has  made  his  home  in  Scott 
county.  After  coming  here  he  was  engaged  at  farm  labor  for  six  years  and 
then  became  proprietor  of  a  hotel  in  Maysville,  conducting  a  saloon  in  con- 
nection with  his  hostelry.  He  gave  his  time  to  this  business  for  sixteeii  years 
and  in  the  meantime,  meeting  with  success,  he  invested  his  money  in  farm  lands 
in  Minnesota  and  the  Dakotas.  Since  retiring  from  active  business  he  has  made 
his  home  in  Maysville  and  now  gives  his  time  to  his  land  interests  in  the  north. 
Mr.  Klindt  was  married  on  the  8th  of  February,  1876,  to  Miss  Celia  Sindt,  who 
was  born  in  Scott  county,  October  16,  1854,  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  BertHa 
Sindt,  who  were  natives  of  Germany,  whence  they  emigrated  to  Amerifca  and 
located  in  Scott  county  in  the  early  '505.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Klindt  have  beerii 
bom  five  children  but  Hertha  and  Grover  are  deceased,  while  the  thi-ee  sur- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  ,  663 

viving  members  are:  Mate,  the  wife  of  William  Jurgens,  a  resident  of  New 
Liberty,  Iowa;  Albert,  who  conducts  a  hotel  in  Donahue;  and  Henry.  Jr.,  of 
this  review. 

Henry  Klindt,  Jr.,  was  reared  under  the  parental  roof  and  acquired  his  ele- 
mentary learning  in  the  common  schools  of  Maysville,  while  later  he  pursued 
a  business  course  in  Duncan's  Business  College  at  Davenport.  Well  qualified 
for  the  practical  duties  of  life  he  began  his  business  career  as  a  traveling  sales- 
man, representing  a  Davenport  firm  for  several  years.  In  1904  he  engaged  in 
business  in  Maysville  as  a  general  merchant  and  has  built  up  a  good  patronage 
which  he  draws  from  the  surrounding  districts  as  well  as  from  the  village.  He 
keeps  a  stock  of  goods  that  meets  the  deftands  of  the  public  and  his  moderate 
prices  and  his  fair  dealitigs  has  proved  his  best  advertisement.  He  owns  his 
own  store  building,  a  modern,  two-story  structure,  sixty  by  thirty-two  feet,  the 
tower  floor  being  devoted  to  the  business,  while  the  second  story  is  occupied  as 
a  dwelling. 

Mr.  Klindt  was  married  February  8,  1905,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss 
Clara  S.  Keppy,  a  native  of  Donahue,  Scott  county.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Frank 
Keppy,  who  is  engaged  in  merchandising  in  the  latter  place,  and  by  her  mar- 
riage she  has  become  the  mother  of  one  child,  Lorane.  Upon  the  incorporation 
of  the  village  of  Maysville  on  the  nth  of  July,  1909,  Mr.  Klindt  was  elected 
its  first  mayor  and  he  has  already  demonstrated  his  fitness  for  the  office.  In  his 
business  affairs  he  is  very  methodical  and  accurate  as  to  details  and  shows 
splendid  judgment  in  the  treatment  of  his  employes  and  of  all  with  whom  he 
comes  in  contact. 


D.  C.  McCAUSLAND. 


D.  C.  McCausland  is  a  representative  of  one  of  the  old  families  of  Scott 
cbunty  and  has  resided  here  from  his  early  boyhood  days.  Members  of  the 
family  have  always  been  actively  interested  in  the  work  of  general  progress  and, 
like  the  others  of  his  name,  D.  C.  McCausland  has  assisted  in  the  material  develop- 
ment of  the  county  and  in  the  support  of  hiahy  public  measures  for  the  general 
good.  He  was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  29th  of  October, 
1846,  and  is  a  son  of  John  C.  and  Catherine  McCausland,  who  removed  from 
the  Keystone  state  to  West  Virginia  when  the  subject  of  this  review  was  only  a 
yeat  old.  There  they  resided  for  seven  years,  after  which  they  came  to  Scott 
cbunty.  The  father  had  previously  visited  this  district.  Looking  over  the 
cotiritry  and  being  pleased  with  its  future  prospects  he  purchased  a  half  section 
of  land  two  miles  south  of  the  present  town  of  McCausland.  He  then  brought 
his  family  to  Iowa  arid  began  life  as  a  pioneer  settler  of  Scott  county.  Upon 
his  land  there  was  a  lafge  stone  house  that  had  formerly  been  the  property  of 
a  Mr.  Brakeiiridge,  who  owned  a  ranch  in  this  district.  As  the  years  passed 
on  aiid  he  pfospered  in  his  undertakings  John  C.  McCausland  became  one  of 
the  extensive  landholders  of  the  district,  adding  to  his  property  from  time  to 
time  tiritil  he  had  an  entire  section  and  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  acres 


664  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

additional  when  he  died.  He  was  a  man  of  undaunted  enterprise  and  good 
business  ability  and  his  careful  management  of  his  interests  brought  him  sub- 
stantial and  gratifying  success.  At  the  same  time  he  commanded  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  all  who  knew  him. 

D.  C.  McCausland  acquired  his  early  education  in  the  schools  of  West 
Virginia  and  continued  his  studies  in  the  district  schools  of  Scott  county  and  in 
private  schools,  gaining  a  good  knowledge  of  those  branches  of  English  learn- 
ing which  are  considered  essential  factors  to  success  in  business  life.  Through 
the  period  of  his  youth  he  was  instructed  and  trained  by  his  father  in  the  work 
of  the  fields  and  gained  a  practical  knowledge  of  farm  methods  so  that  he  was 
well  qualified  to  take  charge  of  a  farm  of  his  own,  when,  in  1880,  he  removed 
to  his  present  home,  which  he  had  purchased  and  which  has  since  been  his 
place  of  residence.  The  town  of  McCausland,  where  he  now  resides,  was 
named  in  his  honor.  He  was  the  first  postmaster  here,  establishing  the  office  in 
1883  and  continuing  in  charge  thereof  for  ten  years.  He  also  conducted  a  gen- 
eral store  here,  which  was  the  first  in  the  town,  and  for  a  decade  he  remained 
in  merchandising,  building  up  a  good  trade.  He  also  dealt  in  horses  for  some 
time,  but  at  the  present  writing  is  handling  South  Dakota  lands  and  in  his  real- 
estate  operations  is  meeting  with  excellent  success.  He  is  the  owner  of  a  large 
amount  of  property  in  that  state,  while  his  holdings  in  Scott  county  embrace 
five  hundred  acres  of  very  valuable  farm  land. 

On  the  6th  of  May,  1880,  Mr.  McCausland  was  married  to  Miss  Celina  E. 
Smith,  a  daughter  of  Seneca  Smith,  of  Dubuque,  and  unto  them  were  born  three 
children :  John  W.,  of  Chicago ;  Mary  B.,  the  wife  of  O.  O.  Coe,  of  Canada,  by 
whom  she  has  one  child;  and  Guy  C,  at  home. 

Mr.  McCausland  has  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  of  Butler  township  and 
proved  a  capable  incumbent  in  that  position,  but  has  never  been  an  office  seeker, 
always  preferring  to  devote  his  time  and  energies  to  his  business  affairs.  In 
the  capable  direction  of  his  mercantile,  live-stock  and  land  interests  he  has  met 
with  substantial  success  and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  representative  and  lead- 
ing business  men  of  this  part  of  the  county. 


WILLIAM  PRUTER. 


Among  the  many  men  who  have  followed  farming  with  success  and  have 
now  put  aside  the  more  arduous  duties  and  live  in  retirement  in  Davenport  is 
William  Pruter.  He  owns  about  seven  hundred  acres  of  farm  land  in  Craw- 
ford county,  Iowa,  besides  the  fine  town  property  where  he  lives.  He  was  bom 
in  Holstein,  Germany,  October  27,  1830,  a  son  of  Hans  and  Agnes  Pruter.  The 
father  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and,  like  his  wife,  died  in  the  fatherland. 

William  Pruter  was  reared  and  educated  in  the  province  of  his  birth,  there 
learning  the  trade  of  a  cabinetmaker.  When  he  reached  manhood  he  entered 
the  German  army,  serving  through  the  war  of  1848-50.  After  its  culmination 
he  worked  at  his  trade  until  1869,  when  he  embarked  for  America.  The  ocean 
vessel  dropped  anchor  at  New  York,  whence  he  and  his  wife  and  three  chil- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  665 

dren  made  their  way  to  Iowa.  He  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Clinton 
county,  on  which  the  family  lived  for  the  next  three  years,  and  then  selling  it 
they  removed  to  Crawford  county,  where  Mr.  Pruter  purchased  a  tract  of  prairie 
land.  He  broke  the  soil,  prepared  it  for  cultivation  and  in  the  course  of  years 
improved  it  greatly,  making  it  his  home  until  1902,  when  a  large  income  and 
advancing  years  suggested  the  wisdom  of  his  retiring  from  active  life. 

Mr.  Pruter  has  been  married  three  times.  His  first  wife  was  Miss  Margaret 
Fehrs,  who  died  in  1867,  leaving  two  children.  Frank,  who  is  now  living  in 
Crawford  county,  wedded  Miss  Augusta  Kruse,  and  they  have  five  children: 
Carolina,  Julius,  Frank,  Gustave  and  Emma.  Charles,  who  married  Miss  Dora 
Lamas,  lives  in  Crawford  county  and  is  the  father  of  a  daughter,  Elsie.  For 
his  second  wife  Mr.  Pruter  married  Miss  Carolina  Schroader,  who  died  leaving 
one  son,  John.  On  the  26th  of  November,  1872,  Mr.  Pruter  married  Miss  Mag- 
dalene Rohwer,  a  daughter  of  Hans  and  Magdalene  Rohwer,  who  spent  their 
entire  lives  in  Germany.  One  son,  William,  has  been  born  of  this  union.  He 
lives  in  Crawford  county  and  married  Miss  Clara  Miller.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren, Clarence  and  Leslie. 

While  still  in  active  business  in  Crawford  county,  Mr.  Pruter  was  closely 
identified  with  public  interests  in  his  locality  and  served  as  trustee,  a  member 
of  the  school  board  and  as  supei-visor  of  the  roads  in  Hayes  township.  He 
fulfilled  the  duties  of  these  several  offices  with  care  and  discrimination,  which 
gained  for  him  the  esteem  of  those  who  had  chosen  him  as  their  representative. 
The  memory  of  the  past  years,  which  brought  him  such  good  fortune,  holds 
little  bitterness  for  his  success  is  due  entirely  to  his  own  efforts  and  not  to  the 
misfortune  of  others. 


JACOB  MILLER. 


In  the  death  of  Jacob  Miller,  which  occurred  at  his  home  on  the  Middle 
road.  May  11,  1897,  Scott  county  lost  one  of  its  well  known  and  honored  pioneer 
residents.  He  had  come  to  Iowa  in  1846,  removing  to  this  state  from  Indiana. 
He  was,  however,  a  native  of  Ohio,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Brown  county, 
that  state,  in  1806.  His  father,  John  Miller,  was  a  tailor  and  followed  his 
trade  in  Ohio  and  Indiana.  Both  he  and  his  wife,  Mrs.  Anna  Miller,  were  of 
German  birth  and  parentage.  They  removed  from  the  Buckeye  state  to  In- 
diana during  the  boyhood  days  of  Jacob  Miller,  who  acquired  his  education  in 
the  common  schools.  After  putting  aside  his  text-books  he  learned  the  black- 
smith's trade  and  then,  thinking  to  have  better  business  opportunities  in  Iowa, 
he  removed  to  this  state.  He  engaged  in  blacksmithing  on  the  farm  which  he 
purchased  in  Le  Claire  township,  making  investment  in  government  land,  which 
he  cleared  and  developed,  breaking  the  sod  and  planting  his  fields,  which  in 
course  of  time  brought  forth  rich  harvests.  Year  after  year  he  carefully  car- 
ried on  the  farm  work  and  in  addition  to  the  cultivation  of  cereals  best  adapted 
to  the  soil  and  climate  he  also  raised  stock  and  found  it  a  profitable  source  of 
income.    He  continued  to  carry  on  general  farming  until  the  fall  of  1882,  when 


666  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

he  removed  to  his  home  on  the  Middle  road.  He  retained  the  ownership  of  his 
farm,  however,  until  his  death.  His  property  interests  were  a  visible  evidence 
of  his  well  directed  energy  and  activity  and  he  could  truly  be  called  a  selfrmade 
man,  for  his  success  came  as  the  just  reward  of  his  earnest  and  unfaltering 
labor. 

Mr.  Miller  was  married  twice.  In  Indiana,  in  1831,  he  wedded  Miss  Jane 
Aikens  and  unto  them  were  born  five  daughters,  including  Mrs.  Heavlin,  whose 
daughter,  Mrs.  James  Kough,  now  resides  with  Mrs.  Miller  in  Davenport. 
His  first  wife  passed  away  in  November,  1876,  and  in  1881  he  wedded  Hila 
Bishop,  whose  father  came  to  Iowa  from  Illinois. 

Mr.  Miller  voted  with  the  democracy  and  had  firm  belief  in  the  value  of 
the  party  principles  as  elements  in  good  government.  He  did  not  seek  nor 
wish  for  office,  however,  preferring  to  concentrate  his  energies  upon  his  busi- 
ness affairs.  He  held  no  membership  in  fraternities  but  was  a  devoted  member 
of  the  Baptist  church  for  fifty  years,  serving  for  a  long  period  as  deacon  in 
the  church.  He  took  deep  interest  in  all  O'f  its  work,  doing  everything  in  his 
power  to  promote  its  growth  and  extend  its  influence.  His  life  was  ever  honor- 
able and  upright,  in  harmony  with  his  professions,  and  his  sterling  personal 
worth  commanded  for  him  the  respect  of  young  and  old,  rich  and  poor.  Had 
he  lived  until  June,  1897,  he  would  have  been  ninety-one  years  of  age.  His  life 
span  covered  much  of  that  century  which  up  to  this  time  has  been  the  most  im- 
portant in  the  world's  history,  chronicling  as  it  does  the  most  notable  progress 
along  the  paths  of  civilization.  When  he  first  saw  the  sunlight  in  Ohio,  Iowa 
had  no  place  on  the  map  save  as  a  part  of  that  great  unexplored  western  country. 
The  first  crude  steamboat  had  not  yet  been  floated  upon  the  Hudson  and  a  num- 
ber of  years  were  to  pass  before  the  first  telegraph  line  would  transmit  a  mes- 
sage. Mr.  Miller  lived  to  see  all  these  and  many  more  things  accomplished,  to- 
gether with  the  settlement  of  the  great  west  and  its  division  into  states  whose 
enterprises  and  opportunities  equal  if  not  exceed  those  of  the  older  east. 


CHARLES  MEIER. 


A  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Winfield  township  is  the  property 
of  Charles  Meier,  and  that  he  deserves  mention  among  the  energetic  and  capable 
agriculturists  of  Scott  county  is  shown  by  the  attractive  appearance  of  his  farm. 
He  was  born  in  Bremen,  Prussia,  Germany,  September  30,  1849,  his  parents 
being  Fritz  and  Marie  Meier.  The  father  was  a  laborer  in  the  old  country  and 
was  the  first  of  his  family  to  come  to  the  United  States.  Later,  in  1859,  two 
of  his  sisters,  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Christian  Voss,  and.  Caroline,  the  wife  of 
Charles  Fent,  followed,  settling  in  Long  Grove,  Scott  county,  Iowa.  In  1862,  a 
brother,  William,  who  is  now  deceased,  also  came  to  this  county,  and  the  next 
year  the  rest  of  the  family,  consisting  of  father,  mother,  a  brother  Fritz,  and 
sisters  Rica,  Mary,  and  Augusta  came  here,  aU  of  them  locating  in  Long  Grove 
township,  this  county.  The  father  died  one  year  after  coming  here,  but  his 
wife  lived  about  twenty  years  after  her  arrival. 


MR.   .VND  MR^.  CHARLES  :\IETER 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  669 

Charles  Meier  was  fourteen  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  America.  He  had 
attended  school  in  Germany  and  had  been  confirmed  in  his  native  land.  For 
two  winters  after  his  arrival  in  this  county  he  was  a  pupil  in  the  district  school 
of  Ixwig  Grove,  that  he  might  become  familiar  with  the  English  language.  For 
many  years,  in  fact  until  he  married,  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand,  ^nd  then,  in 
1876,  he  engaged  in  farming  for  himself,  renting  land  in  Butler  township.  Two 
years  later  he  removed  to  Winfield  township,  whjsre  he  lived  upon  rented  land 
for  a  year,  and  then  he  went  to  Sheridan  township,  where  he  farmed  as  a  ten- 
ant for  seven  years.  At  the  end  of  that  period  he  returned  to  Winfield  town- 
ship, where  he  bought  eighty  acres,  the  tract  constituting  part  of  the  farm  on 
which  he  now  lives.  The  other  eighty  acres  his  wife  received  from  her  father. 
As  the  years  have  gone  by  Mr.  Meier  has  improved  and  cultivated  his  place  until 
now  it  is  one  of  the  neat,  attractive  and  up-to-date  farms  of  the  locaUty  and  its 
fields  bring  forth  rich  harvests  that  well  compensate  him  for  his  labor. 

On  the  3d  of  Sq)tember,  1876,  Mr.  Meier  wedded  Miss  Mary  Farenkrug,  a 
daughter  of  Lewis  and  Anna  Farenkrug.  Mrs.  Meier  was  born  in  Holstein, 
Germany,  Marcii  S,  1857,  aijd  was  seven  years  of  age  when  she  was  brought 
to  America  tty  her  mother,  her  father  having  died  in  the  fatherland.  After 
coming  to  this  country  her  mother  married  Mr.  Farenkrug,  both  of  whom  are 
now  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meier  became  the  parents  of  nine  children,  as 
follows:  Bertha,  who  marrijed  Herman  Ertzman,  of  Davenport,  and  is  now  the 
mother  of  four  children,  Wilma,  Martha,  Marie  and  Mildred;  Martha,  the  wife 
of  Albert  Ertzman,  by  whom  she  has  two  children,  Werna  an,d  Lewis ;  Lewis, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  five  years ;  William,  who  died  when  three  years  of  age ; 
Louise,  who  became  the  wife  of  Thomas  Wolfe,  of  Long  Groye ;  and  Ferdinand, 
Alma,  Hilda  and  Edna,  who  are  at  home. 

Mr.  Meier  belongs  to  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  at  Long  Grove,  and  to  the 
Kniglits  of  Pythias  at  Eldridge,  while  he  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the 
democratic  party.  On  its  ticket  he  was  elected  as  trustee  of  Winfield  township 
for  two  terms,  d-uring  which  time  he  proved  that  he  was  a  man  of  great  public 
spirit  and  progressiveness.  He  is  true  to  every  trust  reposed  in  him,  whether 
of  a  public  or  private  nature,  ^nd  has  many  good  qualities  as  manifest  In  his 
business  career  and  social  relations,  so  that  he  well  deserves  to  be  mentioned 
among  the  representative  citizens  of  Scott  county. 


REV.  W.  P.  SHANNAHAN. 

Rev.  W.  P.  Shannahan,  president  of  St.  Ambrose  College,  one  of  the  strong 
Catholic  institutions  of  this  state,  was  born  in  Muscatine  county,  Iowa,  Febru- 
ary 2,  1870.  His  parents  were  John  and  Elizabeth  (Casbman)  Shannahan,  the 
former  a  native  of  Ireland  and  the  latter  of  Kentucky.  His  early  education 
was  obtained  in  St.  Ambrose  College,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  the 
Glass  of  1896,  while  later  he  was  graduated  from  the  St.  Paul  Seminary  in  1898. 
He  afterward  did  post-graduate  work  in  the  Catholic  University  of  Washing- 
ton in  the  scholastic  year  of  1899  and  1900,  and  was  thus  well  qualified  by  liberal 


670  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

training  for  the  important  work  that  has  devolved  upon  him  in  connection  with 
educational  interests. 

On  the  27th  of  May,  1899,  the  Rev.  W.  P.  Shannahan  was  ordained  to  the 
priesthood,  taking  his  holy  orders  in  St.  Paul.  After  his  studies  were  completed 
in  Washington  he  came  to  St.  Ambrose  College  as  one  of  its  professors  and 
in  January,  1907,  was  chosen  president  of  the  institution,  which  is  a  very  old 
and  important  one  of  this  city,  promoting  in  large  measure  the  Catholic  educa- 
tion of  the  young  in  central  Iowa. 


HENRY  W.  MEIER. 


Since  1898  Henry  W.  Meier  has  carried  on  a  profitable  business  at  Long 
Grove  as  a  dealer  in  farm  implements,  hardware  and  coal  and  is  well  known  as 
a  progressive,  energetic  and  representative  citizen  of  Scott  county.  One  of  her 
native  sons,  he  was  born  in  Sheridan  township  August  8,  1871,  his  parents  being 
Heinrich  and  Lena  (Wiese)  Meier,  both  of  whom  were  of  German  birth.  The 
father  was  born  in  Hanover  in  1838  and  when  a  boy  decided  to  come  to  the 
United  States.  He  landed  at  New  Orleans,  whence  he  went  to  Lexington,  Ken- 
tucky, living  there  for  several  years  and  then  coming  to  Scott  county,  Iowa.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  to  break  the  prairie  in  this  section  of  the  state  and  when  he 
had  saved  enough  from  his  earnings  he  sent  for  his  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carl 
Meier,  to  come  here.  Their  last  years  were  passed  in  this  county,  the  grand- 
father being  ninety- four  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

Heinrich  Meier  had  received  some  education  in  his  native  land,  but  it  was 
very  little  and  he  was  what  might  truthfully  be  called  a  self-made  man.  He 
bought  first  eighty  acres  of  prairie  land  and  then  eighty  acres  adjoining,  on 
which  he  built  a  house  and  lived  throughout  his  life.  Subsequently  he  pur- 
chased another  farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres.  He  owned  the  first  steam 
thresher  on  this  side  of  the  Mississippi  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  use  the  Mc- 
Cormick  binder.  During  his  entire  life  he  engaged  in  threshing  for  others  in 
every  part  of  Scott  county.  Nor  did  he  confine  his  interests  to  his  private  af- 
fairs but  found  time  to  serve  as  school  director  and  road  supervisor  for  a  long 
period,  being  elected  to  both  positions  on  the  democratic  ticket.  Indeed  he  was 
one  of  the  most  prominent  farmers  of  the  county,  and  his  death,  which  occurred 
at  the  comparatively  early  age  of  forty-eight  years,  was  felt  as  a  serious  loss  by 
the  community.  His  remains  were  laid  to  rest  at  Pine  Hill.  His  wife  survived 
him  many  years,  passing  away  in  1906,  when  sixty-two  years  of  age.  They  were 
the  parents  of  four  children:  Emma,  the  wife  of  Peter  Stoltenberg,  of  Mount 
Joy;  Henry  W.,  of  this  review;  Augusta,  who  married  August  Lafranz,  of 
Eldridge,  Iowa ;  and  Edward,  who  lives  on  the  old  home  place. 

Henry  W.  Meier  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Scott  county,  being  reared  to 
manhood  upon  the  home  farm.  At  the  usual  age  he  entered  the  district  school 
of  his  locality,  and  after  completing  his  education  therein  assisted  with  the 
work  on  the  farm  until  he  attained  his  majority.  For  the  next  five  years  he 
was  engaged  in  running  a  thresher,  and  in  partnership  with  Mr.  Lafranz  con- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  671 

ducted  a  grocery  store  at  Eldridge  at  the  same  time.  He  sold  his  interests  in 
this  enterprise  to  his  partner  in  1895,  and  after  the  outbreak  of  the  Spanish- 
American  war,  in  June,  1898,  enlisted  in  Company  B.  Fiftieth  Iowa  Volunteer 
Infantry,  with  which  he  went  to  Jacksonville,  Florida,  where  he  was  in  camp 
for  six  months.  On  being  discharged  he  returned  to  Scott  county  and  the  same 
year  embarked  in  the  implement  business  in  Long  Grove,  which  he  has  con- 
ducted successfully  to  the  present,  carrying  not  only  the  various  machines  needed 
in  modern  farming  but  also  a  full  line  of  hardware,  automobiles  and  several 
varieties  of  coal.  His  enterprise  and  aggressiveness  have  secured  for  him  a 
large  patronage,  while  his  sound  methods  and  business  probity  have  gained  the 
respect  and  confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  has  had  dealings.  He  holds  stock 
in  the  Stockman's  Savings  Bank  of  Long  Grove  and  in  the  American  Security 
Company  of  Davenport. 

On  the  i8th  of  December,  1901,  Mr.  Meier  wedded  Miss  Millie  Lahl,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Louisa  Lahl,  old  settlers  of  Winfield  township,  which  is 
the  birthplace  of  Mrs.  Meier.  Her  father  died  in  1898,  at  the  age  of  forty-five 
years,  but  her  mother  is  still  living.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meier  are  the  parents  of 
four  children:  Roma,  Helen,  Carl  and  Alta. 

He  belongs  to  the  iOnights  of  Pythias  lodge  of  Eldridge,  to  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of  Long  Grove,  and  to  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  at 
Long  Grove.  In  these  organizations  he  has  many  friends  and  he  is  well  known 
in  this  county,  where  his  entire  life  has  been  passed,  and  those  who  have  known] 
him  since  boyhood  are  most  loyal  to  him  now,  an  indication  of  his  honorable 
and  upright  character. 


DICK  R.  LANE. 


Dick  R.  Lane  needs  no  introduction  to  the  readers  of  this  volume  for  he  is  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  distinguished  families  of  Dav- 
enport, in  which  city  he  was  born  October  27,  1882.  His  grandfather  and  his 
father,  both  distinguished  representatives  of  the  Iowa  bar,  are  mentioned  else- 
where in  this  volume.  The  public  schools  of  Davenport  afforded  Dick  R. 
Lane  his  early  educational  advantages  and  later  he  had  the  benefit  of  instruction 
in  the  Phillip  Academy  at  Andover,  Massachusetts.  Thus  he  gained  a  broad 
literary  knowledge  to  serve  as  the  foundation  upon  which  to  rear  the  super- 
structure of  professional  learning  and  in  preparation  for  the  bar  he  entered  the 
law  department  of  the  Iowa  State  University,  from  which  he  was  graduated 
in  1904.  He  then  commenced  practice  with  his  father  and  is  proving  an  active, 
working  member  of  the  firm.  His  knowledge  of  the  law  is  also  constituting  an 
element  in  his  successful  management  of  business  interests.  He  is  now  the 
secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Lane  Building  Company,  secretary  and  treasurer 
of  the  Kimball  Hotel  Company  and  treasurer  of  the  White  Lily  Manufactur- 
ing Company.  His  interest  in  Davenport's  development  along  business  lines 
is  of  most  practical  and  tangible  character  and  his  standing  among  the  leading 


672  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

business  men  of  this  city  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  has  been  elected  to  the 
presidency  of  the  Commercial  Club. 

On  the  25th  of  December,  1904,  Mr.  Lane  was  married  to  Miss  Grace  Bird- 
sail,  a  daughter  of  Horace  Birdsall,  a  prorninent  resident  of  Davenport.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  connected  with  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks.  His 
political  allegiance  has  always  been  given  to  the  republican  party  and,  pFomineijt 
in  its  local  ranks,  he  is  now  serving  as  chairman  of  the  county  committee.  He 
is  recognized  as  a  young  man  of  executive  force  and  in  possession  of  adminis- 
trative direction  he  has  shown  marked  enterprise.  His  mental  qualities  are  of 
a  brilliant  character,  his  enterprise  is  undaunted,  and  with  high  ideals  before  him 
he  is  continuously  reaching  our  for  further  accomplishment.  "  Like  the  others  of 
the  family  he  is  leaving  the  impress  of  his  individuality  upon  the  city  in  no  mis- 
takable  manner,  his  efforts  and  labors  constituting  a  vital  force  in^  the  upbuild- 
ing and  improvement  of  Davenport. 


HENRY  ROEHS. 


Henry  Roehs,  one  of  Hickory  Grove  township's  most  popular  and  substan- 
tial citizens,  was  born  on  his  present  home  farm  in  section  30,  November  7,  1865, 
and  its  attractions  for  him  have  proved  sufficiently  strong  to  induce  him'  to  spend 
all  his  life  here.  He  is  the  son  of  Fritz  and  Dorothea  (Ball)  Roehs,  natives  of 
Holstein,  Germany.  It  was  the  grandfather,  John  Roehs,  who  decided  to  put 
to  a  personal  test  the  much  heralded  resources  of  America,  and  in  1852  he  came 
to  this  country  with  his  family.  He  came  to  Davenport  and  subsequently  bought 
the  farm  upon  which  his  grandson  now  resides  and  operated  it  successfully  for 
many  years.  He  was  living  upon  it  at  the  time  of  his  death  about  twenty  years 
ago  at  the  age  of  ninety-nine.  He  had  two  children :  Fritz,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject ;  and  Christina,  wife  of  Frederick  Paustian.  Our  subject's  parents  were  reared 
and  married  in  Germany.  The  father  was  only  about  twenty-two  years  of  age 
when  he  came  to  this  country.  He  at  once  engaged  in  farming  and  prospered 
beyond  his  brightest  dreams.  Possessed  of  absolutely  nothing  at  first  he  died  the 
owner  of  four  valuable  farms,  two  in  Hickory  Grove  and  two  in  Cleona- town- 
ships. His  marriage  was  blessed  by  the  birth  of  four  children :  John,  of  Cleona 
township ;  Louis,  a  resident  of  Walcott ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Henry  Paustian,  of 
Walcott;  and  Henry.  The  father  was  born  August  8,  1830,  and  died  June  11, 
1895.  The  mother,  who  now  resides  with  her  son  Henry,  was  born  September 
25,  1831. 

Henry  Roehs,  who  is  thoroughly  up-to-date  in  his  methods  of  cultivation, 
gives  his  attention  to  general  farming.  He  believes  in  the  best  equipment  avail- 
able and  his  farm  buildings  are  models  of  convenience,  these  having  been  planned 
and  constructed  by  his  father.  He  has  additional  interests,  being  a  stockholder 
in  the  Farmers  Elevator  Company  of  Walcott. 

In  1888  Mr.  Roehs  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sophia  Anders,  a  native 
of  Holstein,  the  ancestral  home  of  the  Roehs,  having  been  born  there  July  30, 
1871.    She  came  to  America  with  her  widowed  mother  when  ten  years  of  age. 


.rofry  uorhs 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  675 

The  Roehs  home  is  brightened  by  the  presence  of  eight  children  as  follows: 
Herman,  Lizzie,  Clara,  Herbert,  Hugo,  Martha,  Evelyn  and  Clarence.  Mr. 
Roehs  unites  with  his  many  good  gifts  of  mind  and  heart  a  fine,  commanding 
presence  which  combine  to  give  him  a  personality  not  soon  to  be  forgotten  by 
those  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact. 


HENRY  L.  KROEGER. 

Henry  L.  Kroeger,  whose  well  tilled  farm  in  Davenport  township  is  repre- 
sentative of  the  best  agricultural  interests  of  this  section  of  the  county,  was 
born  on  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives,  February  i8,  1864,  a  son  of  Claus 
and  Anna  (Loge)  Kroeger.  The  former  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  April 
14,  1829,  his  parents  being  Hans  and  Lena  Kroeger,  who  spent  all  their  lives  in 
the  fatherland.  In  his  youth  he  served  in  the  German  war  of  1848-50,  for  two 
years,  and  in  1854  embarked  upon  his  journey  to  America.  Upon  his  arrival  in 
Scott  county,  Iowa,  Mr.  Kroeger  secured  employement  as  a  farm  hand  with 
Mr.  Schmidt  and  continued  to  work  for  others  until  i860,  when  he  married  and 
went  to  live  upon  the  place  which  is  now  the  home  of  his  son  and  which  was 
then  owned  by  his  father-in-law.  Upon  it  he  continued  to  pursue  his  vocation 
as  a  farmer  until  1893,  when  he  deemed  it  wise  to  retire  from  active  life  and 
accordingly  took  up  his  residence  in  Davenport,  where  he  is  still  living.  He 
also  owned  a  tract  of  land  in  Linn  county,  Iowa,  but  has  sold  it.  During  his 
years  of  activity  he  served  as  road  supervisor  and  school  director  of  Daven- 
port township  and  was  a  man  well  known  and  widely  esteemed  among  his 
fellowmen.  His  wife,  who  was  Miss  Anna  Loge  before  her  marriage,  was  born 
in  Germany,  March  9,  1839,  and  came  to  the  United  States  with  her  parents, 
Henry  and  Anna  Loge,  in  1847.  They  landed  at  New  Orleans,  ascended  the 
Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis,  where  they  spent  six  weeks,  and  later  came  to 
Scott  county,  where  they  secured  farm  land  from  the  government. 

Henry  L.  Koeger  has  spent  his  whole  life  upon  the  farm  whose  soil  he  now 
cultivates.  In  early  years  he  learned  all  the  secrets  of  its  cultivation,  so  that 
he  is  now  one  of  the  most  successful  agriculturists  in  his  section  of  the  county. 
He  attended  the  district  schools  in  the  vicinity  of  his  home,  acquiring  a  fair 
English  education.  He  has  not  made  a  specialty  of  any  particular  line  of  work, 
but  is  engaged  in  general  farming,  for  which  the  character  of  his  soil  is  well 
adapted.  He  has  made  good  improvements  and  his  fields  present  a  neat  and  thrifty 
appearance. 

Mr.  Kroeger  has  been  twice  married.  On  the  29th  of  August,  1885,  he 
wedded  Miss  Lena  Gbetsch,  who  was  born  April  12,  1864,  and  through  her  mar- 
riage became  the  mother  of  two  children :  Melanie,  the  widow  of  Ferd  Ahrens ; 
and  Selma,  who  is  at  home.  The  wife  and  mother  died  August  16,  1891,  and 
December  i,  1892,  Mr.  Kroeger  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss  Lena  Rohwer,  a 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Kathryn  (Brandt)  Rohwer.  Her  father  was  born  in 
Holstein,  Germany,  January  19,  1838,  his  parents  being  Joseph  and  Kathryn 
Rohwer.    In  1868,  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  daughter,  Mrs.  Kroeger,  who  was 


676  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

then  two  years  of  age,  he  sailed  for  America.  The  little  party  landed  in  New 
York  and  then  came  to  Iowa,  spending  a  few  years  in  the  city  of  Davenport. 
Later  they  bought  eighty  acres  in  Buffalo  township,  this  county,  on  which  they 
made  their  home  for  about  seventeen  years,  at  the  end  of  that  period  removing 
to  Rockingham  township,  where  they  are  still  living.  The  mother  was  bom 
in  Holstein,  Germany,  September  i,  1844,  and  was  married  to  Mr.  Rohwer  in 
the  old  country,  April  11,  1866.  They  had  eight  children,  of  whom  Lena,  now 
Mrs.  Kroeger,  is  the  eldest.  She  has  become  the  mother  of  one  son,  Irwin. 
Mr.  Kroeger  is  one  of  those  men  upon  whose  upright  and  industrious  life  the 
stability  of  this  nation  depends.  He  has  lived  quietly,  but  well,  gaining  as  his 
reward  both  material  prosperity  and  the  respect  of  those  who  have  watched  his 
progress. 


HANS  SCHLICHTING. 

A  long  trip  across  the  ocean,  travel  by  rail  to  Chicago  and  thence  by  wagon 
at  length  brought  the  Schlichting  family  to  Davenport  in  the  spring  of  1848.  Hans 
Schlichting  was  then  a  little  lad  of  six  years.  He  was  born  in  Schleswig,  Ger- 
many, March  11,  1842,  a  son  of  Mathias  and  Marie  Schlichting.  The  father 
was  a  farmer  in  his  native  land  but,  believing  that  he  would  have  better  oppor- 
tunities of  providing  for  his  family  in  the  new  world,  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  in 
1848  and,  as  previously  stated,  arrived  in  Scott  county  in  the  spring  of  that  year. 
This  was  still  a  frontier  district,  in  which  much  of  the  land  was  still  unclaimed 
and  uncultivated.  The  father  bought  a  tract  of  one  hundred  acres  of  prairie  land 
in  Blue  Grass  township  and  the  family  took  up  their  abode  thereon  in  a  little  log 
house  which  was  standing  thereon.  Later  as  his  financial  resources  permitted 
he  bought  more  land.  There  were  few  families  in  the  neighborhood  and  some 
Indians  were  still  to  be  seen.  Hardships  and  trials  incident  to  pioneer  life  formed 
a  feature  of  their  early  experiences  here,  but  as  the  years  passed  on  Mathias 
Schlichting  prospered  in  his  undertakings  and  from  time  to  time  made  judicious 
investments  in  property,  the  value  of  which  increased  with  the  settlement  of  the 
county  as  well  as  by  reason  of  the  cultivation  and  improvement  which  he  bestowed 
upon  it.  In  later  years  he  gave  to  each  of  his  five  sons  a  farm  and  to  his  three 
daughters  an  equivalent  sum  in  money.  He  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years, 
while  his  wife  reached  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  In  their  family  were  eight 
children:  John,  now  deceased;  Anna,  who  married  Henry  Houschild,  both  now 
deceased;  Cathrina,  who  married  Frederick  Frahm,  but  both  have  passed  away; 
Christina,  the  widow  of  Detlef  Houschild;  Peter,  who  is  living  in  Davenport; 
Thomas,  deceased ;  William,  a  resident  of  this  city ;  and  Hans. 

The  last  named,  arriving  in  Scott  county  at  the  age  of  six  years,  pursued  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  Blue  Grass  township  and  afterward  worked  with 
his  father  on  the  farm,  breaking  prairie  with  oxen.  He  lived  upon  the  same 
farm  for  forty-seven  years  and  then  retired,  removing  to  Davenport.  That  long 
period  was  one  of  earnest,  persistent  toil  as  he  diligently  cultivated  the  fields 
from  the  time  of  early  spring  planting  until  crops  were  harvested  in  the  late  au- 
tumn.    He  followed  progressive  methods  in  tilling  the  soil  and  as  the  result 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  677 

of  his  care  and  wise  management  harvested  good  crops  and  in  the  course  of 
years  acquired  a  competence  that  now  enables  him  to  live  comfortably  with- 
out recourse  to  further  labor.  He  was  at  one  time  the  owner  of  five  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  valuable  land,  all  in  Scott  county,  but  he  has  since  sold  a  por- 
tion of  it  and  has  given  the  remainder  to  his  children. 

Mr.  Schlichting  was  married  September  29,  1863,  to  Miss  Mary  Hoist,  a 
daughter  of  Jurgen  and  Magdelina  Hoist,  who  were  early  settlers  of  this  county, 
taking  up  their  abode  in  Princeton  township  when  the  work  of  development  and 
improvement  had  scarcely  been  begun  here.  Mrs.  Schlichting  was  born  in  Hol- 
stein-Schleswig,  Germany,  February  27,  1844,  and  in  1858  was  brought  to  the 
United  States  by  her  parents,  who  died  on  their  farm  in  Princeton  township. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schlichting  have  been  born  a  daughter  and  two  sons.  Matilda 
became  the  wife  of  John  Ronnfield  and  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-one  years, 
leaving  five  children :  Florence  Mary,  who  became  the  wife  of  Henry  Hendricks, 
of  this  county,  and  had  four  children,  Esther  M.,  Marie,  Louisa  and  Leona ;  Cor- 
delia C,  who  married  Hugo  Harger ;  Lillian  ;•  Rose ;  and  Edna.  Fritz  E.,  the 
second  of  the  family,  living  in  Davenport,  married  Hannah  Umlaud  and  has  two 
children,  Oliver  V.  and  Leroy  W.  John,  also  of  Davenport,  married  Augusta 
Warneboldt  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Carmel  M. 

The  cause  of  public  education  has  ever  found  in  Mr.  Schlichting  a  warm  sup- 
porter. He  has  served  as  school  director  of  Blue  Grass  township  for  nine  years 
and  was  road  supervisor  for  a  few  years.  He  has  always  been  an  earnest  repub- 
lican, never  faltering  in  his  allegiance  to  the  principles  of  the  party,  for  he  be- 
lieves that  it  contains  for  the  best  elements  of  good  government.  His  life  has  been 
a  diligent  one  and  his  well  spent  years  have  brought  him  substantial  prosperity, 
while  his  reliable  business  methods  have  gained  for  him  the  good  will  and  con- 
fidence of  all. 


MRS.  ELIZABETH  INCZE. 

The  history  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Incze,  one  of  Davenport  township's  well  known 
women,  as  that  of  her  late  husband,  Francis  Incze,  is  one  of  interest.  She  is  a 
native  of  Bavaria,  Germany,  her  parents  being  Johann  Philip  and  Anna  (Houck) 
Loge,  both  of  whom  died  in  their  native  land.'  In  her  early  years  she  and  her 
brother  John  left  the  fatherland  to  try  their  fortunes  in  the  United  States.  They 
landed  in  New  York  in  1852  and  in  a  little  while  went  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
where  Elizabeth  was  married  to  Francis  Incze,  who  was  born  in  Hungary,  March 
23,  1828.  He  was  of  noble  birth  and  fine  education,  but  his  youthful  ardor 
carried  him  to  imprudent  lengths  at  the  time  of  the  war  between  Austria  and 
Hungary  in  1848  and  he  was  exiled  from  his  native  land  with  many  other  revo- 
lutionists. They  wandered  through  many  foreign  lands,  among  them  Turkey 
and  Egypt,  and  finally  arrived  in  England,  where  the  British  government  fur- 
nished them  free  of  charge  with  a  ship  in  which  to  come  to  America.  Upon 
landing  in  the  east  he  was  advised  to  go  to  Cincinnati,  where  he  learned  the 
trade  of  wood  turning.    There  he  met  Mrs.  Incze  and  about  four  years  after 


678  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

their  ifiatriage  they  removed  to  Davenport.  Their  residence  in  this  city  was  of 
twenty  years  duration,  Mr.  Incze  meantime  following'  his  trade;  At  the  end  of 
this  time  they  purchased  a  thirty-five  acre  tract  of  fine  land  irt  Davenport  town- 
ship and  removed  to  it  to  engage  in  fruit  growing.  Mr.  Incze  followed  his 
new  vocation  until  his  death,  April  i,  1896.  Throughout  his  life  he  gave  his 
support  to  the  republican  party. 

Mrs.  Incze  is  the  mother  of  nine  children,  five  of  whom  are  still  living,  while 
four  are  deceased.  She  is  a  woman  of  dauntless  nature,  whose  courage  in 
coming  to  a  new  country  when  a  young  girl,  unaccompanied  by  natural  guardians, 
has  been  matched  by  other  deeds  in  subsequent  years.  In  the  rearing  of  her 
children  and  in  the  management  of  her  affairs  since  the  death  of  her  husband 
she  has  exhibited  executive  ability  greater  than  that  usually  accredited  to  her 
seat. 


THOMAS  D.  STARBUCK,  M.  D. 

One  of  the  prominent  and  successful  physicians  of  Davenport  is  Dr.  Thofhas 
D.  Starbuck,  who  for  the  last  seven  years  has  ministered  to  the  physical  needs 
of  the  citizens  here.  An  able  practitioner,  he  enjoys  the  confidence  of  those  who 
know  him,  while  he  also  receives  their  admiration,  for  his  proficiency  in  his 
profession  was  not  attained  without  numerous  hardships  and  privations.  He 
was  bom  in  Winchester,  Randolph  county,  Indiana,  January  24,  1872,  a  son 
of  W.  W.  and  Louisa  (Davidson)  Starbuck.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Vir- 
ginia, but  in  1822,  when  about  nine  years  of  age,  removed  to  Indiana  with  his 
parents.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  lived  to  a  good  old  age.  His 
wife,  however,  died  at  an  early  age,  for  Dr.  Starbuck  was  only  five  years  old 
when  she  passed  away.     Four  sons  and  two  daughters  were  born  to  them. 

Thomas  D.  Starbuck,  who  was  the  youngest  of  this  family,  lived  upon  the 
farm  in  Randolph  county,  Indiana,  until  he  was  about  thirteen  years  of  age.  He 
had  received  a  fair  common-school  education  in  the  institutions  of  instruction 
in  his  vicinity,  but  it  was  only  enough  to  give  him  an  incentive  for  a  wider  in- 
tellectual outlook,  which  he  determined  to  acquire  when  an  opportunity  pre- 
sented itself.  In  1886  he  left  his  home  and  began  traveling,  coming  to  Iowa  in 
the  course  of  time.  He  settled  first  in  Monticello,  where  he  remained  one 
year,  and  then  came  to  Davenport,  where  he  entered  Woods  Business  College. 
Upon  completing  the  course  of  study,  he  became  connected  with  the  St.  James 
Hotel,  where  he  remained  from  1891  to  1898.  In  that  time,  however,  he  had 
taken  up  the  study  of  medicine,  having  decided  to  make  its  practice  his  life's 
work.  Finally  he  was  able  to  enter  the  State  University  at  Iowa  City,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  with  the  degree  of  M.  D.,  in  1902.  Returning  to  Daven- 
port, he  established  himself  in  practice  here,  and  this  city  has  since  been  the 
scene  of  his  professional  labors.  He  is  a  skilled  practitioner,  a  man  thoroughly 
conversant  with  all  phases  of  his  art  and  endowed  with  those  attractive  qualities 
of  personality  which  immediately  win  for  him  confidence. 

In  1902,  when  he  was  prepared  to  start  upon  his  new  work.  Dr.  Starbuck 
wedded  Miss  Ludo  Bruning,  who  was  bom  in  this  city  and  is  a  member  of  one 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  679 

of  the  older  families  of  Scott  county.  Fraternally  Dr.  Starbuck  is  connected 
with  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  being  a  member  of  the  local  lodge  of  the  city,  at 
whose  meetings  he  frequently  finds  respite  from  the  cares  of  the  day.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  several  organizations  whose  object  is  the  advancement  of 
the  medical  profession,  for  he  belongs  to  the  Scott  County,  the  Iowa  State  and 
the  American  Medical  Associations.  He  has  made  every  endeavor  to  win  an 
horiorable  reputatibn  and  has  no  reason  to  doubt  but  that  he  has  achieved  his 
object.  He  has  been  known  in  his  professional  capacity  to  the  citizens  of 
Davenport  for  only  seven  years,  but  that  period  has  been  sufficient  for  them  to 
recognize  his  high  character  and  his  ability  as  a  physician. 


W.  W.  LUNGER. 


One  of  the  foremost  representatives  of  the  legal  profession  in  Davenport  is 
W.  W.  Luiiger^  who  was  born  in  Lawrenceburg,  Indiana,  August  2,  1855.  His 
father,  Frederick  Lunger,  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and  during  his  life  was 
one  of  the  oldest  railroad  engineers  in  the  country.  He  was  first  in  the  employ 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Company,  controlling  the  throttle  of  tbe  Rocket,  an  engine 
built  in  England  and  shipped  to  the  United  States  on  a  sailing  vessel.  Later  he 
became  an  engineer  on  various  roads  in  Kentucky  and  Mississippi,  and  while 
in  those  localities  became  acquainted  with  Henry  Clay,  Jefferson  Davis  and 
other  prominent  men  of  the  time.  Later  he  went  to  Indiana,  having  charge  of 
the  first  passenger  train  that  ran  into  Indianapolis.  In  1856  he  came  to  Daven- 
port and,  having  retired  from  the  railroad  business,  bought  an  interest  in  the 
Twin  City  Grist  Mill  with  Adam  Green  as  his  partner.  The  mill  burned  in 
1863  and  for  the  next  few  years  Mr.  Lunger  returned  to  his  engineering  life, 
holding  a  position  under  French  &  Davis.  In  1863  he  began  farming  on  a 
tract  in  Littles  Grove,  where  his  death  occurred  in  1883,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
four.  He  had  been  a  stanch  republican  after  the  organization  of  that  party; 
was  temperate  in  his  habits,  proving  himself  in  many  ways  a  good  citizen  and 
of  Scott  county  and  of  the  republic.  His  wife,  who  was  Miss  Harriett  Mc- 
Gof-mick,  was  a  native  of  Cincinnati  and  died  here  in  1892,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-three.     Ten  children  had  been  born  to  them. 

W.  W.  Lunger,  who  attended  the  public  schools  of  Davenport,  was  reared 
upon  a  farm  and  assisted  in  its  work  during  his  early  years.  He  completed  the 
course  in  the  Davenport  high  school  at  the  age  of  eighteen  and  thereupon  en- 
gaged in  teaching  in  Scott  county  for  a  period  of  six  years.  In  that  time  he 
had  saved  sufficient  money  to  enable  him  to  attend  the  Columbia  Law  School, 
for  he  had  determined  to  enter  the  legal  profession.  There,  as  a  classmate  of 
Theodore  Roosevelt,  he  completed  his  course.  He  was  graduated  in  1882.  The 
next  two  yfears  were  spent  at  Grand  Forks,  North  Dakota,  whence  he  went 
to  Springfield,  Illinois,  and  there  for  three  years  practiced  his  prbfession.  It 
was  during  his  sojourn  in  that  city  that  his  abilities  came  to  the  notice  of  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad  and  he  was  called  by  them  to  go  to  Omaha.  The  next 
fourteen  years  were  spent  in  their  employ,  twelve  years  of  that  period  in  con- 


680  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

nection  with  the  land  department  of  the  railroad.  In  1901  he  came  back  to 
Davenport  and,  having  engaged  in  practice,  the  following  year  was  elected  to 
the  city  council  for  a  term  of  two  years.  Although  so  much  of  his  energy  had, 
of  necessity,  been  devoted  to  the  interests  of  his  employers,  he  still  found  time 
to  exert  his  influence  in  behalf  of  those  questions  which  were  nearest  to  his 
heart.  The  principal  of  these  was  the  protection  of  children  from  overwork 
and  open  vice.  His  name  is  linked  with  the  legislature  in  their  behalf  in  this 
state  and  elsewhere,  and  in  the  city  of  Davenport  he  has  been  most  closely  con- 
nected with  the  abolition  of  the  slot  machines  which  he  rightly  regards  as  but 
an  alluring  incitement  to  later  gambling. 

On  the  5th  of  June,  1888,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Lunger  and 
Miss  Ada  M.  Crow,  who  was  born  in  Springfield,  Illinois.  They  have  one  son, 
Fred,  who  was  graduated  from  the  high  school  of  Davenport  and  is  now  a 
student  at  Cornell  University,  looking  forward  to  a  career  in  the  law.  Mr. 
Lunger  is  a  stanch  republican  in  his  political  sympathies  and  is  active  in  local 
affairs,  his  influence  being  exerted  in  behalf  of  improvement  of  conditions  of 
living.    Fraternally  he  enjoys  pleasant  relations  with  the  Masonic  bodies. 


SAM  T.  WHITE. 


Sam  T.  White  is  the  president  of  the  White  Lily  Manufacturing  Company 
and  a  representative  of  that  class  of  citizens  who  find  their  stimulus  for  business 
activity  in  necessity  and  competition.  Placing  his  dependence  upon  his  own  ef- 
forts and  resources,  from  the  outset  of  his  career  he  has  steadily  progressed  in 
the  business  world  along  well  defined  lines  of  labor  until  he  has  reached  an  im- 
portant position  in  commercial  circles  as  the  president  of  the  White  Lily  Manu- 
facturing Company  of  Davenport.  He  was  born  in  Cornwall,  England,  Feb- 
ruary I,  1868.  That  county  was  also  the  birthplace  of  his  father,  Samuel  White, 
who  came  to  the  United  States  in  the  early  '40s.  He  was  a  miner  by  occupation, 
and,  attracted  by  the  gold  discoveries  in  California,  went  to  the  Pacific  coast  in 
1849.  He  traveled  extensively  through  the  western  country,  prospecting  and 
mining,  and  made  some  money  while  in  that  section.  In  1866  he  returned  to  his 
native  county  of  Cornwall,  where  he  wedded  Miss  Mary  Ann  Thomas.  His 
death  occurred  in  Cornwall  in  1880.  His  son,  Sam  T.  White,  was  reared  to  farm 
life,  having  but  meager  educational  privileges,  as  it  was  necessary  that  he  early 
provide  for  his  own  support.  He  was  a  strong  and  vigorous  boy,  however,  and 
when  but  sixteen  years  of  age  he  left  England  with  a  companion  of  the  same  age 
and  sailed  for  the  United  States,  for  the  stories  which  he  heard  concerning  busi- 
ness conditions  in  the  new  world  led  him  to  the  belief  that  he  would  have  bet- 
ter opportunities  on  the  western  continent.  He  settled  first  at  Staatsburg,  New 
York,  where  he  remained  for  a  year  and  then  went  to  Canada,  where  he  followed 
farming,  ditching  and  well  digging.  He  also  worked  in  lumber  camps  and  here 
his  extraordinary  physique  stood  him  in  good  stead,  enabling  him  to  command 
high  wages  because  of  the  strength  which  he  exercised  in  the  performance  of 
his  duties.    He  had  no  rich  friends,  was  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land  and  had  to 


SAM  T.  WHITE 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  683 

depend  upon  his  own  erforts.  He  succeeded  because  of  his  determination  and 
his  energy  and  at  all  times  was  watchful  of  opportunities  promising  advance- 
ment. In  Canada  he  became  interested  in  the  bicycle  business  and  met  with 
prosperity  in  that  undertaking.  In  fact  throughout  his  entire  life  he  has  car- 
ried forward  to  successful  completion  every  business  with  which  he  has  become 
associated.  In  1891  he  removed  to  Chicago  and  became  connected  with  several 
large  firms  in  the  bicycle  business,  including  the  Stokes  Company,  the  Monarch 
Manufacturing  Company  and  the  Stover  Bicycle  Manufacturing  Company. 
He  afterward  went  upon  the  road  for  the  Western  Wheel  Works,  his 
territory  including  Davenport,  which  he  made  his  headquarters.  Here 
he  soon  gained  a  wide  circle  of  friends  and  found  this  city  a  con- 
genial home.  He  remained  with  the  Western  Wheel  Works  until  the 
formation  of  the  bicycle  trust,  when  he  went  upon  the  road,  representing  a 
number  of  Davenport  concerns.  One  of  his  lines  was  the  Ocean  Wave  Washer, 
manufactured  by  Voss  Brothers,  and  he  took  control  of  their  output  upon  a  com- 
mercial basis.  In  1902,  recognizing  the  opportunity  for  the  establishment,  as  he 
believed,  of  a  successful  manufactory  in  the  same  line  of  business,  he  organ- 
ized the  White  Lily  Washer  Company  in  connection  with  B.  L.  and  F.  L.  Schmidt, 
and  the  business  was  instituted  and  profitably  conducted  under  the  partnership 
relation  until  May  22,  1909,  when  Mr.  White  bought  out  his  partners'  interests 
and  reorganized  the  enterprise  under  the  name  of  the  White  Lily  Manufacturing 
Company.  The  history  of  the  company  has  been  one  of  unbroken  progress.  The 
business  was  organized  with  a  capital  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars,  which  has  twice 
been  doubled.  In  the  first  company  Mr.  White  was  secretary  and  treasurer  but 
was  elected  to  the  presidency  of  the  new  company,  which  has  long  since  been 
placed  upon  a  paying  basis  and  constitutes  one  of  the  important  productive  in- 
dustries of  the  city.  On  the  ist  of  May,  1907,  Mr.  White  organized  the  Ideal 
Lighting  Company,  of  which  he  is  the  president.  The  White  Lily  Company  does 
business  in  almost  every  part  of  the  world,  having  a  large  export  trade  to  Aus- 
tralia and  various  European  countries.  It  is  managed  along  safe,  conservative, 
and  yet  progressive  lines,  the  business  being  carefully  systematized  so  that  maxi- 
mum results  are  accomplished  at  the  least  possible  expenditure  of  time,  money 
and  labor,  and  this  is  the  source  of  all  successful  business  enterprise. 

On  the  nth  of  April,  1901,  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  White  and  Miss 
Anna  Nagel,  a  daughter  of  Henry  Nagel,  of  Davenport.  Mr.  White  stands  high 
in  Masonic  circles  and  is  a  past  Master  of  Fraternal  Lodge  and  member  of  the 
chapter  and  commandery.  He  is  also  past  venerable  master  of  the  Lodge  of  Per- 
fection of  the  Scottish  Rite,  wise  master  of  the  Rose  Croix  Lodge  and  past  po- 
tentate of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  likewise  belongs  to  the  Benevolent  and  Pro- 
tective Order  of  Elks  and  other  fraternities  which  recognize  in  him  a  valued  and 
popular  representative.  He  is  a  whole-souled,  popular  man,  who  would  make  an 
ideal  political  leader,  but  while  he  is  interested  in  public  affairs  and  assists  his 
friends  in  obtaining  office,  he  does  not  care  for  political  preferment  himself,  de- 
siring rather  to  concentrate  his  time  and  energies  upon  his  business  affairs,  which 
are  of  growing  importance.  He  justly  deserves  the  proud  American  title  of  a 
self-made  man,  for  he  came  to  this  country  when  a  mere  boy  and  by  indefatigable 
energy,  unabating  industry  and  unassailable  business  integrity  won  the  confidence 


684  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

of  others  and  worked  his  way  upward  until  he  commands  the  respect  and  good 
will  of  all  who  know  aught  of  his  history.  He  is  fond  of  outdoor  sports,  genial 
in  manner  and  wherever  he  goes,  wins  friends. 


CHARLES  F.  CLAPP. 


Charles  F.  Clapp  is  now  living  retired  in  Davenport,  but  for  a  long  period 
he  was  closely  associated  with  the  agricultural  interests  of  Scott  county  and  his 
energy  was  so  unabating,  his  enterprise  so  keen  and  his  business  methods  so 
practical  that  he  now  holds  a  place  among  the  men  of  aflfiuence  of  this  section 
of  Iowa.  He  experienced  the  hardships  of  farm  life  in  the  middle  of  the  past 
century  and  many  vicissitudes  of  fortune,  but  he  persevered  courageously  and 
may  regard  the  record  of  his  seventy-two  years  with  a  large  measure  of  satisfac- 
tion. 

Charles  F.  Clapp  was  born  in  Fulton  county,  IlUnois,  February  28,  1838,  a 
descendant  of  one  of  three  brothers  who  came  from  Europe  many  generations  ago 
and  established  the  family  in  the  eastern  part  of  America.  In  its  various  rami- 
fications it  is  very  numerous,  for  at  a  reunion  held  in  Massachusetts  in  1869  it 
was  discovered  that  there  were  then  over  twelve  hundred  members,  many  of 
them  were  pioneers  in  the  middle  west.  Selah  Clapp,  the  grandfather  of  Charles 
F.  Clapp,  came  west  as  far  as  Portage  county,  Ohio,  in  1820  and  bought  a  farm 
near  Kent,  which  is  still  in  the  possession  of  his  descendants  and  of  which  his 
grandson,  Charles  F.,  has  a  picture. 

There  his  son,  Spencer  Clapp,  the  father  of  our  subject,  grew  to  manhood, 
learned  the  shoemaker's  trade  and  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Philiua  Bond. 
In  1837  he  and  his  brother-in-law,  Seldon  Bond,  went  with  teams  to  Fulton 
county,  Illinois,  where  the  former  entered  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land 
and  the  latter  three  hundred  and  twenty,  for  which  they  paid  one  dollar  and  a 
quarter  an  acre.  They  built  a  house  upon  their  property  and  lived  thereon 
until  1839,  when  Spencer  Clapp  was  recalled  to  his  home  on  account  of  the  ill- 
ness of  his  father.  After  his  death  he  sold  his  land  in  Fulton  county  and,  driv- 
ing the  same  teams  with  which  he  had  crossed  the  prairies  before,  returned  to 
the  homestead.  He  managed  it  until  October,  1854,  when  he  came  to  Scott 
county,  Iowa.  In  Davenport,  on  Locust  street  just  east  of  Brady,  he  built  a 
house — which  by  the  way  is  still  standing — and  rented  ten  acres  of  land  near  what 
is  now  Central  Park,  planting  it  in  corn.  The  next  year  he  leased  forty  acres 
more  near  the  race  track,  for  which  he  gave  Dr.  Hall  two-fifths  of  the  crops  as 
rent.  For  three  years  subsequently  he  continued  to  Hve  in  Davenport  and 
after  selling  the  house  he  had  built  first  he  put  up  another,  which  he  traded 
later  for  forty  acres  in  Sheridan  township.  But  after  he  had  built  a  house  upon 
that  land  and  removed  his  family  to  it,  it  was  discovered  that  the  title  was  im- 
perfect and  he  lost  all  he  had  put  into  it,  and  had  reaped  only  two  crops  from 
the  fields.  The  house,  however,  was  not  lost,  for  by  means  of  thirty-two  yoke 
of  cattle  and  with  the  assistance  of  friends  he  was  able  to  drag  it  into  the  road, 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  685 

where  it  remained  for  a  year.  In  the  work  of  moving  old  Mr.  Meier  had  his 
leg  broken. 

Charles  F.  Clapp,  who  had  accompanied  his  father  on  his  several  removals 
after  leaving  Fulton  county,  and  had  helped  him  in  every  way  he  could,  was 
married  about  that  time  and  brought  his  bride  to  the  little  home  standing  in  the 
middle  of  the  road,  although  later,  he  went  to  live  in  a  house  belonging  to  his 
brother-in-law,  Frank  Ferring,  who  had  gone  to  the  war.  While  still  living  in 
the  house  in  liie  road  he  received  news  that  his  brother,  James  Clapp,  was  among 
those  that  died  at  Vicksburg.  He  was  a  member  of  Mark  Thompson's  company 
of  the  Twentieth  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry.  Later  Mr.  Clapp  himself  was 
drafted  into  the  army,  in  1863,  shortly  after  he  had  purchased  forty  acres  of  land 
from  Mr.  Hartzel  and  bad  put  up  a  house  upon  it.  When  he  learned  his  country 
needed  him,  he  sold  his  property  for  twelve  hundred  dollars,  went  to  town 
ev«ry  day  to  see  if  the  quota  was  fiUed  and  then  found  that  whereas  they 
needed  only  fifty  men  from  each  township  they  had  drafted  one  hundred,  and 
that  he  being  the  eighty-fourth  would  not  be  required  to  render  service.  There- 
upon with  the  money  he  had  from  the  sale  of  his  farm,  he  bought  eighty  acres 
in  Sheridan  township,  the  tract  which  his  son  David  J.  now  owns  and  built 
thereon  a. house.  There  he  lived  until  1867,  when  he  sold  forty  acres  to  John 
Grieve  for  fifteen  hundred  dollars  and  also  disposed  of  some  of  the  land  he 
and  his  father  had  bought  previously.  Then  he  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  Sheridan  township,  on  which  his  son  Charles  now  resides  and  which 
adjoined  the  first  tract,  living  thereon  until  1896,  when  he  retired  to  Davenport. 
Now  he  owns  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  fine  farm  land,  this  property  being 
the  visible  evidence  of  his  life  of  thrift,  industry  and  careful  management. 

It  was  on  Christmas  day,  i860,  that  Mr.  Clapp  wedded  Miss  Elizabeth  Knouse, 
who  was  bom  January  28,  1842,  near  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  and  was  about 
eight  years  of  age  when  her  parents,  David  and  Mary  (Stump)  Knouse,  came  to 
Scott  county.  They  entered  land  in  Sheridan  township  about  half  a  mile  west 
of  Mr.  Clapp's  farm,  but  they  spent  their  first  night  in  Iowa  on  the  place 
where  Charles  Clapp  now  lives.  In  the  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clapp  were 
nine  children.  Samuel,  born  in  the  house  standing  in  the  road,  October  25,, 
1861,  married  Miss  Nellie  Morse  and  is  now  Hving  at  Adel,  Iowa,  where  he  is 
rearing  his  six  children,  Paul,  Edward,  Mamie,  Leslie,  Elizabeth  and  Eleanor. 
Anna  born  April  14,  1684,  became  the  wife  of  L.  B.  Guy,  of  Davenport,  and  they 
have  three  sons,  Ralph,  Kenneth  and  Donald.  Emma,  born  June  23,  1866,  and 
died  July  3,  1890.  She  had  married  George  Marti  and  they  had  a  daughter. 
Vera  M.,  who  is  now  living  with  Mr.  Clapp.  Bertha  E.,  born  April  13,  1869, 
became  the  wife  of  Milton  Drenter,  of  Lincoln  township,  and  passed  away  August 
16,  1905,  leaving  three  children:  May,  Pearl  and  Frank.  Seldon,  born  August 
16,  1871,  married  Miss  Lottie  Boise  and  is  now  residing  in  St.  Joseph,  Missouri, 
where  he  is  rearing  his  two  sons,  Seldon  and  Charles.  David  J.  and  Charles  S., 
twins,  were  born  June  ri,  1874,  and  both  are  living  on  the  old  home  place  in 
Sheridan  township.  David  J.,  married  Jennie  Neil,  and  they  have  one  child, 
Neil.  Charles  S.  wedded  Miss  Effie  M.  Evans,  and  they  have  two  children, 
Lester  E.  and  Mildred  E.  Archy,  born  January  26,  1880,  was  graduated  from 
the  Iowa  City  Medical  College  and  from  the  Chicago  Medical  Institute  and  is 


686  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

now  practicing  medicine  in  Muscatine,  Iowa,  making  a  specialty,  of  the  eye,  iear 
and  nose.  He  wedded  Miss  Helen  Hine.  Nellie,  the  youngest  of  Mr.  Clapp's 
family,  was  born  April  i8,  1885,  and  is  living  with  her  parents.  Mil  of  the  chil- 
dren have  received  good  educations. 

While  a  resident  of  Sheridan  township  Mr.  Clapp  rendered  his  fellow  citi- 
zens acceptable. service  for  about  ten  years  in  the  capacities  of  road  supervisor 
and  school  director  and  was  ever  devoted  to  the  public  good.  Fraternally  he  is 
associated  with  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and  with  the  Woodmen 
of  the  World,  while  his  religious  allegiance  is  given  to  the  Christian  church.  He 
joined  this  organization  first  in  Davenport  in  1854,  and  when  he  moved  to  the 
country  joined  the  congregation  at  Long  Grove.  Later,  when  he  returned  to 
Davenport  he  again  joined  the  church  there  and  is  now  the  oldest  member  of 
this  denomination  in  Scott  county.  He  is  deeply  interested  in  church  work  and 
has  been  treasurer  of  his  church  for  a  long  period.  His  life  has  ever  been 
actuated  by  high  principles,  of  honor  and  integrity,  and  the  record  of  his  life  is 
characterized  by  a  steady  progress  resulting  from  the  wise  and  intelligent  utili- 
zation of  every  opportunity  that  came  to  him,  so  that  he  may  well  enjoy  the  rest 
he  so  richly  deserves. 


JULIUS  GRELL. 


Julius  Grell,  a  successful  farmer  and  stock  raiser  of  Hickory  Grove  township, 
was  born  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  this  county,  November  8,  1864,  a  son  of  James 
and  Margaret  (Bliimer)  Grell.  The  former  was  a  native  of  Kiel,  Holstein,  Ger- 
many, where  his  birth  occurred  March  10,  1839,  his  parents  being  Frederick  and 
Margaret  (Reinhardt)  Grell,  who  spent  their  whole  lives  in  the  German  father-' 
land.  To  it  Frederick  Grell  was  especially  attached  for  he  had  served  a  term  of 
seven  years  in  the  army.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  was  employed  as 
overseer  of  a  large  estate.  Only  four  of  his  family  of  five  sons  and  five  daugh- 
ters came  to  the  United  States.  These  were:  John,  now  deceased;  James,  the 
father  of  our  subject;  Claus,  who  is  now  a  resident  of  Nebraska;  and  Mrs.  Kath- 
erine  Steen,  now  deceased. 

James  Grell  spent  his  early  years  in  the  town  of  his  birth,  where  he  learned  the 
trade  of  a  wagonmaker.  At  the  age  of  twenty-three  he  determined  to  emigrate 
to  America,  whither  his  brother  John  had  preceded  him.  The  latter  made  his 
residence  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  this  county,  so  that  it  was  but  in  the  natural 
course  of  events  that  James  Grell  should  there  locate.  Wfter  his  arrival  in  Scott 
county  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  seventeen  years,  while  at  the  same  time  he  also 
engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  the  farm  in  Aliens  Grove  township  on  which  he  still 
resides.  He  cleared  and  developed  it  and  as  he  prospered  added  to  its  original 
area  until  now  he  owns  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  good  arable  land  on  sec- 
tion 27.  He  also  owns  one  hundred  acres  of  timber  land,  his  present  holdings, 
however,  representing  but  a  portion  of  his  original  acquisition  for  he  has 
bestowed  large  farms  upon  his  sons.  Before  he  embarked  for  Kmerica 
Mr.  Grell  married  Miss  Margaret  Bliimer,  also  a  native  of  Kiel,  Germany,  and 


ME.  AND  MRS.  JULIUS  GEELL 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  689 

a  daughter  of  David  Bliimer,  who  was  born  in  Switzerland.  Their  union  was 
blessed  with  four  sons  and  four  daughters,  namely:  Edward,  who  is  at  home; 
Julius,  the  subject  of  this  sketch ;  Gus,  who  is  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  work ; 
Dora,  the  wife  of  Charles  Blanchard,  of  Oklahoma;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Herman 
Thede,  a  resident  of  Hickory  Grove  township ;  Minnie,  who  is  the  wife  of  Claus 
Engelhart  and  lives  with  Mr.  Grell;  Chris,  who  resides  in  Aliens  Grove  town- 
ship ;  and  Jennie,  the  wife  of  John  Hoffmann,  of  Winfield  township,  this  county. 
The  mother  died  May  i,  1889,  when  about  fifty  years  of  age,  but  the  father  is 
still  living.  He  is  a  democrat  in  his  political  views  and  has  been  very  active  in  the 
public  affairs  of  his  township., 

Julius  Grell  was  reared  under  the  careful  guidance  of  his  parents  in  Aliens 
Grove  township,  attending  the  district  school  near  his  home,  in  which  he  obtained 
a  fair  education.  The  more  substantial  and  practical  training  for  life,  however, 
he  received  while  he  worked  with  his  father  in  the  fields,  for  he  was  initiated  into 
the  secrets  of  agriculture  as  soon  as  he  was  able  to  handle  the  plow.  He  remained 
with  his  father  until  he  married,  when  he  decided  to  make  a  home  for  himself. 
Accordingly,  he  removed  to  section  2,  Hickory  Grove  township,  where  he  owned  a 
tract  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  Here  he  engages  in  diversified  farming 
and  raises  a  quantity  of  stock  for  the  market.  Putting  into  practice  the  sound 
principles  inculcated  by  his  father  Mr.  Grell  has  won  a  well  deserved  success  in 
his  calling  and  enjoys  the  respect  of  his  associates. 

In  1899  Mr.  Grell  wedded  Miss  Rosa  Hamann,  who  was  born  in  Davenport, 
March  23,  1867.  Her  parents,  John  and  Anna  (Tackmann)  Hamann,  were  na- 
tives of  Holstein,  Germany,  and  when  they  emigrated  to  America  took  up  their 
residence  in  Scott  county.  They  are  at  present  living  in  Sheridan  township.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Grell  have  two  children :    Margaret  Anna  and  Karl  Julius. 

Like  his  father,  Mr.  Grell  has  allied  himself  with  the.  democratic  party,  al^ 
though  his  adherence  to  its  principles  is  not  founded  wholly  upon  the  recom- 
mendation of  another  but  because  he  believes  firmly  in  them.  He  has,  however, 
not  taken  any  conspicuously  active  part  in  local  affairs. 


HENRY  G.  THOMPSON,  M.  D.  V. 

Henry  G.  Thompson,  a  prominent  veterinarian  and  stock  raiser,  was  born  in 
Dubuque,  Iowa,  in  1871,  and  is  a  son  of  T.  T.  and  Laura  (De  Lamar)  Thomp- 
son. The  father  lived  for  many  years  in  the  vicinity  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  fol- 
lowed agricultural  pursuits.  His  birthplace  was  New  Jersey,  and  he  was  one 
of  the  first  settlers  in  the  part  of  Ohio  in  which  he  made  his  home.  The 
grandfather,  John  Thompson,  was  also  a  native  of  New  Jersey  and  passed  most 
of  his  life  in  the  east.    The  grandmother's  maiden  name  was  Weber. 

Henry  G.  Thompson  received  his  schooling  in  Dubuque,  attending  both  the 
lower  and  higher  departments.  He  later  matriculated  at  McKillip's  Veterinary 
school  in  Chicago  and  graduated  with  the  degree  of  M.  D.  V.  From  early  boy- 
hood he  had  taken  an  unusual  interest  in  all  animals,  particularly  in  horses,  which 
natural  bent  determined  his  subsequent  career.    He  engaged  in  stock  raising  and 


690  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

proved  so  successful  that  he  was  put  in  charge  of  several  stock  farms  in  Iowa 
and  Minnesota.  After  engaging  in  his  profession  for  five  years  in  the  latter 
state,  he  came  to  Davenport  and  has  made  his  residence  here  for  two  years  past. 
This  period  has  been  of  sufficient  duration  for  him  to  make  a  name  for  himself 
and  to  secure  recognition  as  an  expert  in  his  line  of  endeavor. 

On  April  30,  1906,  the  foundations  of  a  congenial  domestic  life  were  laid  in 
Dr.  Thompson's  marriage  to  Miss  Esther  Sparks.  The  presence  of  a  little 
daughter,  Margaret  Henrietta,  adds  brightness  to  the  home,  which  is  pleasantly 
located  in  flat  5  of  the  apartments  at  404  Brady  street. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson  belong  to  the  Presbyterian  church  and  may  be 
relied  upon  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  its  good  causes.  While  comparatively  a 
new  member  of  the  community,  Dr.  Thompson  has  exhibited  those  qualities 
which  have  recommended  him  to  his  fellow  townsmen  as  a  citizen  of  value,  at  the 
same  time  taking  high  rank  among  the  practitioners  of  the  veterinary  science. 


HANNIBAL  H.  FRIDLEY. 

The  strength  and  determination  to  succeed  despite  the  presence  of  many  ob- 
stacles— characteristics  strongly  evident  in  the  pioneers  of  Scott  county— are  traits 
which  Hannibal  H.  Fridley  inherited  as  his  birthright.  His  mother,  who  was 
Miss  Harriet  Mounts  in  the  days  of  her  maidenhood,  enjoyed  the  distinction  of 
being  the  first  white  girl  born  within  the  boundaries  of  this  county.  It  was  the 
2d  of  September,  1835,  when  she  was  brought  into  the  world.  Jacob  Fridley, 
the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Augusta  county,  Virginia,  although  that 
section  of  the  state  was  later  included  within  the  boundaries  of  West  Virginia, 
March  27,  1820.  In  his  young  manhood  he  came  to  Scott  county,  and  after  some 
experience  here  bought  the  tract  of  land  in  Buffalo  township  on  which  his  son, 
Hannibal  H.  Fridley  lives  today. 

It  has,  in  fact,  always  been  the  latter's  home,  for  upon  it  he  was  born  Janu- 
ary 15,  1862.  Here  he  grew  to  manhood,  attending  the  public  school  of  the  dis- 
trict until  the  age  of  thirteen  years,  when  he  was  compelled  to  assume  some  of 
a  man's  responsibilities  upon  the  farm.  In  the  thirty  odd  years  that  he  has  cul- 
tivated it  with  a  determination  to  win  from  its  soil  the  largest  returns  possible, 
he  has  become  more  attached  to  it.  It  has,  to  be  sure,  rendered  him  large  returns 
for  his  labors,  but  it  is  also  associated  with  many  memories  which  have  come  to 
have  a  real  place  in  his  life. 

In  1892  Mr.  Fridley  was  married  to  Miss  Annie  Churkey,  a  daughter  of 
Beard  Churkey,  of  Iowa  county.  They  have  become  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren, namely:  Lincoln  B.,  who  was  born  February  20,  1893;  Luella  M.,  who 
was  born  October  21,  1894;  Virgie  F.,  who  was  born  June  14,  1896;  and  Jacob 
T.,  who  was  born  March  27,  1898. 

Since  he  has  been  of  an  age  to  exercise  his  right  to  vote,  Mr.  Fridley  has 
invariably  given  his  support  to  the  candidates  of  the  republican  party,  as  the 
choice  of  an  organization  in  whose  principles  he  places  the  greatest  confidence. 
While  he  has  not  been  active  in  public  affairs,  he  has  been  sincerely  interested  in 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  691 

the  subject  of  popular  education,  and,  as  he  was  deprived  from  enjoying  the 
highest  advantages,  as  president  of  the  school  board  he  has  exerted  his  influence 
in  bettering  the  lower  grades  that  those  who  are  compelled  to  leave  their  studies 
early  may  have  the  best  training  possible.  Mr.  Fridley's  is  a  life  worthy  of  all 
praise  and  he  has  devoted  himself  unquestionably  to  what  he  considered  his 
duty,  winning  a  gratifying  measure  of  success. 


CYRILLUS  WIRTH,  M.  D. 

The  medical  profession  of  Scott  county  finds  a  worthy  representative  in  Dr. 
Cyrillus  Wirth,  who  not  only  has  an  extensive  private  practice  but  is  also  health 
officer  for  the  city  of  Princeton  and  also  for  Princeton  township.    One  of  Iowa's 
native  sons,  his  birth  occurred  in  Bellevue,  Jackson  county,  on  the  9th  of  July, 
1869,  his  parents  being  Dr.  J.  G.  and  Regina  (Benziger)  Wirth.     The  father, 
who  was  bom  in  Switzerland  in  April,  181 1,  was  there  reared  and  enjoyed  ex- 
cellent educational  advantages,  being  a  graduate  of  Heidleberg  University,  Ger- 
many.    For  several  years  he  practiced  medicine  in  his  native  land  and  in  Ger- 
many, and  then,  in  i860,  sailed  for  the  United  States,  locating  in  Cincinnati, 
Ohio.     He  remained  there  for  only  a  few  months,  however,  and  then  went  to 
St.  Louis,  from  which  place  he  removed  to  Dubuque,  Iowa,  and  later,  in  1862, 
settled  in  Bellevue,  where  he  practiced  medicine  until  his  death,  passing  away  in 
1894.     He  was  a  great  sportsman,  being  an  excellent  shot,  and  belonged  to  a 
number  of  gun  clubs,  including  the  American  Sharpshooters  Association,  win- 
ning a  fine  gold  watch  at  one  of  their  tournaments.    His  wife  still  survives  at 
the  age  of  sixty-seven  years  and  makes  her  home  in  Bellevue.    By  her  marriage 
to  Dr.  Wirth  she  became  the  mother  of  four  children,  of  whom  our  subject  is 
the  eldest.     The  others  are:  Elizabeth,  who  is  engaged  in  teaching  school  in 
Bellevue;  Guido,   conducting  a  real-estate  business  in  Van  Horn,   Iowa;  and 
Phoebe,  the  wife  of  W.  L.  Monike,  of  New  York  city. 

Cyrillus  Wirth  spent  the  years  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  Bellevue  and 
acquired  his  literary  education  in  the  public  schools  of  that  city,  passing  through 
consecutive  grades  until  his  graduation  from  the  high  school  in  1885.  Then, 
deciding  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  his  father  and  in  preparation  for  a  profes- 
sional career,  he  went  to  Chicago,  Illinois,  where  he  entered  the  Chicago  Col- 
lege of  Pharmacy,  continuing  his  studies  therein  during  the  years  1886  and 
1887.  In  the  latter  year  he  successfully  passed  the  state  board  examination  and 
in  1890  and  1891  attended  the  College  of  Physicians  &  Surgeons  of  Chicago. 
He  was  graduated  from  the  Keokuk  Physicians  &  Surgeons  Medical  College, 
on  the  7th  of  March,  1893,  with  highest  honors,  having  been  awarded  the 
faculty  gold  medal  for  first  place  in  the  class. 

In  1894  Dr.  Wirth  was  registered  as  pharmacist,  and,  thus  well  equipped  for 
the  duties  of  his  chosen  calling,  he  opened  up  an  office  in  Bellevue  for  the  practice 
of  his  profession.  He  remained  there  for  only  three  years,  however,  after  which 
he  went  to  Van  Horn,  Benton  county,  Iowa,  where  he  practiced  for  seven  years, 
and  at  the  expiration  of  that  period  removed  to  Cedar  Rapids,  remaining  in 


692  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

that  city  for  a  similar  period.  In  1908  he  opened  an  office  in  Princeton  and  has 
since  been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine  in  this  city.  Although  he  has 
resided  here  but  a  short  time  he  has  already  gained  a  most  gratifying  practice 
which  is  not  confined  merely  to  the  limits  of  the  town  but  extends  throughout 
the  surrounding  territory.  He  is  well  equipped  by  training  for  the  successful 
conduct  of  his  life  work  and  has  ever  kept  in  close  touch  with  the  progress  that 
is  continually  going  on  in  the  medical  world,  while  he  fully  realizes  the  obliga- 
tions that  devolve  upon  him  in  his  profession  and  performs  his  duties  in  a  con- 
scientious manner.  His  ability  is  recognized  alike  by  his  patrons  and  his  brethren 
in  the  medical  fraternity,  a  fact  that  is  indicated  in  his  appointment  to  the  posi- 
tion of  health  officer  for  the  city  of  Princeton  and  also  for  Princeton  township, 
in  which  office  he  is  now  efficiently  serving. 

It  was  on  the  4th  of  July,  1891,  at  Central  City,  Iowa,  that  Dr.  Wirth  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Laura  E.  Barnes,  a  daughter  of  Seymor  L.  and  Har- 
riett E.  Barnes,  and  unto  this  marriage  has  been  born  one  daughter,  Lyra.  The 
father  of  Mrs.  Wirth  was  an  old  soldier  of  the  Civil  war,  belonging  to  Company 
F,  Fifth  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry. 

Dr.  Wirth's  religious  views  are  indicated  by  his  membership  in  the  Presby- 
terian church,  while  in  politics  he  gives  his  allegiance  to  the  socialist  party.  He  is 
a  well  known  figure  in  fraternal  circles,  holding  membership  in  the  Star  of  the 
West  Lodge,  No.  i,  K.  P.,  of  Cedar  Rapids,  with  the  Modern  Brotherhood  of 
America  at  Cedar  Rapids  and  also  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and 
the  Highland  Nobles  at  Princeton.  He  is  medical  examiner  for  the  Court  of 
Honor  and  also  for  the  Woodmen  lodge  at  Princeton.  He  has  in  his  possession 
an  old  brass  druggist's  mortar  which  has  been  in  the  family  for  a  great  many 
years.  It  was  made  in  1658  and  weighs  six  pounds,  and  is  a  relic  of  which  Dr, 
Wirth  is  very  proud. 


HARRY  J.  FRANK. 


Harry  J.  Frank,  the  sole  proprietor  of  Frank's  Foundry,  is  one  of  the  many  citi- 
zens of  Davenport  who  believe  that  they  can  do  their  best  work  when  engaged  in 
business  for  themselves.  About  ten  years  ago  he  organized  the  concern  of  which 
he  is  the  head,  starting  it  upon  a  small  scale.  It  has  steadily  advanced,  however, 
until  it  has  made  a  place  for  itself  among  the  flourishing  industries  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Frank  was  born  in  Akron,  Ohio,  December  28,  1842,  a  son  of  Isaac  and 
Melissa  (Pryor)  Frank.  In  the  place  of  his  birth  he  received  his  education  and 
there  learned  the  trade  of  a  molder.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  years  he  left  his  home, 
thereafter  following  his  profession  in  various  cities  throughout  the  country.  He 
went  first  to  Chicago,  where  he  engaged  in  the  -foundry  business.  After  a  sojourn 
there  he  returned  to  Akron,  Ohio,  where  he  was  employed  upon  the  lakes  for  a 
season,  but  with  the  hope  of  bettering  his  fortunes  he  went  to  California.  Upon 
his  return  east,  after  one  year's  experience,  he  located  in  Omaha,  Nebraska. 
Going  back  to  Akron,  Ohio,  he  was  married  and  then  returned  to  the  west. 


II.   J.   FRANK 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  695 

At  Denver,  Colorado,  Mr.  Frank  was  located  for  the  next  ten  years  and  later 
found  employment  in  Leadville,  Colorado,  for  two  years.  It  was  about  twenty 
years  ago  that  he  came  to  Davenport,  where  he  was  first  employed  as  foreman  by 
the  Davenport  Foundry  &  Machine  Company,  and  while  in  that  position  saw  an 
opportunity  of  embarking  in  business  for  himself  whereby  he  might  increase  his 
income  and  make  a  respected  place  for  himself  in  the  community.  In  consequence 
he  established  Frank's  Foundry,  which  has  become  one  of  the  leading  enterprises 
of  the  kind  in  the  city.  Although  he  operated  it  for  a  time  alone,  later  he  took  his 
brother  with  him  and,  as  his  health  failed,  assigned  more  and  more  the  cares  and 
responsibilities  to  him. 

In  1877  Mr.  Frank  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Anna  Jones,  of  Akron, 
Ohio,  and  they  have  become  the  parents  of  eight  children :  Walter  and  Jennie,  who 
are  deceased ;  Eleanor,  who  married  Arthur  Hageboeck ;  Grace,  who  is  at  home ; 
Harry,  a  student  at  Purdue  University ;  Helen,  a  senior  in  the  high  school  of  Dav- 
enport; and  Thomas  J.  and  George  Dewey,  who  are  also  in  school. 

Mr.  Frank  belongs  to  the  local  lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
and  to  the  Columbia  Sick  Society,  while  he  is  an  honorary  member  of  the  Iron 
Molders  Union.  As  the  success  which  he  has  won  in  the  business  world  is  due  en- 
tirely to  his  own  efforts  he  enjoys  the  proud  distinction  of  being  one  of  the  self- 
made  men  of  this  republic. 


EMIL  PRIESTER. 


A  large  percentage  of  the  citizens  of  substantial  worth  in  Scott  county  have 
come  from  or  trace  their  lineage  to  the  fatherland.  Among  this  number  is  Emil 
Priester,  who  now  follows  farming  on  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land 
lying  partly  in  Butler  and  partly  in  Lincoln  townships.  This  property  is  owned 
by  his  father,  Fritz  Priester,  who  is  mentioned  on  another  page  of  this  volume. 
It  was  upon  the  old  home  farm  that  Emil  Priester  was  bom  on  the  15th 
of  July,  1877,  his  parents  being  Fritz  and  Wilhelmina  Priester,  whose  names 
indicate  their  German  ancestry.  He  has  lived  on  this  farm  all  his  life  and  in 
his  youthful  days  divided  his  time  between  the  pleasures  of  the  playground, 
the  duties  of  the  schoolroom  and  the  work  of  the  fields  on  the  old  homestead. 
He  gained  practical  knowledge  of  the  best  methods  of  tilling  the  soil  and  car- 
ing for  the  crops,  and  in  the  year  1901  he  took  charge  of  the  farm,  which  he 
has  conducted  continuously  since.  He  raises  good  crops  and  at  the  same  time 
makes  a  specialty  of  raising  Duroc  Jersey  hogs,  light  Brahma  chickens  and 
Bourbon  red  turkeys.  ^He  utilizes  the  latest  improved  machinery  in  carrying  on 
the  work  of  the  fields  and  the  place  is  equipped  with  all  the  modem  improvements 
and  accessories  that  constitute  features  of  a  model  farm  of  the  twentieth  cen- 
tury.   He  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  Farmers  Elevator  Company  of  Eldridge. 

On  the  17th  of  October,  1900,  Mr.  Priester  was  married  to  Miss  Louisa 
Leptien,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Minnie  Leptien,  of  Cleona  township.  Mrs. 
Priester  was  bom  in  Davenport  on  the  20th  day  of  September,  1881,  in  which 
city  her  parents  settled  on  coming  from  Germany  to  the  new  world,  the  father 


€96  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

there  entering  the  employ  of  the  Mueller  Lumber  Company.  Later  he  turned 
his  attention  to  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  is  now  engaged  in  farming  in 
Sheridan  township.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Priester  have  been  bom  three  children, 
Wilma,  Athol  and  Elna,  but  the  second  child  died  September  8,  1908,  at  the  age 
of  five  years  and  eight  days. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Priester  have  many  friends  in  the  community  and  their 
own  home  is  a  hospitable  one.  He  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias  of  Eldridge 
and  his  life  is  in  harmony  with  its  beneficent  principles. 


HUGO   HOFFBAUER. 


One  of  the  prominent  business  men  of  the  town  of  Buffalo,  who  despite 
the  fact  that  his  many  years  would  entitle  him  to  a  well  deserved  rest  has  not 
ceased  to  give  his  best  efforts  to  the  mercantile  business  in  which  he  is  engaged 
is  Hugo  Hoffbauer.  He  was  born  in  Auleben,  Germany,  March  3,  1836,  and  is 
a  son  of  Frederic  and  Mathilda  T.  (Schneidewind)  Hoffbauer.  The  former  was 
a  native  of  Copenhagen,  Denmark,  where  his  birth  occurred  November  10, 
1 82 1,  while  the  latter  was  born  in  Prussia,  Germany,  in  the  year  1827.  The 
couple  were  married  in  the  old  country  which  remained  their  home  until  1848, 
when  Mr.  HofiEbauer,  Sr.,  decided  to  try  the  opportunities  said  to  abound  in 
America.  Accordingly  they  crossed  the  Atlantic,  landed  in  New  York,  August 
3,  1848,  and  then  made  their  way  west  to  Watertown,  Wisconsin.  Thete  for  two 
years  the  father  followed  farming,  at  the  end  of  that  period  going  to  Janesville, 
Wisconsin,  where  he  built  a  house-boat,  on  which  the  family  floated  down  the 
Rock  river  to  Rock  Island,  which  they  reached  November  4,  1852.  For  the  next 
two  years,  while  living  in  this  waterhouse,  Hugo  Hoffbauer  found  employment 
upon  the  steamboat  Lamertine.  About  that  time,  however,  an  incident  occurred 
which  changed  the  mode  of  life  of  the  family,  for  a  storm  arising  in  the  river, 
the  house-boat  was  carried  across  to  the  Iowa  shore.  As  the  country  appeared 
inviting  they  determined  to  remain  here,  forthwith  procuring  a  tract  of  land  in 
Scott  county  which  they  cultivated  profitably  for  a  number  of  years. 

Hugo  Hoffbauer  was  twelve  years  of  age  when  his  parents  came  to  America 
and  had  consequently  received  his  education  in  the  land  of  his  birth.  He  ac- 
companied them  from  Watertown  to  Janesville,  Wisconsin,  and  then  assisted  in 
the  construction  of  the  house-boat.  Finally,  when  they  took  up  their  residence 
in  Scott  county,  he  did  his  full  share  in  the  cultivation  of  the  farm.  His  life 
was  interrupted  by  the  inauguration  of  the  Civil  war,  for  like  many  young  men 
of  ambition  Mr.  Hoffbauer' was  very  anxious  to  offer  his  services  in  the  support 
of  the  Union  and  at  the  same  time  win  distinction  on  the  field  of  battle.  There- 
fore he  enlisted  in  the  Fourteenth  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry,'  August  17,  1862, 
holding  the  commission  of  Heutenant.  After  a  little  more  than  two  years'  ser- 
vice he  was  appointed  to  a  captaincy,  November  17,  1864,  in  charge  of  a  bat- 
talion. The  following  spring,  when  an  assassin's  hand  had  deprived  the  nation 
of  its  president,  he  and  his  men  were  appointed  to  guard  Lincoln's  remains  as 
they  lay  in  state  in  the  capitol  at  Springfield,  Illinois.    The  memories  of  those 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  697 

days  are  perhaps  the  most  vivid  of  any  in  Mr.  Hoffbauer's  life;  surely  they 
have  a  distinction  which  can  never  be  shared  by  any  others.  The  solemnity 
of  the  occasion,  the  dignity  of  the  man  who  virtually  sacrificed  himself  for 
what  he  believed  to  be  right  and  then  the  soldier's  associations,  the  reminiscences 
of  the  field  of  struggle,  all  these  things  combined  to  leave  an  impression  in- 
delible and  unequalediby  any  other. 

When  the  war  was  brought  to  a  close  and  Mr.  Hoffbauer  received  his  hon- 
orable discharge  from  the  army,  he  returned  to  Scott  county  to  continue  in  the 
occupation  which  had  been  so  rudely  interrupted.  In  1885  he  relinquished  ac- 
tive farming  and  removed  to  Buffalo,  where  he  engaged  in  the  brewing  business. 
In  a  few  years,  however,  he  decided  to  make  another  change  so  bought  the  mer- 
cantile establishment  which  he  now  conducts. 

It  was  in  1859  that  Mr.  Hoffbauer  wedded  Miss  Virginia  Meyers,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Jacob  Meyers,  of  Buffalo  township.  Ten  children  were  born  of  this  union, 
but  only  three  are  now  living :  Max,  who  married  Miss  Bessie  Moorhead  and  is 
now  residing  in  Buffalo;  Lewis,  who  wedded  Miss  Ella  Mayhaus  and  is  carry- 
ing on  a  bottling  works  and  ice  business  in  Buffalo ;  and  Lula,  the  wife  of  Lewis 
Reinbrecht  of  Scott  cotmty. 

In  his  early  manhood  Mr.  Hoffbauer  gave  his  political  support  to  the  re- 
publican party  but  in  1872  decided  the  principles  of  the  democracy  were  in  more 
accord  with  his  own  views.  Since  that  time  he  has  steadfastly  supported  its  can- 
didates. While  he  was  a  resident  of  the  country,  he  held  all  of  the  township 
offices  within  the  gift  of  the  people.  Since  he  has  lived  in  Buffalo  he  has  been 
equally  conspicuous  in  public  affairs,  for  during  a  period  of  twenty  years  he  was 
mayor  of  the  village,  is  at  present  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  while  Grover  Cleve- 
land was  president  he  served  as  postmaster.  His  discharge  of  the  trusts  imposed 
upon  him  has  always  been  marked  with  devotion  to  duty,  carefulness  and  efficiency, 
so  that  there  has  been  little  occasion  for  dissatisfaction  with  his  administration, 
while  approbation  is  the  general  feehng.  He  was  baptized  in  the  Lutheran  faith 
but  at  present  is  not  affiliated  with  any  church  but  is  associated  with  several  fra- 
ternal and  social  organizations,  being  a  member  of  Banner  Lodge,  No.  16,  K.  P., 
of  the  local  G.  A.  R.  post,  of  the  Turners  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen.  The  friends  he  has  made  among  his  brothers  in  these  societies  are 
unanimous  in  according  him  the  respect  and  good  will  which  he  deserves. 


HENRY  FEUERBACH. 


Henry  Feuerbach.  has  always  resided  on  the  farm  in  Cleona  township  which 
he  now  occupies.  Here  he  was  born  July  5,  1870.  He  is  the  son  of  Johannas 
and  Marie  Elizabeth  (Deitz)  Feuerbach,  natives  of  Hesse-Darmstadt,  Germany, 
who  were  married  in  the  old  country  and  came  to  A'merica  about  the  year  1856. 
They  located  in  Scott  county  and  were  sufficiently  pleased  with  the  neighborhood 
to.  remain  here  the  rest  of  their  lives,  the'  father  taking  up  farming  as  his  voca- 
tion. He  died  February  9,  1884,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years.  The  mother  sur- 
vives and  she  and  her  son  are  among  the  largest  property  owners  hereabout. 


698  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Her  holdings  consist  of  some  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  three  hundred  of 
which  are  operated  by  Henry  Feuerbach.  Mrs.  Feuerbach,  who  now  resides 
in  Walcott,  was  born  December  i8,  1832.  She  has  two  children,  Carolina,  wife 
of  Henry  Moeller  of  Walcott,  and  the  subject  of  the  sketch.  Her  husband  had 
three  chilaren  by  a  former  marriage,  these  being  John,  deceased ;  Philip  of  Key- 
stone; and  Bertha  Dittmer,  deceased. 

The  property  of  Henry  Feuerbach  consists  of  the  home  place  on  section  36, 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  section  18,  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  sec- 
tion 17,  and  sixty  acres  on  section  25,  on  the  Hickory  Grove  township  line,  this 
amounting  to  five  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land,  all  in  Cleona  township.  All 
the  improvements  on  this  very  desirable  property  were  made  by  Mr.  Feuerbach 
and  his  father.  Here  he  engages  in  general  farming  and  stock-raising  and  as  an 
additional  interest  holds  a  directorship  in  the  Walcott  Savings  Bank. 

On  Christmas  day,  of  1893,  Mr.  Feuerbach  and  Miss  Wilhelmina  Soenke 
were  united  in  marriage.  Mrs.  Feuerbach  was  born  October  10,  1872,  in  Blue 
Grass  township,  her  parents  being  Hans  and  Anna  (Broeders)  Soenke,  natives 
of  Germany,  but  now  residing  in  Davenport.  Five  children  add  interest  and 
cheer  to  their  home.  These  are  by  name  Ferdinand,'  Mary  Anna,  Elmer,  Ida 
and  Lloyd. 

Politically  Mr.  Feuerbach  pays  fealty  to  the  democratic  party.  He  takes  a 
live  interest  in  public  affairs  and  several  trusts  have  been  put  into  his  hands  as 
a  result  of  the  confidence  of  his  associates.  He  is  now  serving  his  third  term  as 
township  trustee,  is  a  member  of  the  township  schoolboard  and  for  many  years 
has  been  a  trustee  of  the  Walcott  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company.  He  is  iden- 
tified with  the  Walcott  ICnights  of  Pythias  and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
and  in  these  fraternal  relations  enjoys  the  same  high  regard  that  he  wins  from 
the  public  in  general. 


LOUIS   E.  RODDEWIG. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  find  in  the  later  generation  a  young  man  held  more 
securely  in  the  afifections  and  confidence  of  his  fellow  townsmen  than  Louis 
E.  Roddewig.  He  was  born  in  Davenport,  March  4,  1880,  and  his  career  has 
already  been  of  greater  promise  than  that  of  the  usual  young  man  of  his  years. 
He  is  of  Teutonic  stock,  his  father,  Frederick  William  Roddewig,  having  been 
born  in  the  German  Empire.  He  was  a  seventh  son  and  in  accordance  with  the 
custom  of  the  country  was  named  for  Emperor  Frederick  William.  Early  in  life 
he  transferred  his  citizenship  from  Germany  to  America  and  in  1854  located  in 
Davenport,  where  he  engaged  in  the  cigar  business.  In  1902  he  retired  and  now 
finds  leisure  to  enjoy  the  associations  of  a  home  which  has  been  his  for  over 
half  a  century.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Caroline  Lehnhardt,  also 
a  native  of  Germany,  who  when  a  young  girl  accompanied  her  parents  on  their 
removal  to  the  United  States.  Her  father,  Ernst  Lehnhardt,  located  near 
Buffalo,  Iowa,  and  became  a  successful  agriculturist. 


i.oi'is  K.  uodukwk; 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  701 

Louis  E.  Roddewig  attended  Davenport's  educational  institutions  when  a  boy 
and  made  good  use  of  their  advantages.  When  he  left  school  it  was  by  no 
means  with  the  idea  that  his  education  was  completed.  With  his  ambitions  fixed 
upon  becoming  an  attorney,  he  entered  the  office  of  W.  M.  Chamberlin  and 
there  read  law  for  several  years.  Meanwhile  coming  into  connection  with  pub- 
lic men  an  interest  in  public  affairs  was  developed  in  him  as  well  as  an  under- 
standing of  them,  and  although  remarkably  young  to  fill  such  an  office  he  was 
elected  justice  of  the  peace  for  two  years.  Having  served  his  term,  he  entered 
the  law  department  of  the  State  University  of  Iowa  and  in  1906  was  admitted 
to  the  bar.  While  still  a  student  at  the  university  Mr.  Roddewig  had  the  unique 
distinction  to  be  elected  police  magistrate  of  Davenport,  assuredly  an  unusual 
compliment  to  a  young  man  not  yet  out  of  college  and  an  unmistakable  com- 
ment on  his  popularity.  He  was  reelected  in  1908  and  efficiently  fills  that  office, 
at  the  same  time  engaging  in  the  practice  of  law. 

On  May  19,  1908,  Mr.  Roddewig  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Olga  Pe- 
tersen, a  daughter  of  Theodore  Petersen,  of  the  firm  of  Kruse  &  Petersen,  dry- 
goods  merchants.  Mr.  Petersen,  now  deceased,  was  for  many  years  identified 
with  the  commercial  life  of  Davenport. 

Since  attaining  his  majority  Mr.  Roddewig  has  given  his  heart  and  his  hand 
to  the  principles  of  the  democratic  party,  and  his  political  activities  have  been 
such  that  they  have  crowned  him  with  esteem.  He  has  numerous  affiliations, 
being  a  worthy  exponent  of  Masonry,  with  membership  in  Fraternal  Lodge, 
No.  221,  and  having  the  Scottish  Rite  and  Shriner  degrees.  He  is  identified 
with  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  the  Independent  Order  of 
Red  Men,  and  is  also  connected  with  the  Commercial  Club  and  other  Davenport 
organizations. 


OTTO  HELBIG. 


Otto  Helbig,  who  passed  away  at  his  residence,  331  East  Fourth  street,  Daven- 
port, October  4,  1900,  had  been  for  thirty-three  years  one  of  the  more  im- 
portant business  men  of  this  city.  He  was  born  in  Neumark,  Germany,  March 
22,  1835.  His  parents.  Christian  and  Mary  Helbig,  spent  all  their  lives  in  that 
province  of  the  fatherland,  where  the  former  pursued  the  trade  of  a  miller. 

Otto  Helbig  obtained  a  good  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  town, 
which  remained  his  home  until  he  was  approaching  young  manhood.  Then  he 
decided  to  come  to  America,  hoping  to  prove  to  himself  the  richness  of  the 
opportunities  said  to  lie  here.  On  coming  to  Davenport  he  learned  the  trade 
of  a  butcher,  at  which  he  worked  as  an  employe  for  a  number  of  years.  Later 
he  established  a  shop  of  his  own  first  at  Fourth  and  Rock  Island  streets  but  sub- 
sequently he  removed  to  Iowa  and  Fourth  streets,  where  he  had  a  small  place  of 
business  upon  the  rear  of  a  lot.  As  he  gained  a  substantial  return  from  his 
business  venture  he  was  able  to  buy  a  lot  and  erect  a  large  and  modern  brick 
building  upon  it.  In  this,  his  new  quarters,  he  conducted  operations  for  the 
next  twenty-three  years.    Making  every  effort  to  satisfy  his  customers,  he  soon 


702  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

gained  a  large  patronage,  his  shop  being  generally  known  as  the  place  where  the 
best  meats  and  vegetables  in  season  could  be  procured  at  moderate  prices. 

Mr.  Helbig  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Miss  Sophia  Gearhart, 
of  Clinton  county,  and  their  union  was  blessed  with  three  children:  Mrs.  John 
Bronlee,  Mrs.  August  Sebelieu,  and  Otto  W.  After  her  death  Mr.  Helbig  mar- 
ried again,  his  second  wife  having  been  Miss  Caroline  Schweizer,  to  whom  he 
was  united  March  22,  1881.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Herman  and  Clara  (Koeh- 
ler)  Schweizer.  Two  daughters  have  been  born  of  this  union :  Louise,  who  be- 
came the  wife  of  James  H.  Creighton ;  and  Birdie,  who,  having  graduated  from 
the  Davenport  schools,  is  now  living  at  home  with  her  mother. 

Mr.  Helbig  belonged  to  the  United  Workmen  of  America  and  with  the  mem- 
bers of  his  family  was  a  consistent  adherent  of  the  Lutheran  church,  very  active 
in  its  work  and  generous  in  its  support.  Mrs.  Helbig  is  now  residing  at  1516 
Le  Claire  street. 


WILLIAM  MURRISON. 

For  more  than  fifty  years  William  Murrison  has  been  a  resident  of  Sheridan 
township  and  annually  derives  rich  harvests  from  his  eighty-twO'  acres,  which 
are  a  part  of  the  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  which  constituted  his 
father's  estate.  Successful  in  his  own  affairs  he  has  also  won  the  regard  and 
esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens  and  at  their  behest  has  rendered  valuable  service  in 
different  capacities  to  his  township  for  a  long  period  of  years.  He  was  born 
in  Canada,  thirty  miles  from  Toronto,  August  22,  1846,  his  parents  being  Alex- 
ander and  Mary  Ann  (Macklem)  Murrison.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Scot- 
land, his  birth  having  there  occurred  September  2,  1808.  He  attended  school  in 
the  old  country  and  learned  the  trade  of  a  shoemaker,  but  at  the  age  of  seventeen 
crossed  the  Atlantic  alone  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Canada,  where  he  worked 
at  his  calling,  was  married  and  lived  until  1852,  when  he  came  to  the  United 
States.  For  five  years  he  resided  in  Michigan,  during  which  time  he  was  engaged 
in  shoemaking,  farming  and  teaming,  and  then  in  1857  removed  to  Scott  county. 
He  had  come  here  some  years  previously,  however,  and  bought  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  for  which  he  had  paid  the  government  price  of  one  dollar  and  a  quar- 
ter an  acre,  but  the  tract  was  unbroken  prairie  and  after  he  brought  his  family  to 
the  county  they  lived  for  a  year  upon  a  rented  farm,  until  the  ground  could  be 
plowed  and  sorde  improvements  made  upon  it.  He  built  thereon  a  small  house 
and  in  1858  the  family  made  it  their  home,  he  himself  residing  there  throughout 
the  remainder  of  his  life,  or  until  August  5,  1899,  when  his  demise  occurred. 
During  the  long  span  oi  his  years  he  had  witnessed  the  great  development  of  the 
country.  When  he  came  here  first  wolves  roamed  over  the  prairies,  and  Indians 
were  frequently  seen.  The  first  year  he  lost  all  his  crops,  because  of  the  quan- 
tity of  the  rain  fall,  and  for  many  years  after  was  obliged  to  work  at  his  trade  in 
order  to  supplement  the  income  he  derived  from  his  farming,  but  later,  through 
diligence  and  perseverance,  he  was  able  to  win  a  large  return  for  his  labors.  He 
also  occupied  an  important  position  in  the  public  life  of  his  township,  for  he 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  703 

rendered  efficient  service  as  schcxjl  director  and  road  supervisor.  His  religious 
support  was  given  to  the  Baptist  church  of  Le  Claire  township,  of  which  he  was 
an  eider.     In  his  death  Sheridan  township  lost  one  of  her  esteemed  citizens. 

While  still  residing  in  Canada,  Mr.  Murrison  had  wedded  Miss  Mary  Ann 
Macklem,  who  was  bom  in  that  country  March  i6,  1817,  and  after  the  death  of 
her  husband  she  lived  at  Wilton  until  her  death,  December  2,  1909,  at  the  age 
of  ninety-two.  She  was  a  daughter  of  James  and  Anna  (Lundy)  Macklem  and 
her  maternal  grandfather,  Mr.  Lundy,  owned  the  farm  on  which  the  battle  of 
Lundy's  Lane  was  fought,  it  having  been  so  called  from  the  fact  that  the  British 
and  American  forces  met  upon  her  ancestor's  property.  Through  her  marriage 
Mrs.  Murrison  became  the  mother  of  nine  children,  as  follows :  George,  who  is 
deceased ;  Susie,  who  is  the  wife  of  Martin  Krouse,  of  Davenport ;  James,  of  Wil- 
ton, Iowa;  William,  who  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Mary  J.,  who  became  the 
wife  of  John  Krouse,  of  Wilton,  Iowa ;  Ellen,  who  is  the  wife  of  Emanuel  Long, 
of  Mount  Vernon,  Iowa ;  Thomas  and  Andrew,  were  twins  and  have  passed  away ; 
and  Nancy,  who  is  residing  in  Davenport  township,  this  county. 

William  Murrison,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  attended  school  for 
a  short  period  in  Michigan  and  after  his  parents  established  their  home  in  Scott 
county,  he  was  a  pupil  in  the  district  schools  here.  It  was  but  a  meager  educa- 
tion he  received,  however,  for  at  best  the  training  was  but  crude  and  the  many 
duties  attendant  upon  pioneer  life  prevented  him  from  giving  much  time  to  the 
preparation  of  lessons,  so  that  he  had  tO'  look  to  practical  experience  for  sub- 
stantial training  for  the  responsibilities  of  life.  He  was  twelve  years  of  age  when 
in  1858  he  came  to  live  upon  the  farm  which  is  now  his  home,  and  in  the  half 
century  that  has  passed  he  has  devoted  himself  diligently  to  the  cultivation  of  its 
fields.  Knowing  the  nature  of  the  soil  he  has  made  a  study  of  the  crops  best 
adapted  to  it  and  to  the  climate,  and  every  year  reaps  a  harvest  whose  size  is 
indicative  of  his  skill  as  a  husbandman.  In  addition  to  the  cultivation  of  the 
fields  he  has  also  engaged  in  raising  hogs,  deriving  from  both  branches  of  his 
business  an  ample  income.  He  has  exhibited  keen  sagacity  in  his  operations, 
thereby  being  able  to  conserve  his  resources  and  derive  the  greatest  good  from 
them. 

On  the  28th  of  February,  1872,  Mr.  Murrison  married  Miss  Christina  Marti, 
a  native  of  Winfield  township,  Scott  county,  and  a  daughter  of  Bartholomew  and 
Anna  Barbara  (Schlegel)  Marti.  The  parents  were  born  in  Switzerland,  but 
came  to  Scott  county  among  the  early  settlers,  having  established  their  home 
here  in  1852.  Two  daughters  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Murrison.  Mar- 
garet, the  elder,  is  the  Avife  of  Edwin  Balch,  of  Chicago,  Illinois,  and  Nookie 
lives  at  home. 

Mr.  Murrison  has  been  called  by  his  fellow  citizens  to  fill  several  oflSces  of 
trust  and  responsibility.  He  was  elected  to  the  secretaryship  of  the  schoolboard, 
a  position  he  held  for  twenty-one  years,  while  he  is  still  a  member  of  that  body. 
Twelve  years  ago  he  was  made  justice  of  the  peace  and  has  been  the  incumbent 
of  that  office  continuously  since,  the  fairness  and  ability  he  has  shown  in  apply- 
ing the  law  winning  for  him  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  friends  and  neighbors. 
Fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the  Woodmen  of  the  Worid  at  Long  Grove. 
There  has  been  no  esoteric  phase  in  his  career;  in  his  private  affairs  as  in  his 


704  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

public  life,  he  has  held  to  high  standards  of  honorable  manhood  so  that  he  well 
deserves  the  success  which  has  attended  his  labors  and  the  good  will  which  is 
universally  accorded  him.  Mr.  Murrison  has  just  bought  a  fine  modern  home 
in  the  village  of  Eldridge  where  he  expects  to  move  with  his  family  this  year 
(1910),  but  will  still  retain  the  management  of  his  present  farm. 


CHARLES  THODT. 


No  better  testimony  of  the  industry  and  thrift  which  was  characteristic  of 
the  life  work  of  Charles  Thodt  can  be  given  than  one  of  the  well  improved  farms 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  which  he  left  to  his  heirs  when  he  passed  to  his 
reward  on  the  26th  of  October,  1908.  For  a  half  century  he  had  been  associated 
with  the  people  of  Scott  county,  for  it  was  in  Long  Grove  that  his  birth  occurred, 
March  4,  1858.  Through  the  period  of  his  youth,  and  early  manhood  he  remained 
in  the  home  of  his  parents,  Jochim  and  Catherine  (Hinrichsen)  Thodt,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  Holstein,  Germany.  When  a  young  man  he  emigrated  to  the 
new  world  and  the  year  1851  witnessed  his  arrival  in  Scott  county,  Iowa.  He 
assisted  in  building  the  Rock  Island  Railroad  through  this  county  and  became 
a  well  known  citizen  of  this  section  of  the  state.  He  was  married  here,  his  wife 
being  a  widow  with  five  children.  By  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Thodt  she  became  the 
mother  of  a  daughter  and  son  but  the  daughter,  Emma,  passed  away  at  the  age 
of  two  years,  leaving  our  subject  as  the  only  child  of  that  union.  The  mother 
was  called  to  her  final  rest  September  25,  1881,  and  following  her  demise  the 
father  made  his  home  with  his  son  for  thirteen  years,  when  he  met  death  in 
Davenport  by  drowning  in  April,  1895. 

Charles  Thodt  remained  at  home  until  he  was  twenty-four  years  of  age,  when 
he  established  a  home  of  his  own  by  his  marriage  on  the  3d  of  January,  1882, 
to  Miss  Jette  Rohwer,  who  was  born  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  January  10, 
1857.  Her  parents,  Claus  and  Magreatha  (Koehler)  Rohwer,  were  both  natives 
of  Germany,  the  father  emigrating  to  the  new  world  in  1848,  while  the  lady 
whom'  he  afterward  made  his  wife  arrived  three  or  four  years  later,  their  mar- 
riage being  celebrated  in  Scott  county.  Both  still  survive  and  they  now  make 
their  home  in  Donahue,  this  county. 

Following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thodt  began  their  domestic  life  on 
the  present  home  farm,  which  Mrs.  Thodt  had  previously  received  from  her 
father.  This  place  comprises  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  located  on  sections  29 
and  32,  Hickory  Grove  township.  All  the  buildings  which  are  here  seen  were 
erected  by  Mr.  Thodt  and  for  many  years  he  devoted  his  time  and  energies  to 
its  cultivation,  and  also  raised  stock.  He  was  a  stockholder  in  the  Walcott 
Savings  Bank  and  in  the  Farmers  Elevator  of  Walcott.  Besides  their  property 
in  Scott  county,  the  family  own  a  section  of  land  in  Osceola  county,  Iowa. 

A  democrat  in  his  political  views,  Mr.  Thodt  served  as  road  supervisor  for 
ten  years,  while  for  sixteen  years  he  was  trustee  of  Hickory  Grove  township. 
For  twenty-three  years  he  likewise  acted  as  secretary  of  the  independent  school 
district,  which  included  three  schools.     Fond  of  hunting,  he  belonged  to  the 


JIKS.  C'llARI.KS   TIKIDT 


CITAHr.ES  TII()J)T 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  709 

Schuetzen  Verein,  a  German  shooting  organization,  at  Marysville.  Although  he 
performed  many  acts  of  kindness  and  did  much  public  service  of  an  important 
character,  he  never  spoke  of  this  in  social  intercourse  but  such  acts  are  kept  in 
remembrance  and  the  importance  of  those  services  acknowledged.  His  example 
is  an  object  lesson  to  those  who  come  after  him  and  long  after  all  recollection 
of  his  personality  shall  have  faded  from  the  minds  of  men  the  less  perishable 
record  may  tell  the  story  of  his  life  and  commend  his  example  for  imitation. 

With  the  widow,  five  children  survive  the  father's  death.  These  are:  Kath- 
arine Mary,  the  wife  of  August  Adrian,  of  Osceola  county,  Iowa;  Robert  J., 
of  the  state  of  Washington ;  and  Henrietta  Amanda,  Carl  Christian  and  Alfred 
Henry,  all  at  home.  The  fifth  in  order  of  birth,  Martha  Margaretha,  died  at  the 
age  of  sixteen  years.  The  family  is  a  prominent  and  highly  respected  one  in 
the  community  and  the  hospitality  of  their  pleasant  home  is  extended  to  many 
friends. 


CHRISTIAN  ROCK,  SR. 

The  life  of  Christian  Rock,  Sr.,  is  a  graphic  illustration  of  the  possibilities 
existing  for  the  poor  boy  who  is  equipped  with  plenty  of  dauntless  energy,  in- 
tegrity and  intelligence  in  lieu  of  more  material  capital.  He  was  born  in  Prus- 
sia, Germany,  January  15,  1829,  his  parents  being  Christian  and  Wilhelmina 
(Klauschmidt)  Rock.  The  parental  roof  sheltered  the  following  large  family 
of  children :  Wilhelmina  Frazier,  deceased ;  Christian,  the  subject  of  the  sketch ; 
Ludwig  of  Dixon,  Iowa;  Henry;  Fredericka;  Louise  Brockman,  who  died  in 
this  country;  Wilhelm,  of  Clinton  county;  and  Frederick,  of  Walcott.  The 
death  of  the  father  occurred  in  Germany,  but  the  mother  came  to  Dixon  and 
made  her  home  with  her  son  Ludwig. 

Early  in  life  young  Christian  Rock  fixed  his  hopes  on  America,  and  in  1853 
he  crossed  the  seas  with  his  cousin  William  Rock.  Coming  to  Iowa,  he  for  sev- 
eral years  earned  his  livelihood  as  a  farm  hand  and  from  that  time  he  climbed 
steadily  up  the  ladder  of  fortune.  Concluding  to  put  into  practice  the  experi- 
ence gained  upon  the  farms  of  others,  he  rented  a  farm  near  Walcott  and  oper- 
ated it  for  a  time.  By  the  exercise  of  thrift,  which  was  a  natural  characteristic, 
he  soon  found  himself  in  a  position  to  buy  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-three 
acres  on  section  4,  Hickory  Grove  township,  and  there  resided  from  1861  until 
he  took  possession  of  his  present  valuable  property,  a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres 
on  sections  32  and  29,  that  township,  where  he  has  lived  for  about  twenty  years. 
Prior  to  dividing  it  among  his  children  Mr.  Rock  owned  seven  hundred  acres  of 
land,  all  of  it  fertile  and  in  a  high  state  of  improvement,  for  he  is  thoroughly 
progressive  and  believes  in  the  application  of  science  to  agriculture. 

In  1857  Mr.  Rock  was  united  in  marriage  to  a  lady  of  the  same  name  as  his 
own.  Miss  Wilhelmina  Rock,  born  in  Prussia  March  6,  1830,  who  came  to 
America  in  the  year  of  her  marriage,  and  died  February  17,  1910.  Their  union 
was  blessed  by  the  birth  of  the  following  six  children:  Christian,  Jr.,  of  Hickory 
Grove  township;  Louise,  the  wife  of  William  H.  Rock,  whose  career  is  treated 
elsewhere  in  this  volume;  Caroline,  the  wife  of  Christian  Rock,  of  Avoca,  Iowa; 


710  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Wilhelmina,  the  wife  of  Henry  Meints  of  Aliens  Grove  township;  Fritz,  de- 
ceased ;  and  Fredericka,  the  wife  of  Gus  Greve  of  Aliens  Grove  township, 

Mr.  Rock  is  highly  regarded  and  a  loyal  citizen  of  the  county  in  which  he 
and  his  children  have  enjoyed  prosperity  and  many  of  Heaven's  best  gifts.  He 
rejoices  in  the  possession  of  many  friends  whose  companionship  his  present 
well  earned  leisure  permits  him  to  cultivate. 

Christian  Rock,  Jr.,  son  of  the  above,  was  born  April  i8,  1858,  in  Blue  Grass 
township,  Scott  county.  When  about  three  years  of  age  he  removed  with  his 
parents  to  the  farm  which  he  at  present  occupies,  his  father  having  taken  pos- 
session  of  another  homestead  some  years  ago.  The  subject  of  the  sketch  has 
resided  there  from  that  day  to  this  and  has  enjoyed  great  success  as  a  farmer. 
This  tract  is  especially  well  improved,  much  of  the  credit  being  due  to  the  father, 
and  the  place  is  adorned  by  a  fine  eight  room  residence.  Mr.  Rock  owns  an 
additional  two  hundred  and  ten  acres  on  sections  32  and  29,  and  one  hundred 
and  fifty-three  in  section  4,  Hickory  Grove  township.  He  enjoys  a  wide  reputa- 
tion as  a  breeder  of  shorthorn  cattle  and  owns  thirty  head  of  registered  cattle. 
He  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  Dixon  Savings  Bank. 

In  1890  Mr.  Rock  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Theresa  Quistorf.  She 
was  born^in  Scott  county,  March  17,  1868,  her  parents  being  Henry  and  Louisa 
Quistorf,  both  of  them  natives  of  Germany,  who  settled  in  Scott  county  and 
resided  here  until  their  deaths.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rock  have  a  fine  family  of  six 
children;  namely:  Albert  William,  Sadie  Leonora,  Edwin  Christian,  Eleanor 
Theresa,  Walter  Sylvester  and  Elmer  Henry.  The  Rock  family  is  one  of  the 
largest  and  most  prominent  in  this  part  of  country  and  Christian  Rock,  Jr., 
and  his  household  are  worthy  representatives. 


C.  HENRY  WITT. 


C.  Henry  Witt,  a  prominent  agriculturist  of  Rockingham  township,  Scott 
county,  forms  part  of  that  great  German  element  which,  added  to  our  native 
stock,  helps  to  give  it  stamina.  He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  June  i, 
1851,  his  parents  being  Frank  and  Cecelia  (Hoch)  Witt.  When  Mr.  Witt  was 
only  two  years  of  age  his  father  died  and  in  course  of  time  the  mother  again 
married,  the  second  husband  being  a  Mr.  Oelrick.  His  mother  by  her  first  mar- 
riage had  three  children :  Dorothy,  deceased ;  Christina,  who  is  the  wife  of  Ger- 
hart  Busing  of  Nebraska;  and  the  subject  of  the  sketch.  To  the  second  mar- 
riage were  born  Herman,  and  Anna,  who  became  the  wife  of  Henry  Melius,  now 
deceased.  In  1868  Mr.  Oelrick  resolved  to  bring  his  household  to  !ffliierica  and 
to  prove  or  disprove  for  his  own  satisfaction  the  reports  of  wealth  and  oppor- 
tunity lying  in  wait  for  the  thrifty  immigrant.  They  landed  in  New  York  but 
went  on  at  once  to  Chicago.  There  their  hopes  in  the  promised  land  were  to 
suffer  a  severe  blow  for  they  were  overcharged  to  a  great  extent  by  a  dishonest 
hotelkeeper  with  whom  they  were  unable  to  cope  on  account  of  their  unfamiliarity 
with  the  language  and  customs  of  the  country.  They  were  without  sufficient 
money  to  pay  the  exorbitant  bill  and  Mr.  Witt's  sisters  were  compelled  to  stay 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  71] 

and  work  it  out.  The  rest  of  the  family  came  on  to  Davenport,  the  subject  of 
the  sketch  having  in  his  pocket  at  the  time  of  his  arrival  only  the  sum  of  fifty 
cents.  Fortunately  he  secured  work  in  a  very  short  time  as  driver  on  an  ice 
wagon,  at  which  he  continued  for  about  nine  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he 
found  himself,  on  account  of  his  previous  thrifty  conduct,  able  to  enter  the  ice 
business  for  himself,  and  he  remained  in  this  more  independent  capacity  for 
about  five  years.  In  1882  he  made  a  radical  change  by  becoming  a  landowner 
and  agriculturist.  He  first  purchased  some  eighty  acres  in  Rockingham  town- 
ship from  Henry  Puck.  Upon  taking  possession  of  this  he  built  a  house  and  made 
numerous  other  improvements  and,  thus  satisfactorily  environed,  lived  there 
until  1906.  In  this  year  he  purchased  from  Mr.  Petersen  his  present  valuable 
homestead,  also  in  Rockingham  township,  and  built  a  substantial  and  attractive 
residence  in  which  his  household  is  at  present  established.  His  farms,  the  first 
of  which  is  rented,  are  well  improved  and  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He  does 
not  specialize  but  engages  in  general  farming  with  much  success. 

Mr.  Witt  has  been  twice  married.  He  first  wedded  Miss  Mary  Stuart,  and 
to  this  union  one  child,  a  daughter,  named  Helen,  was  born.  Both  mother  and 
daughter  are  deceased.  His  second  marriage  occurred  in  November,  1889,  his 
wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Carrie  Kern,  being  the  daughter  of  Frank  and 
Christina  Kern  of  Germany.  They  lived  and  died  in  their  native  land,  although 
the  mother  at  one  time  visited  her  daughter  in  America.  Four  children  came 
to  bless  this  union:  Charles,  born  December  28,  1890;  Mary,  June  4,  1892; 
Henry,  December  8,  1894;  and  William,  October  24,  1901.  All  four  of  them 
reside  under  the  parental  roof. 

The  survey  of  the  life  of  C.  Henry  Witt  from  the  time  he  arrived  in  Daven- 
port, a  simple  German  boy  with  fifty  cents  in  his  pocket,  to  his  present  position 
of  independence  and  respect  is  indeed  inspiring  and  an  eloquent  testimony  both 
as  to  Mr.  Witt's  native  ability  and  the  possibility  of  his  adopted  land. 


SAMUEL  W.  KYLOR. 


The  life  record  of  few  men  is  marked  by  a  greater  success,  a  larger  number 
of  vicissitudes  and  a  more  persistent  devotion  to  duty  than  has  been  that  of  Sam- 
uel W.  Kylor,  one  of  the  more  prosperous  farmers  of  Le  Claire  township.  He 
owns  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  fine  arable  land  in  this  county,  also  con- 
siderable property  in  Kansas.  A  native  of  Williamsburg,  Blair  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, he  was  born  August  3,  1844,  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Mary  (Sparr)  Kylor. 
The  family  is  of  German  descent  as  his  paternal  grandfather,  Jacob  Kylor,  came 
over  from  the  fatherland  and  after  settling  in  this  country  found  employment  as 
a  teacher  of  the  German  language  at  Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania.  There  Jacob 
Kylor,  our  subject's  father,  was  born  in  1817.  He  was  a  farmer  and  lived  only 
until  1847.  His  wife  was  born  in  Blair  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1822,  and  sur- 
vived him  about  ten  years,  her  death  occurring  1857.  They  were  the  parents  of 
three  children :  Rebecca,  who  married  Matthew  Flogg,  of  Williamsburg,  Penn- 
sylvania; Samuel  W.,  of  this  sketch;  and  Jacob,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of 


712  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Spottsylvania,  May  12,   1864.     He  had  enlisted  as  a  member  of  Company  E, 
Eighty-fourth  Pennsylvania  Infantry  from  Williamsburg  in  1863. 

Being  but  three  years  of  age  when  his  father  died,  Samuel  W.  Kylor  was 
reared  on  the  farm  belonging  to  his  maternal  grandfather,  Samuel  Sparr,  which 
is  still  in  possession  of  his  descendants.  Upon  it  he  and  his  sister  lived  until  1861, 
attending  the  district  school  in  the  meantime.  In  July  25,  1861,  Mr.  Kylor  joined 
Battery  F,  First  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Light  Artillery.  He  enlisted  from  Wil- 
liamsburg and  was  mustered  in  at  Harrisburg,  whence  the  regiment  went  into 
camp  at  Camp  Curten.  After  about  ten  days  spent  there,  they  went  to  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  where  they  received  their  supplies.  Thence  they  went  to  Tinleytown, 
Maryland,  where  they  were  stationed  until  February,  1862,  to  guard  the  Potomac. 
At  that  date  they  went  to  Hancock,  Maryland,  where  they  helped  keep  Jack- 
son's forces  from  crossing  the  Potomac  and  then  removed  to  Harpers  Ferry,  later 
proceeding  to  the  Shenandoah  valley  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  battle  of  Win- 
chester. They  were  in  camp  at  several  places  and  finally  went  to  Culpeper,  Vir- 
ginia, participating  in  Pope's  retreat  from  that  point  to  Washington.  They  were 
also  present  in  the  battle  of  Bull  Run.  After  that  engagement  Mr.  Kylor's  bat- 
tery and  the  Pennsylvania  Bucktails  covered  the  retreat  to  Chantilly,  Virginia, 
where  PhiUp  Carney  was  killed.  Thence  they  crossed  a  chain  bridge  over  the 
Potomac  into  Maryland,  participating  in  the  battle  of  South  Mountain  and  later 
in  the  battle  of  Antietam.  After  that  engagement  they  camped  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  town  for  about  thirty  days,  then  returning  to  Virginia  and  entering  winter 
quarters  at  Mountain  Creek,  Virginia.  There  after  a  thirty  days'  furlough  Mr. 
Kylor  reenlisted  in  the  same  regiment.  They  encountered  Jackson  in  a  number 
of  skirmishes  in  the  Shenandoah  valley  and  then  followed  Lee  back  to  Gettys- 
burg. In  the  famous  battle  at  that  place  his  regiment  formed  part  of  Ricketts 
battery,  which  was  stationed  on  East  Cemetery  Hill.  At  the  close  of  the  fight- 
ing they  followed  Lee  through  Virginia,  crossed  the  James  river  at  City  Point, 
sat  in  siege  in  front  of  Petersburg  during  the  winter  of  1864  and  the  spring  of 
1865.  The  position  of  the  battery  during  that  time  was  on  Fort  Hill.  Next 
they  followed  Lee  to  Appomattox  and  after  the  surrender  there,  which  virtually 
closed  the  war,  they  returned  to  City  Point,  loaded  horses  and  equipment  on  a 
transport,  went  down  the  James  river  and  up  Chesapeake  bay  to  Washington, 
D.  C,  where  they  marched  in  the  grand  review.  Thereafter  they  turned  over 
their  small  arms  to  the  government  and  took  a  train  to  Harrisburg,  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  they  were  mustered  out  June  10,  1865. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  war  Mr.  Kylor  returned  to  Williamsburg,  where 
he  continued  his  agricultural  labors  until  April,  1868,  when  he  came  to  Daven- 
port, Iowa.  There  he  bought  from  Mr.  Lorton  one  acre  of  onions,  which  had 
been  partly  cultivated,  situated  near  Camp  McClellan  on  the  middle  road.  He 
continued  its  cultivation,  sold  the  product  for  one  dollar  and  ten  cents  per  bushel, 
and  after  that  experience  hired  out  to  John  Ehrhart,  of  Pleasant  Valley.  For 
one  year  he  worked  for  him  on  the  farm,  receiving  twenty  dollars  a  month  wages, 
and  then  went  to  Mrs.  Henry  Stone's  place  in  Pleasant  Valley  township,  which 
he  operated  on  shares  for  one  year.  Then  he  rented  eighty  acres  in  Le  Claire 
township  but  after  one  year's  experience  there  went  to  Kansas  City,  Missouri, 
where  he  bought  cattle,  formed  a  partnership  with  Thomas  Scott,  of  Davenport, 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  713 

and  shipped  the  stock  to  him.  At  the  end  of  a  year  he  returned  to  Pleasant 
Valley  township  and  bought  hogs  and  cattle  for  John  Zuchler  and  other  packers. 
Later  he  married  and  bought  forty  acres  of  land  from  Mrs.  Wicks,  of  Le  Claire 
township.  It  was  partly  improved  and  adjoined  the  eighty  acres  which  his  wife 
owned.  On  it  they  lived  for  about  fourteen  years,  buying  in  the  meantime  twenty 
acres  from  W.  H.  Jones  and  later  one  hundred  acres  from  William  Maddox. 
Later  he  removed  to  what  was  then  known  as  Hopkins  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
five  acres,  bought  it  and  lived  thereon  four  years,  but  then  sold  it  and  finally 
purchased  from  James  Van  Duzen  the  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  acres  on 
which  he  now  lives.  Later  he  added  to  it  the  old  Turner  place  of  sixty-nine 
and  a  half  acres.  Having  made  a  number  of  improvements  in  the  way  of  barns, 
house,  etc.,  his  farm  and  residence  are  among  the  finest  of  Scott  county.  Here 
he  pursues  general  farming  with  a  success  that  entitles  him  to  be  known  as  one 
of  the  prominent  farmers  of  his  township. 

It  was  while  he  was  working  for  Mrs.  Henry  Stone  that  she  became  his  wife. 
By  her  former  marriage  she  had  two  sons,  namely:  J.  F.  Stone,  of  Waterloo, 
Iowa,  and  C.  H.  Stone,  who  lives  at  home.  She  is  a  daughter  of  William  and 
Anna  (Duff)  Davidson,  of  Scott  county,  but  was  born  in  Blair  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, May  9,  1842.  In  1861  she  came  to  Scott  county,  while  her  parents  fol- 
lowed in  1869.  They  were  both  natives  of  Huntingdon  county,  Pennsylvania, 
the  father  having  been  born  there  in  1808,  the  mother  in  1810.  She  died  in  1870. 
but  her  husband  lived  until  1883.  They  had  six  children :  EHzabeth,  who  married 
Jacob  Tory;  James,  deceased;  Abigail  A.,  the  deceased  wife  of  Samuel  Wood; 
Winifred,  the  wife  of  Mr.  Kylor;  Margaret,  who  married  Horace  Clarke,  now 
deceased ;  and  John  W.,  deceased.  The  two  sons,  James  and  John,  both  served  in 
the  Union  Army  during  the  Civil  war,  the  former  as  a  member  of  the  Eighty- 
fourth  Pennsylvania  Infantry,  the  latter  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Tenth  Penn- 
sylvania Infantry.  It  was  on  the  19th  of  August,  1874,  that  Mr.  Kylor  and  Mrs. 
Stone  were  united  in  marriage  and  in  the  succeeding  years  became  the  parents 
of  two  children.  Nellie,  who  was  born  October  4,  1875,  married  John  Barber,  of 
Dewitt,  Iowa,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Nellie.  Samuel,  who  was  born 
December  16,  1880,  lives  at  home. 

Mr.  Kylor  has  served  most  efficiently  as  township  trustee  for  a  period  of  six 
years,  as  road  supervisor  and  as  school  director.  At  the  present  time  he  is  a 
member  of  the  soldiers'  relief  commission,  a  body  appointed  by  the  county  su- 
pervisors. In  his  public  life  as  in  his  private  concerns  he  has  won  the  admira- 
tion of  those  who  have  come  in  contact  with  him  for  he  has  proved  himself  a 
man  of  high  character  and  sterling  integrity. 


ADAM  S.  BLACK. 


Adam  S.  Black  is  now  living  retired  in  Lincoln  township,  but  for  many  years 
was  actively  engaged  in  general  farming  and  is  still  the  owner  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  good  land  on  sections  32  and  33,  where  he  yet  lives.  The  place 
is  neat  and  thrifty  in  appearance  and  indicates  the  labor  that  for  many  years  he 


714  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

bestowed  upon  it.  Mr.  Black  has  now  reached  the  seventy-eighth  milestone  on 
life's  journey,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Blair  county,  Pennsylvania,  near 
Altoona,  on  the  7th  of  May,  1832.  He  is  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Mary  Black,  both 
of  whom  were  also  natives  of  the  Keystone  state,  where  the  father  followed  the 
occupation  of  farming. 

Adam  S.  Black  acquired  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  his  native 
county  but  his  opportunities  in  that  direction  were  somewhat  limited,  as  it  was 
necessary  that  he  go  to  work  when  very  young,  owing  to  the  limited  financial 
resources  of  the  family.  He  worked  on  the  farm  with  his  parents  until  about 
twenty  years  of  age,  after  which  he  secured  employment  in  a  flour  mill  and  spent 
six  years  in  that  way.  Believing  that  he  would  have  better  opportunities  in  the 
middle  west,  he  came  to  Iowa  in  1857,  establishing  his  home  in  Scott  county, 
where  he  had  some  friends  living.  He  settled  in  Lincoln  township  and  for  a  time 
was  employed  as  a  farm  hand,  after  which  he  engaged  in  threshing.  Purchasing 
a  threshing  machine,  he  operated  it  in  the  service  of  others  for  thirty-three  years 
and  was  one  of  the  best  known  threshers  of  this  part  of  the  state,  always  being 
busy  during  the  harvest  seasons. 

In  1862  Mr.  Black  came  to  his  present  farm  to  board  with  Daniel  Stewart, 
who  at  that  time  owned  the  place,  and  here  Mr.  Black  has  lived  continuously 
since.  In  1872  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  the  farm  and  in  1875  purchased  the 
remaining  eighty  acres,  so  that  he  now  has  an  excellent  property  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres.  He  has  tiled  the  land  and  made  all  of  the  improvements  upon 
the  farm,  which  is  now  an  excellent  and  valuable  property.  He  has  never  engaged 
in  tilling  the  soil  to  any  great  extent  himself  but  has  rented  the  land  and  to  it  has 
given  his  general  supervision.  He  is  now  living  retired,  for  his  activity  and 
energy  in  former  years  brought  to  him  a  fair  measure  of  success.  He  holds 
membership  in  the  Lutheran  church  and  is  widely  and  favorably  known  in  the 
community  where  he  has  now  lived  for  more  than  a  half  century. 


FRITZ  MEIER. 


Prominent  among  Sheridan  township's  substantial  citizens  is  Fritz  Meier,  who 
like  so  many  of  his  neighbors,  is  of  German  origin,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Hanover,  December  22,  1844.  His  parents  were  Carl  and  Mary  Meier,  who  in 
1854  deemed  it  advisable  to  sever  home  associations  and  to  seek  to  better  their 
fortunes  in  a  newer  country.  In  November,  after  an  eight  weeks'  voyage  on  a 
sailing  vessel,  they  landed  in  New  York  and  came  direct  to  Scott  county,  Iowa, 
relatives  having  previously  located  at  Mount  Joy,  and  the  Meier  family  resided 
with  them  until  the  following  spring.  From  there  they  went  to  the  home  of  a  friend, 
Henry  Hinze,  remaining  there  through  the  summer  and  assisting  in  the  harvest. 
In  the  following  fall,  almost  a  year  after  their  arrival  upon  American  soil,  they 
removed  to  Davenport  and  spent  the  winter  months.  In  the  spring  their  wander- 
mgs  were  temporarily  terminated  by  their  removal  to  a  forty  acre  farm  situated 
about  three  miles  southwest  of  Eldridge.  A  year  later  they  took  up  their  residence 
upon  a  farm  owned  by  Mr.  Meier's  aunt,  Mrs.  Schrader.    This  the  family  cul- 


MR.  AXD  MRS.  FRITZ  MEIER 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  717 

tivated  for  four  years  with  no  small  degree  of  success  for  at  the  end  of  that  time 
the  father  was  in  a  position  to  buy  one  hundred  acres  of  prairie  land  on  section  4, 
Sheddan  township,  at  about  fifteen  dollars  an  acre.  This  became  the  permanent 
home,  the  father  building  a  house  and  barns  thereon  and  improving  the  property 
in  many  ways.  He  lived  there  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1904  at  the  age 
of  ninety-four  years.  His  wife  preceded  him  by  nine  years,  she  being  seventy- 
nine  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her  demise.  These  good  people  were  the  parents 
of  five  children :  Henry  and  Charles,  both  deceased ;  Fritz ;  William,  who  is  living 
on  the  old  homestead ;  and  Lena,  now  the  wife  of  Peter  Jenner  and  a  resident  of 
South  Dakota. 

Fritz  Meier  had  little  in  the  way  of  educational  advantages.  What  schooling 
he  did  receive  was  in  Germany,  and  the  fact  that  he  left  there  at  the  age  of  ten 
tells  its  own  story.  His  father  found  the  battle  merely  to  gain  a  living  too  strenu- 
ous to  admit  of  any  such  luxury  as  education  for  his  sons,  and  in  addition  he 
needed  their  services  in  bringing  into  condition  the  wild  prairie.  Mr.  Meier  has 
demonstrated  the  fact  that  education  is  not  of  necessity  merely  a  matter  of  books 
and  schoolrooms,  but  that  a  man  may  acquire  culture,  at  least,  without  the  aid  of 
the  latter.  At  the  time  of  his  marriage  in  1870  he  began  to  farm  for  himself  and 
has  been  very  successful  in  his  vocation. 

November  14,  1870,  is  the  date  of  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Meier  to  Miss  Lena 
Klindt,  a  daughter  of  Hans  and  Lenke  Klindt,  of  Scott  county.  Mrs.  Meier  was 
bom  in  Germany,  August  7,  1847,  and  came  to  America  with  her  parents  in  1868, 
locating  with  them  in  Scott  county,  Iowa.  Nine  children  have  been  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Meief .  Emil  H.  married  Minnie  Ast  and  lives  in  Oklahoma,  their  fam- 
ily consisting  of  three  children,  Irving,  Elfrida  and  Byron.  Elfrida,  William, 
Fred  and  Edward  reside  under  the  parental  roof.  Meta,  Amelia  and  Carl  and  one 
child,  who  died  in  infancy,  are  deceased. 

Mr.  Meier  is  a  good  citizen,  being  strengthened  by  the  discipline  of  youthful 
privation.  He  is  a  public-spirited  man,  not  believing  in  the  infallibility  either  of 
men  or  party.  He  has  served  as  road  commissioner,  school  director  and  also  as 
trustee,  and  in  these  capacities  has  given  efficient  service. 


FRITZ  C.  A.  ZABEL. 


Fritz  C.  A.  Zabel  owns  and  occupies  a  fine  farm  of  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
three  acres  on  section  16,  Butler  township,  and  also  has  a  tract  of  forty-five  acres 
of  timber  land  in  Clinton  county.  His  property  holdings  are  proof  of  his  life  of 
well  directed  thrift  and  enterprise.  Whatever  success  he  has  enjoyed  is  attribu- 
table to  his  own  efforts,  for  he  started  out  in  life  without  assistance  and  his  earnest, 
persistent  labor  has  been  the  means  of  bringing  him  substantial  financial  reward. 
He  was  bom  in  Mecklenburg,  Germany,  June  15,  1856,  and  is  a  son  of  William 
and  Sophia  Zabel.  His  father  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade  and  followed  that  pur- 
suit in  Germany  except  for  the  period  of  his  service  in  the  army,  covering  six 
years.  Believing  that  better  business  opportunities  might  be  enjoyed  in  the  new 
worldj  he  left  his  native  country  in  1867  and  with  his  family,  consisting  of  wife 


718  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

and  five  children,  landed  at  New  York.  He  did  not  tarry  on  the  Atlantic  coast, 
however,  but  made  his  way  at  once  into  the  interior  of  the  country,  coming  direct 
to  Scott  county,  where  hved  his  brother-in-law,  John  Baushtam.  He  secured 
work  at  his  trade  in  Davenport  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Miller  and  there  remained 
until  he  was  able  to  save  from  his  earnings  a  sufficient  sum  to  make  payment 
upon  a  farm.  It  was  in  1870  that  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  in  Butler  township.  The  place  was  improved  and  the  family  at  once  took 
up  their  abode  thereon.  Mr.  Zabel  with  characteristic  energy  began  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  fields  and  continued  to  reside  upon  that  property  until  1886,  when 
he  removed  to  Davenport,  where  he  is  still  living  at  the  advanced  agp  of  seventy- 
seven  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church  and  an  earnest  Christian 
gentleman,  whose  well  spent  life  has  won  for  him  the  esteem,  confidence  and 
honor  of  all  who  know  him.  In  1882  he  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of 
his  wife,  Mrs.  Sophia  Zabel,  who  died  at  the  age  of  forty-eight  years  and  was 
laid  to  rest  in  P.  J.  Tiedge's  cemetery  in  Butler  township.  In  their  family  were 
eight  children :  William,  now  living  in  Winfield  township ;  Fritz  C.  A. ;  Amelia,  the 
wife  of  Andrew  Schwartz,  now  living  on  the  old-  homestead;  Theodore  and 
Charles,  who  are  resident  farmers  of  Lincoln  township ;  Meta,  the  wife  of  Henry 
Thoede,  of  Butler  township;  Albert,  also  of  Lincoln  township;  and  Alvina,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  eleven  years  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  cemetery  where  her 
mother  lies  buried. 

Fritz  C.  A.  Zabel  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Germany  and  of  Davenport 
and  after  putting  aside  his  text-books  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he 
followed  until  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  working  in  all  parts  of  Scott  county. 
He  went  to  Ida  county,  Iowa,  with  three  other  men  in  1878  and  they  built  a 
settlement  there  called  Holstein.  In  1883  Mr.  Zabel  married  and  turned  his  at- 
tention to  farming,  renting  the  place  upon  which  he  now  resides,  while  later  it 
came  into  possession  of  his  wife  through  inheritance.  Their  original  home  was 
a  log  cabin,  in  which  they  lived  for  a  number  of  years,  after  which  Mr.  Zabel 
erected  a  large,  commodious  and  substantial  frame  residence,  which  they  now 
occupy.  He  has  made  many  other  substantial  improvements  upon  the  farm  and 
in  its  cultivation  and  development  has  met  with  excellent  success.  He  raises 
various  crops  and  makes  a  specialty  of  raising  shorthorn  cattle  and  Poland  China 
hog^,  selling  a  large  number  each  year.  He  has  likewise  made  investment  in 
other  lines  of  business  and  is  now  vice  president  and  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
McCausland  Savings  Bank  and  a  stockholder  in  the  American  Security  Company 
of  Davenport. 

On  the  3d  of  March,  1883,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Zabel  and 
Miss  Lena  Miller,  a  daughter  of  Ernest  and  Christina  (Kettlesen)  Miller,  who  were 
among  the  first  and  most  prominent  settlers  of  Butler  township,  casting  in  their 
lot  here  during  pioneer  times.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Zabel  have  been  born  six  chil- 
dren :  Wilma,  the  wife  of  L.  H.  Henning,  of  Butler  township,  by  whom  she  has 
three  children— Milton,  Grace  and  Loyd ;  Ernest,  who  is  now  in  South  Dakota, 
and  Hilda,  Fred,  Hertha  and  Paula,  all  at  home.  Mr.  Zabel  was  originally  a 
democrat  and  upon  that  ticket  was  elected  to  the  office  of  trustee  of  Butler  town- 
ship. He  had  served  in  the  position  for  three  years  when  his  study  of  the  po- 
litical issues  and  questions  of  the  day  led  him  to  give  his  support  to  the  republican 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  719 

party,  and  by  that  party  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  trustee  and  served  for 
six  years  more.  He  is  now  acting  as  a  school  director  and  was  road  supervisor 
for  six  years.  He  is  ever  interested  in  measures  and  projects  for  the  welfare  and 
upbuilding  of  the  community  and  has  cooperated  in  many  movements  for  the 
general  good.  In  all  of  his  business  affairs  he  has  proven  himself  reliable,  ener- 
getic and  diligent,  and  as  the  years  have  passed  by  he  has  won  that  success  which 
is  ever  the  reward  of  earnest  labor  and  capable  management. 


PETER  H.  HAGEDORN. 

When  Peter  H.  Hagedorn  came  to  Iowa  Scott  county  was  in  the  first  stages 
of  its  development  and  even  after  he  had  reached  man's  estate  and  had  entered 
upon  his  business  career  as  a  farmer  he  had  to  clear  and  break  the  land  on  which 
he  lived  for  fifty  years.  Therefore,  not  only  has  he  witnessed  the  transformation 
of  the  county  and  of  the  various  townships  in  which  he  owned  real  estate,  but 
he  has  participated  in  the  difficult  work  of  development.  The  success  he  won  con- 
tributed in  no  small  measure  to  the  sum  total  of  the  prosperity  of  this  section  of 
the  state.  Having  retired  from  active  life,  he  still  owns  two  hundred  acres  of 
arable  land  in  Sheridan  township,  one  hundred  and  forty-five  acres  in  Davenport 
township,  one  hundred  and  twenty  in  Lincoln  township  and  two  pieces  of  town 
property  in  the  city  of  Davenport,  which  is  now  his  home. 

He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  November  3,  1830,  a  son  of  Claus  and 
Margaret  (Krausfeldt)  Hagedorn.  The  father  was  a  weaver  by  trade  in  his  na- 
tive land  and  about  1847  decided  to  come  to  the  United  States.  The  family  dis- 
embarked at  New  Orleans  and  ascended  the  Mississippi  river  to  Davenport,  where 
they  landed  June  21,  1847.  Upon  his  arrival  Mr.  Hagedorn,  Sr.,  entered  forty 
acres  of  land  in  Davenport  township,  as  it  was  then  known  but  is  now  included 
within  the  boundaries  of  Sheridan  township.  The  tract  had  not  at  that  time 
known  the  plow  or  harrow  so  that  the  work  of  breaking  it  for  cultivation  added 
hardships  to  the  life  of  a  man  who  would  make  a  home  in  this  locality.  Never- 
theless, undiscouraged  by  the  difficult  prospect,  he  brought  his  family  to  the  town- 
ship and  built  a  house  upon  his  little  plot  of  ground,  which  was  destined  to  re- 
main his  home  for  eight  years.  He  then  removed  to  Winfield  township,  now 
Sheridan  township.  In  the  course  of  years,  however,  he  was  able  to  add  consid- 
erably to  his  property  and  finally  felt  justified  in  retiring  from  the  active  pur- 
suit of  farming.  The  last  twenty  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  comparative  rest 
in  the  city  of  Davenport.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  four  children : 
Peter,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Christian,  deceased;  Kathryn,  who  married 
Henry  Kardel,  of  Davenport ;  and  James,  who  lives  in  Minnesota. 

For  several  years  after  his  advent  here  Peter  H.  Hagedorn  worked  for  va- 
rious farmers  in  his  vicinity,  at  the  same  time  rendering  his  father  assistance 
in  the  cultivation  of  the  home  farm  until  October  14,  1850,  when  he  and  his  brother 
Christian  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Winfield  township,  now  Sheri- 
dan township,  which  they  started  to  break  immediately  and  in  1853,  taking  their 
sister  as  housekeeper,  took  up  their  residence  upon  it  for  they  had  built  a  house 


720  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

upon  the  place.  There  Mr.  Hagedorn  lived  for  almost  half  a  century,  when  he 
removed  to  Davenport,  leaving  some  of  his  children  to  operate  the  home  place. 
His  son  Otto  died  there  and  he  was  compelled  to  return  to  assume  the  manage- 
ment of  the  place,  so  that  it  was  not  until  1903  that  he  was  finally  able  to  make 
Davenport  his  residence.  In  the  course  of  years,  while  he  tilled  the  soil  with  the 
skill  and  industry  of  the  born  agriculturist,  he  accumulated  large  land  holdings, 
having  four  hundred  and  seventy  acres.  He  knew  the  value  of  frugality  and 
economy  of  time  and  labor,  and,  being  a  man  quick  to  see  the  increasing  value 
of  farm  property,  he  invested  heavily.  He  assisted  in  organizing  and  was  vice 
president  of  the  German  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Scott  county. 

On  the  3d  of  April,  i860,  Mr.  Hagedorn  wedded  Miss  Eliza  Schwarten,  a  na- 
tive of  Germany,  where  her  parents  had  died.  Twelve  children  were  born  to 
them.  Henry  is  deceased.  Emma  is  at  home.  Laura  married  Otto  Mohr,  of 
Lincoln  township,  and  they  have  four  children,  John,  Samuel,  Ralph  and  Edna. 
Otto  died  at  the  age  of  thirty  years.  Meta  married  Herman  Klint  and  lives  in 
Lincoln  township.  They  have  four  children,  Harry,  Lillian,  Sadie  and  Arthur. 
Agnes  became  the  wife  of  Elmer  Elmegreen  and  lives  in  Davenport.  They  have 
two  children,  Oscar  and  Hildegarde.  The  next  two  died  in  infancy.  Minnie 
became  the  wife  of  William  Kirtley  but  has  now  passed  away,  leaving  one  child, 
Florence.  William  and  Julia  are  at  home.  Ella  married  William  Frick,  of 
Davenport,  and  they  have  two  children,  Elmer  and  Elvina. 

While  Mr.  Hagedorn  was  a  resident  of  Sheridan  township  he  was  closely  iden- 
tified with  public  interests.  For  a  number  of  terms  he  rendered  efficient  service 
as  township  trustee  and  as  road  supervisor  and  for  the  greater  part  of  a  decade 
was  pi;esident  of  the  local  school  board.  His  official  duties  were  fulfilled  with 
a  devotion  and  fidelity  which  ever  characterized  his  performance  of  trusts  im- 
posed upon  him,  gaining  for  him  the  high  esteem  of  the  men  who  knew  him  as  a 
farmer  and  a  friend. 


EDWARD  COLLINS. 


In  the  life  of  Edward  Collins,  who  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  prominent 
newspaper  men  of  Davenport  and  is  now  the  auditor  of  Scott  county,  we  have  an 
exemplification  of  what  is  only  too  infrequently  the  case,  the  office  seeking  the 
man.  A'  native  of  this  city,  he  was  born  November  15,  1864,  a  son  of  Jeremiah 
and  Mary  (Tobin)  CoUins,  both  of  Irish  birth,  who  as  young  people  came  with 
their  parents  to  this  country  at  the  time  of  the  famine  in  Ireland.  Jeremiah  Col- 
lins located  first  in  Detroit  and  Chicago,  where  he  worked  for  years  upon  the  lake 
steamers  as  steward.  During  that  time,  however,  he  also  learned  the  trade  of  an 
iron  molder,  and  when  he  came  to  Davenport,  in  the  early  '50s,  he  followed  that 
calling  until  he  retired  from  active  life.  His  death  occurred  in  1907,  when  he  was 
seventy-seven  years  of  age,  his  life  partner  following  him  to  the  grave  two  years 
later.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  five  children :  one  who  died  in  infancy; 
D.  J.,  passenger  engineer  upon  the  lowa  Central  Railroad;  T.  W.,  who  served  in 
the  PhiUppines  and  is  now  engaged  in  river  work  in  the  south ;  Nellie,  the  widow 


I<]DWAED  COLLINS 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  723 

of  David  Tobin  and  a  resident  of  Savanna,  Illinois;  and  Edward,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch. 

Edward  Collins  received  his  fundamental  training  in  the  common  English 
branches  of  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Davenport  and  then  started  to  learn 
the  printer's  trade.  He  began  upon  the  Northwestern  News  as  printer's  devil, 
ultimately  becoming  foreman.  The  Davenport  Times  was  established  by  the  same 
interests,  and  on  that  paper  the  subject  of  this  sketch  filled  successively  the  posi- 
tions of  foreman,  reporter,  city  editor  and  managing  editor.  In  1902  he  went  to 
the  Davenport  Republican  as  night  editor,  and  then  removed  to  New  York  city  to 
assume  charge  of  the  composing  room  of  the  McClure's  Magazine,  which  depart- 
ment was  installed  by  him.  He  had  been  there  only  two  years,  however,  when  his 
health  failed  and  he  felt  that  he  must  resign  his  position.  His  employers  were 
very  reluctant  to  have  him  do  that  and  rather  than  see  him  leave  offered  to  send 
him  upon  a  European  trip  to  recuperate,  provided  he  would  remain  with  them. 
Nevertheless  he  could  not  be  persuaded,  but,  feeling  that  he  would  be  better  in  his 
.native  city,  he  returned  to  Davenport,  where  he  assumed  the  duties  of  editor  of  the 
Daily  Republican.  In  1904,  while  occupying  that  position,  he  was  elected  city 
clerk,  although  he  had  not  sought  the  office  and  had  been  too  ill  to  do  any  cam- 
paigning, and  two  years  later  was  elected  county  auditor.  In  1908  he  was  the  only 
republican  who  was  elected  in  county  or  city,  which  is  indicative  of  the  high  value 
the  citizens  place  upon  his  services  and  the  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  as  a  man  and 
public  servant. 

In  April,  1893,  Mr.  Collins  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nellie  Purcell,  also 
a  native  of  Davenport  and  a  daughter  of  Patrick  Purcell,  who  was  one  of  the  old 
time  locomotive  engineers.     They  have  one  daughter,  Mary  Katharine. 

Mr.  Collins  belongs  to  a  number  of  the  social  and  fraternal  societies  of  the 
city  and  is  well  esteemed  among  his  fellow  members.  As  a  newspaper  man  he  en- 
joyed the  confidence  of  his  associates  and  the  public  in  general,  and  by  the  consid- 
eration shown  during  the  years  of  service  at  the  desk  as  also  by  the  disposition  to 
speak  kindly  rather  than  harshly  of  his  f ellowman  he  has  made  many  warm  friends 
who  loyally  come  to  his  support  when  occasion  demands  and  sincerely  rejoice  with 
him  in  the  success  that  may  follow.  Despite  the  success  that  has  rewarded  his 
efforts  and  the  honors  that  have  been  conferred  upon  him  by  his  fellow  citizens, 
Mr.  Collins  is  the  same  plain,  unassuming  man  he  has  always  been  and  treasures 
deeply  the  friendship  of  the  associates  of  his  boyhood  and  his  more  strenuous  days 
as  a  hustler  in  the  newspaper  whirl. 


J.  H.  BENDIXEN. 


Davenport  has  some  notable  examples  of  self-made  men  who  have  advanced 
from  humble  stations  to  high  official  positions  with  firms  that  command  immense 
capital  and  control  the  destinies  of  many  employes.  Such  a  man  is  J.  H.  Ben- 
dixen,  vice  president  and  sales  manager  of  the  Bettendorf  Company.  He  was 
born  in  Germany,  June  12,  1870,  a  son  of  Henry  and  Martha  (Johanssen)  Ben- 
dixen,  also  natives  of  Germany.     The  same  year  of  our  subject's  birth  the  family 


724  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

came  to  the  United  States,  locating  in  Davenport,  where  the  father  was  employed 
as  an  engineer  for  a  number  of  years,  but  is  now  living  retired  in  the  city. 

J.  H.  Bendixen,  after  receiving  a  common-school  education,  learned  the  ma- 
chinist's trade,  which  he  followed  in  Davenport  and  Chicago  for  fourteen  years, 
four  of  which  were  spent  in  the  employ  of  the  Illinois  Steel  Company,  in  charge 
of  the  machine  shop.  For  three  years  he  was  in  charge  of  the  machine 
shop  of  the  Standard  Elevator  Company,  now  the  Otis  Elevator  Company.  In 
1894  he  returned  to  Davenport,  to  take  a  position  with  the  Bettendorf  Axle 
Company  as  assistant  superintendent.  As  the  business  advanced,  he  progressed 
with  it,  becoming  superintendent  and  then  manager  of  the  works,  and  in  1906 
he  was  made  vice  president  and  sales  manager.  The  remarkable  success  of  this 
company  has  been  furthered  by  Mr.  Bendixen,  whose  intimate  knowledge  of  the 
work  and  wide  experience  with  mammoth  institutions  made  him  well  qualified 
to  advance  any  concern  with  which  he  might  have  connected  himself. 

In  March,  1894,  he  was  married  to  Johanna  Kramp,  a  native  of  Germany. 
Mr.  Bendixen  belongs  to  the  Commercial  Club  and  the  Travelers  Society,  as 
well  as  to  other  clubs  and  societies  in  various  cities  in  which  he  has  lived.  He 
is  a  man  widely  and  favorably  known  as  possessing  unusual  business  ability. 
Although  absorbed  in  the  advancement  of  the  company  he  is  connected  with, 
Mr.  Bendixen  has  never  neglected  his  duty  as  a  citizen,  and  has  cheerfully  sup- 
ported whatever  he  believed  would  be  for  the  best  interests  of  all  parties 
concerned. 


OSCAR  C.  KOEHLER. 


The  building  of  cities  begins  with  the  work  of  a  few  men  who  lay  the  foun- 
dations, but  the  superstructure  comes  as  the  result  of  the  marked  enterprise  and 
business  ability  of  those  who'  recognize  in  the  complexity  of  interests  the  oppor- 
tunity for  the  establishment  and  successful  control  of  large  undertakings.  It  was 
because  of  his  powers  in  this  direction  that  Oscar  C.  Koehler  became  one  of  the 
conspicuous  figures  in  the  business  life  of  Davenport  and  in  the  brewery  inter- 
ests of  the  middle  west.  Born  in  Fort  Madison,  Iowa,  December  25,  1857,  his 
life  record  covered  the  intervening  years  to  the  i6th  of  August,  1902 — ^years 
fraught  with  large  accomplishment  and  substantial  successes.  He  came  to  Dav- 
enport with  his  parents  in  1871. 

His  father,  Henry  Koehler,  established  the  Arsenal  brewery,  which  became 
well  known  in  this  and  surrounding  states,  and  was  interested  in  many  other 
enterprises  that  brought  him  a  gratifying  measure  of  success  and  resulted  in  the 
enlargement  of  the  commercial  operations  of  the  city.  Five  of  the  children  born 
to  him  still  survive,  namely :  Hugo,  who  is  the  secretary  of  the  Independent 
Breweries  Company;  Henry,  who  resides  in  St.  Louis  and  is  president  of  the 
St.  Louis,  Rocky  Mountain  &  Pacific  Railroad ;  Max  K.,  who  has  various  busi- 
ness interests ;  and  Mrs.  Adolph  Priester  and  Mrs.  Karl  Vollmer,  who  are  living 
in  Davenport. 

Oscar  C.  Koehler  received  his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Fort 
Madison,  Iowa,  and,  after  coming  tO'  Davenport,  spent  four  years  in  the  schools 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  725 

of  this  city,  wherein  his  general  training  was  completed.  In  1875,  with  the  in- 
tention of  becoming  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  science  of  brewing,  he  went 
to  Germany  and  for  three  years  studied  chemistry  at  Worms  and  Leipsic.  For 
the  two  years  subsequent  to  his  return  to  Davenport  he  was  actively  engaged  in 
business  with  his  father,  and  then,  in  1880,  went  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where 
they  opened  a  brewery.  They  operated  it  successfully  for  a  number  of  years 
and  after  selling  it  our  subject  and  his  brother  Henry  embarked  in  the  wine  busi- 
ness, Oscar  becoming  secretary  of  the  company.  Being  joined  by  their  brothers, 
Hugo  and  Max  K.,  in  1890  they  formed  the  American  Brewing  Company  and  it 
was  due  to  their  efforts  that  the  A.  B.  C.  beer  became  more  widely  known  west 
of  the  Mississippi  than  any  other  brand.  Henry  and  Hugo  Koehler  remained 
in  St.  Louis,  but  in  1894,  Oscar  Koehler  returned  to  Davenport  to  manage  the 
large  interests  of  the  family  during  the  absence  of  his  father,  and  from  that  time 
until  his  death  he  was  actively  connected  with  progressive  business  interests  in 
this  city.  With  the  keen  sagacity  that  ever  characterized  his  undertakings  he 
looked  beyond  the  exigencies  of  the  moment  to  the  possibilities  of  the  future  and, 
appreciating  the  tendencies  toward  combination,  conceived  the  idea  of  consoli- 
dating the  brewing  interests  in  this  city.  Through  his  efforts  this  was  accom- 
plished and  he  was  made  president  of  the  amalgamated  concern,  which  was  known 
as  the  Davenport  Malting  Company,  and  the  success  of  which,  conspicuous  in  the 
midst  of  many  prosperous  enterprises,  was  largely  due  to  Mr.  Koehler's  able 
management. 

On  the  15th  of  August,  1886,  Mr.  Koehler  wedded  Miss  Matilda  Lange,  a 
member  of  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  prominent  families  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 
Her  father  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  a  bank  in  that  city  and  had  other  finan- 
cial interests  there.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Koehler  became  the  parents  of  six  children ; 
Hugo,  Elise,  Herbert,  Ottilie,  Ida  and  Hildegard. 

Mr.  Koehler  was  faithful  in  all  his  home  relations,  being  a  loving  husband 
and  a  wise  and  affectionate  father,  and  his  loss  was  keenly  felt.  He  was  also 
missed  among  his  business  associates  and  his  fellow  members  of  the  Turners 
and  other  German  societies,  for  he  possessed  those  qualities  that  endeared  him 
to  others.  !A  most  energetic  and  up-to-date  business  man,  his  views  of  affairs 
were  not  cramped  or  confined,  but  rather  broad  and  looking  to  large  horizons 
and  including  many  interests,  and  his  influence  was  ever  effective  in  promoting 
progress. 


JOHN  SNYDER. 


John  Snyder,  one  of  the  progressive  farmers  of  Aliens  Grove  township,  came 
to  Scott  county  before  Iowa  was  admitted  to  statehood,  and,  growing  up  with  the 
country,  he  participated  in  its  development,  contributing  no  small  share  to  its 
prosperity  as  an  agricultural  locality.  He  was  born  in  Huron  county,  Ohio, 
August  5,  1843,  his  parents  being  Simon  and  Susanna  (Jacobs)  Snyder.  They 
were  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  he  of  Mt.  Bethel  and  she  of  Philadelphia, 
but  they  were  married  in  Tompkins  county.  New  York,  where  Mr.  Snyder,  who 
was  following  the  tanner's  trade  at  that  time,  had  built  a  tannery.    Later  they 


726  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

removed  to  Huron  county,  Ohio,  whence  he  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  crossing 
the  Mississippi  river  after  dark  on  the  last  day  of  November,  1846.  The  old 
horse  ferry  was  then  in  use  in  transferring  the  passengers  from  one  bank  to  the 
other  but  this,  like  other  incidents  of  those  early  days,  is  only  a  memory  now. 
The  family  located  one  mile  east  of  where  the  village  of  Dixon  now  stands,  al- 
though there  was  little  at  that  time  to  indicate  the  future  growth  of  this  section 
of  the  state.  Nevertheless,  Mr.  Snyder  believed  he  was  not  making  a  mistake 
and  the  years  have  proved  the  wisdom  of  his  choice  both  in  the  case  of  his  own 
achievements  as  a  farmer  and  those  of  his  sons.  Here  he  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life,  acquiring  several  hundred  acres  of  property  before  he  divided  it 
among  his  children.  Seven  were  born  to  him  and  his  wife.  Ephraim  is  de- 
ceased. Roswell  B.  and  Richard  J.  were  drowned  in  the  Wapsipinicon  river  in 
1848.  Rudolph  S.  enlisted  in  August,  1861,  in  Company  C,  Second  Iowa  Cavalry, 
and  served  until  the  close  of  the  Civil  war.  He  is  now  residing  in  Dixon.  C.  B. 
has  also  made  his  home  in  Dixon  after  having  pursued  farming  successfully  for 
a  number  of  years.  Daniel  enlisted  in  the  Second  Iowa  Cavalry  and  served  dur- 
ing the  three  years  of  the  Civil  war.  He  is  now  Uving  in  Grand  Mound,  Clinton 
county,  Iowa.  John  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  The  father  was  always  strong 
in  his  support  of  the  principles  of  the  republican  party,  while  he  gave  his  adher- 
ence in  religious  matters  to  the  Methodist  church. 

John  Snyder  resided  upon  the  farm  which  was  his  home  until  he  retired 
from  three  years  of  age — in  fact,  since  that  December  morning  when  his  parents 
chose  it  as  their  home.  He  attended  the  district  schools  of  Aliens  Grove  township 
during  his  youth,  obtaining  the  most  meager  education  which  was  given  to  the 
farmers'  boys  at  that  time.  He  also  assisted  in  breaking  the  soil  for  cultivation 
and  in  tilling  it  when  he  was  old  enough  to  handle  the  plow.  When  the  land- 
holdings  of  his  father  were  divided  he  obtained  one  hundred  and  four  acres  of 
the  old  homestead  lying  upon  sections  17  and  8,  on  the  bank  of  the  Wapsipinicon 
river,  and  twenty-four  and  one-half  acres  across  the  river  in  Olive  township, 
Clinton  county.  Upon  this  land  he  has  made  a  number  of  valuable  improve- 
ments, erecting  buildings  which  adequately  fill  his  needs  as  a  farmer  and  a  stock- 
man, for  he  has  made  a  specialty  of  raising  shorthorn  Durham  cows  and  Poland 
China  hogs.  From  this  branch  of  his  business  he  derives  an  income  commen- 
surate with  that  he  obtains  from  his  cultivation  of  the  soil. 

In  1873  Mr.  Snyder  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Bousselot,  who  was  born  in 
France,  May  9,  1852.  In  1853  her  parents,  Frederick  and  Frances  (Jesseron) 
Bousselot,  came  to  this  country,  locating  first  in  Illinois  and  later  coming  to 
Iowa.  In  this  state  they  passed  the  remainder  of  their  lives,  Mrs.  Bousselot 
dying  in  Clinton  county,  December  i,  1874,  and  Mr.  Bousselot  in  this  county, 
October  12,  1886.  They  had  eleven  children,  seven  of  whom  were  bprn  in 
France,  where  two  died,  the  four  others  being  natives  of  the  United  States. 
Only  six  are  now  living.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snyder  have  had  seven  children :  Emma 
Josephine,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Kincaid,  of  Aliens  Grove  township;  Ephraim 
Hayes,  who  is  at  home;  Simon,  who  is  living  upon  his  grandfather's  place  ad- 
joining the  farm  which  belonged  to  his  father;  Daniel  Le  Roy,  who  resides  in 
Buenavista,  Iowa;  Sadie  Lillian,  who  is  at' home;  Nellie  Laura,  the  wife  of  John 
Hickson,  of  Dixon ;  and  Jennie  Iva,  who  is  a  school  teacher  and  lives  at  home. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  727 

Mr.  Snyder  has  always  given  his  support  to  the  republican  party  but  has 
taken  little  active  interest  in  local  affairs,  although  the  success  of  his  life  and 
the  integrity  upon  which  it  has  been  based  would  naturally  suggest  him  as  a  man 
worthy  to    receive  honors  from  the  people. 


WALTER  McMANN. 


Walter  McMann,  foreman  of  the  machine  and  blacksmith  shops  of  the  Bet- 
tendorf  Axle  Company  of  Davenport,  is  one  of  the  men  who  has  risen  to  a 
responsible  position  through  careful  attention  to  his  work  and  inherent  ability  for 
directing  others.  He  was  born  in  Moline,  Illinois,  June  i,  1871,  being  a  son  of 
Robert  and  Agnes  (Hillhouse)  McMann.  The  father  was  born  in  Ireland  and 
came  to  the  United  States  in  time  to  serve  four  years  as  a  soldier.  Following 
his  army  experience,  the  young  man  went  to  Moline  where  he  located  and  for  a 
number  of  years  was  superintendent  of  the  mills  of  Barnard  Leas  &  Company, 
and  a  stockholder  in  that  enterprise.  At  present  he  is  in  the  real-estate  business 
in  British  Columbia.    His  wife  was  born  in  Canada. 

Walter  McMann  is  a  product  of  the  public-school  system  of  Moline.  After 
finishing  school  he  learned  the  trade  of  a  machinist  in  his  native  city,  and  then 
wishing  to  see  something  of  the  west  he  worked  at  his  trade  in  Tacoma  and  Se- 
attle, Washington,  remaining  away  for  two  years.  Returning  home,  he  was  in 
the  employ  of  the  Moline  Elevator  Company  until  1892,  when  the  Bettendorf 
Axle  Company  was  established.  At  that  time  he  came  to  Davenport  to  enter  its 
works,  continuing  a  machinist  until  1906,  when  the  management  placed  him  in 
charge  of  the  machine  and  blacksmiths  shops,  realizing  that  they  could  secure  no 
better  man.  In  addition,  Mr.  McMann  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Betten- 
dorf Savings  Bank  and  is  now  on  its  board  of  directors. 

In  1893  Mr.  McMann  married  Bertha  Neuenhaus,  a  native  of  the  city.  They 
have  four  children :  Arthur,  Ruth,  Walter  and  William.  Mr.  McMann  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Modem  Woodmen  Camp  and  is  very  popular  in  that  organization.  He 
is  a  sound,  reliable  young  man,  absorbed  in  his  work,  and  enjoying  the  full  con- 
fidence of  the  company,  which  he  represents. 


FELIX  HIRSCHL. 


Felix  Hirschl,  a  retired  farmer  and  banker,  who  has  taken  up  his  residence 
in  the  city  of  Davenport,  was  born  in  Arad,  Hungary,  October  20,  1846,  a  son 
of  Samuel  and  Theresa  (Kohn)  Hirschl.  The  father  came  to  the  United  States 
in  1848  and  after  having  been  eighty-five  days  upon  the  ocean  disembarked  at 
New  Orleans.  He  ascended  the  Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis,  settling  in  Belle- 
ville, near  that  city,  where  he  opened  a  dairy.  After  a  short  time,  in  1850,  he 
came  to  Davenport,  where  he  found  employment  in  the  service  of  the  govern- 
ment. Later  he  engaged  in  the  wholesale  grocery  business  and  also  dealt  con- 
siderably in  real  estate.    Before  his  death,  however,  he  returned  to  the  land  of 


728  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

his  birth,  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life  and  Vienna  is  still  the  home 
of  several  of  his  children. 

Felix  Hirschl  was  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  twelve.  He  at- 
tended the  schools  of  Davenport,  in  which  he  obtained  all  his  education,  learning 
after  leaving  school  the  trade  of  a  tinner.  He  did  not  work  at  it,  however,  for  he 
was  put  in  charge  of  his  father's  property  in  this  country  when  the  latter  re- 
turned to  Hungary.  For  about  three  years  he  was  an  assistant  to  Mayor  Mur- 
phy and  then  engaged  in  the  street  car  business,  being  one  of  the  promoters  of 
the  first  lines  established  here.  The  year  of  1880  to  1881  he  spent  in  travel  and 
then  engaged  in  farming  in  Boone  county,  Iowa,  on  land  which  belonged  to  his 
father.  About  twelve  years  were  spent  in  tilling  the  soil  there,  after  which  he 
removed  to  what  was  known  as  the  old  Button  farm.  Upon  forsaking  agricul- 
ture he  took  up  his  residence  on  Fourth  street  and  engaged  in  banking  in  this 
city,  an  occtipation  he  followed  with  success  until  he  retired  from  active  life, 
being  one  of  the  promoters  of  the  Farmers  &  Mechanics  Bank. 

On  the  loth  of  February,  1880,  Mr.  Hirschl  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Willi, 
a  daughter  of  Peter  and  Anna  (Gold)  Willi.  They  were  residents  of  this  county, 
where  Mr.  Willi  followed  farming  for  many  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hirschl  have 
become  the  parents  of  six  children :  Ella  M.,  living  at  home,  who  was  graduated 
from  the  St.  Catherine's  School  of  Davenport  and  is  now  an  art  student ;  Samuel 
W.,  who  completed  the  high-school  course  and  is  now  in  the  employ  of  the  Bell 
Jones  Company;  Jesse  and  Flora,  both  deceased.  Julius  E.,  who  was  graduated 
from  the  high  school  and  is  now  a  freshman  in  the  University  of  Illinois;  and 
Theresa,  who  is  still  a  school  girl  and  lives  at  home. 

The  family  now  occupies  a  pleasant  home  at  725  Farmers  street,  where  a 
generous  hospitality  is  extended  to  friend  and  worthy  stranger.  Mr.  Hirschl 
who  was  for  many  years  an  important  factor  in  the  business  life  of  the  city, 
still  enjoys  the  esteem  of  the  men  who  were  his  associates. 


HANS  NISSEN. 


In  the  years  of  his  residence  in  Davenport,  covering  the  period  from  1874  until 
his  death  in  1906,  Hans  Nissen  enjoyed  the  respect  and  good  will  of  his  fellow 
townsmen  and  was  recognized  as  a  leader  among  the  German-American  citizens. 
He  was  born  in  Wohlde,  Friedenstadt,  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  September 
24,  1847,  and  was  a  son  of  Hans  Nissen,  Sr. 

Mr.  Nissen  of  this  review  was  reared  in  the  land  of  his  nativity,  acquired  his 
education  there  and  rendered  military  aid  to  the  country  in  the  German-Franco 
war  of  1870-71.  Immediately  afterward  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  Chicago  soon  after  the  disastrous  fire  which  destroyed 
much  of  that  city.  He  continued  his  residence  there  until  1874,  when  he  removed 
to  Davenport  and  entered  the  employ  of  Peter  Goldschmidt,  an  undertaker  and 
furniture  dealer,  with  whom  he  remained  until  1880,  when  he  utilized  the  capital 
that  he  had  saved  from  his  earnings  in  the  establishment  of  an  undertaking  busi- 
ness on  his  own  account.     He  soon  built  up  a  large  and  growing  business  and  in 


HANS  NISSEX 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  731 

igoi  he  admitted  his  brother-in-law,  A.  Hartwig,  to  a  partnership.  The  enterprise 
is  still  conducted  under  the  same  name  and  from  the  beginning  the  firm  has  enjoyed 
a  liberal  patronage,  having  a  well  appointed  establishment  and  winning  trade 
through  straightforward  and  reliable  methods. 

Mr.  Nissen  was  married  in  Davenport  to  Miss  Dora  Hartwig,  who  still  sur- 
vives him  and  makes  her  home  in  this  city,  where  she  is  well  known  socially.  Her 
father,  James  Hartwig,  was  well  known  in  Davenport  for  many  years  as  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  old  Western  House,  one  of  the  leading  hotels  of  the  early  days.  Mr. 
Nissen  was  a  public-spirited  man,  interested  in  all  that  pertained  to  the  progress 
and  welfare  of  Davenport,  and  as  the  years  went  by  he  cooperated  in  many  move- 
ments for  the  general  good.  He  was  a  member  of  eleven  local  societies,  including 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Turners. 
His  social  qualities  and  sterling  characteristics  made  him  popular  in  these  organi- 
zations, in  which  he  had  many  friends.  The  wisdom  of  his  choice  in  the  selection 
of  Davenport  as  a  place  of  residence  was  demonstrated  in  the  success  which  he 
won,  and  the  city  gained  a  citizen  whose  worth  was  widely  acknowledged.  He 
was  devoted  in  friendship,  reliable  in  business  and  loyal  to  every  trust  given  to  his 
care,  and  as  the  years  passed  by  he  firmly  established  himself  in  the  aflfection  of  his 
friends. 


CHARLES  W.  BARR. 


Charles  W.  Barr,  who  devotes  his  time  and  energies  to  general  farming  and 
stock-raising  in  Lincoln  township,  cultivates  two  hundred  acres  of  arable  and 
productive  land  about  three  miles  east  of  Eldridge  and  also  a  tract  of  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  adjoining.  He,  therefore,  carries  on  farming  operations 
on  an  extensive  scale  and  is  meeting  with  substantial  success  in  his  undertakings. 
He  was  born  on  the  farm  which  he  now  occupies,  November  22,  1857,  ^.nd  is  a 
son  of  Israel  and  Sarah  E.  (West)  Barr,  who  were  early  settlers  of  this  county. 
The  father  was  born  in  Huntingdon  county,  Pennsylvania,  July  3,  183 1,  and  in 
1846  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  westward  removal,  the  family  home  be- 
ing established  in  Sheridan  township  in  the  year  in  which  Iowa  was  admitted  to 
the  Union.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject  took  up  a  claim  of  prairie  land 
and  since  that  time  Israel  Barr  has  continuously  lived  in  this  county.  Through- 
out the  greater  part  of  his  life  he  carried  on  farming  but  has  now  retired  and  is 
enjoying  a  well  earned  rest  in  Davenport  township.  His  wife  passed  away  at 
the  age  of  fifty-five  years.  The  four  children  of  that  marriage  were :  Charles 
W.;  William  A.,  who  is  living  in  Davenport  township;  J.  E.,  at  home;  and  Sarah 
E.,  the  deceased  wife  of  Harry  H.  Gettens. 

Charles  W.  Barr  lived  upon  the  home  farm  until  ten  years  of  age,  when  his 
parents  removed  to  the  city  of  Davenport,  where  they  resided  for  a  year  and  a 
half.  They  then  returned  to  the  old  homestead,  upon  which  the  father  is  still 
Jiving,  and  Charles  W.  Barr  continued  with  him  until  twenty-six  years  of  age, 
when  he  took  charge  of  the  farm  upon  which  he  is  now  located.  He  had  pre- 
viously pursued  his  education  in  the  district  schools,  in  the  public  schools  of 
Davenport  and  in  Griswold  College.     For  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  he 


732  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

has  remained  continuously  upon  the  farm  which  he  is  now  cultivating,  and  in 
addition  to  raising  the  cereals  best  adapted  to  soil  and  climate  he  has  for  a  long 
period  engaged  in  raising  stock,  making  a  specialty  of  shorthorn  cattle,  horses 
and  mules.  He  is  an  excellent  judge  of  stock,  so  that  he  never  makes  a  mistake 
in  buying  poor  animals  or  in  selling  at  a  loss. 

On  the  20th  of  May,  1891,  Mr.  Barr  was  married  to  Miss  Fredonia  A.  My- 
rick,  a  daughter  of  F.  D.  and  Sarah  E.  (Robinson)  Myrick,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Nashville,  Tennessee,  and  at  present  reside  at  Mapleton,  Kansas, 
where  her  father  follows  the  occupation  of  farming.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barr  have 
three  children :  Richard,  who  is  now  a  student  in  Brown's  Business  College  in 
Davenport;  Stella  M.,  attending  the  same  institution;  and  Edna  E.,  at  home. 
Mrs.  Barr  was  born  in  Mapleton,  Kansas.  She  has  made  her  home  a  hospitable 
one,  ever  open  for  the  reception  of  the  many  friends  of  the  family.  Mr.  Barr 
holds  membership  with  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  at  Long  Grove  and  is  highly 
esteemed  in  that  order  and  throughout  the  county  wherever  he  is  known.  He 
has  lived  here  for  more  than  a  half  century,  so  that  he  hcis  witnessed  much  of  its 
growth  and  development  and  has  borne  active  and  helpful  part  in  the  work  of 
general  progress  and  improvement. 


MRS.  MINNIE  OETZMANN. 

No  one  can  more  truly  be  said  to  belong  to  Scott  county,  if  nativity  and 
choice  of  residence  count  for  aught,  than  Mrs.  Minnie  Oetzmann,  the  widow  of 
George  Oetzmann,  for  she  was  born  in  the  very  house  in  Sheridan  township  in 
which  she  now  lives,  her  natal  day  being  March  16,  1858.  Her  parents  were  Paul 
and  Christina  (Hagge)  Petersen,  who  were  among  the  stanch  pioneers  of  Sheri- 
dan township.  Both  were  native  Germans,  born  in  Schleswig-Holstein,  the 
father's  birth  occurring  in  the  city  of  Kiel,  February  5,  1809.  Desiring  to  put 
to  a  personal  test  the  much  vaunted  American  opportunities  and  equality,  he 
sailed  for  America  in  1847,  landing  at  New  Orleans  and  coming  almost  directly 
to  the  vicinity  of  Davenport,  where  he  secured  employment  as  a  farm  laborer. 
As  soon  as  he  was  financially  able  he  purchased  from  the  government  eighty 
acres  of  prairie  land  at  five  dollars  an  acre,  this  property  being  part  of  the  estate 
upon  which  Mrs.  Oetzmann  now  lives.  He  proceeded  to  break  the  land  and  get  it 
into  tillable  condition.  He  built  a  house  and  in  1856  married  one  of  his  own 
country  women,  bringing  her  to  live  there.  As  opportunity  presented  he  bought 
more  land  and  followed  agriculture  until  his  death  in  1881.  The  mother,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  1827,  came  to  the  United  States  when  a  young  girl  with  her 
sister.  She  survived  her  husband  fourteen  years,  passing  away  in  1895.  These 
good  people  were  the  parents  of  three  children:  Minnie,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch ;  Charles,  who  died  at  the  age  of  four  years ;  and  Elizabeth,  who  married 
Henry  Arp,  of  Luveme,  Minnesota. 

Mrs.  Oetzmann  was  united  in  marriage  March  14,  1875,  to  George  Oetzmann, 
a  native  of  Germany,  who  was  born  August  17,  1847.  He  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1869  and  followed  agricultural  pursuits  throughout  his  residence  here. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  733 

his  death  occurring  August  23,  1893.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oetzmann  were  born 
six  children:  Amelia,  who  married  Claus  Wilier,  of  Lincoln  township,  passed 
away  in  1908;  William  died  in  infancy;  Emile,  a  resident  of  Lincoln  township, 
married  Reda  M.  Weise  and  is  the  father  of  two  children,  Clarence  and  Edna; 
Adolph  and  Emma  are  at  home;  and  Christina  is  deceased. 

Mrs.  Oetzmann  is  a  woman  who  takes  great  comfort  in  the  sacred  precincts 
of  the  home  and  in  the  society  of  those  nearest  and  dearest  to  her — her  children. 
She  is  relieved  of  much  of  the  responsibility  of  the  management  of  the  estate  by 
Adolph,  who  is  a  successful  agriculturist,  while  the  domestic  cares  are  efficiently 
shared  by  Emma,  the  daughter  at  home.  She  has  that  incomparable  blessing- 
good  health  and  possesses  a  multitude  of  friends  in  the  community  where  she  is 
so  well  known  by  reason  of  life-long  residence.  She  owns  no  less  than  three  fine 
farms,  one  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Sheridan  township,  a  second  of  two 
hundred  acres  in  Lincoln  township,  and  a  third  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-two 
acres  in  Lincoln  township.  It  is  upon  the  first  of  these  that  Mrs.  Oetzmann 
makes  her  home. 


MRS.  DOROTHY  LIEBERENZ. 

Mrs.  Dorothy  Lieberenz,  well  known  in  Princeton  and  the  owner  of  one  of 
the  good  farms  of  Scott  county,  was  born  in  Prussia,  Germany,  July  20,  1854, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Menzendorf  and  Elizabeth  Grum,  both  of  whom  were  also 
natives  of  Germany.  Her  father  was  a  soldier  in  the  German  army,  serving 
for  about  three  years.  His  family  numbered  five  children :  Mary,  the  deceased 
wife  of  Lotiis  Cassel,  who  resides  in  Le  Claire,  Iowa;  Carl,  who  died  in  Prussia; 
William,  who  also  passed  away  in  Prussia;  Peter,  living  in  Le  Claire;  and  Mrs. 
Lieberenz. 

Mrs.  Lieberenz  spent  her  girlhood  days  in  her  native  country  and  was  eighteen 
years  of  age  when,  in  1872,  she  bade  adieu  to  home  and  friends  and  sailed  for 
America,  landing  at  New  York.  She  did  not  tarry  long  in  the  east,  however, 
but  came  at  once  to  Princeton,  where  she  has  since  resided.  She  had  been  edu- 
cated in  the  schools  of  her  native  country  and  was  a  capable  young  woman,  well 
qualified  to  manage  a  household  of  her  own  when,  in  March,  1873,  she  gave  her 
hand  in  marriage  to  Fritz  Lieberenz,  who  was  born  in  Germany,  October  16, 
1840.  He,  too,  came  to  the  United  States  in  1872.  The  marriage  was  celebrated 
in  Princeton  and  they  began  their  domestic  life  as  farming  people  of  this  locality. 
On  coming  to  Scott  county  Mr.  Lieberenz  had  purchased  forty  acres  of  land, 
which  he  cultivated  and  owned  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the 
30th  of  October,  1899,  when  he  was  fifty-nine  years  of  age. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lieberenz  were  born  seven  children.  Emma  died  at  the 
age  of  six  years.  Henry,  who  was  born  February  20,  1876,  was  married  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Walter.  He  is  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  resides  in  Princeton.  Sophia 
is  the  wife  of  Phillip  Scharflf,  a  farmer  of  Eldridge,  and  they  have  three  chil- 
dren: Hazel,  Andrew  and  Sadie.  Samuel,  born  August  8,  1883,  died  December 
25,  1885.    Anna,  born  November  28,  1886,  is  now  the  wife  of  Hobart  Moore,  a. 


734  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

stationary  engineer  of  East  Davenport,  and  they  have  one  child,  Ruth.  Millie, 
born  March  i,  1887,  on  the  19th  of  October,  1907,  became  the  wife  of  C.  F.  Wiley, 
a  wholesale  fruit  dealer  residing  in  Clinton.  Louise,  born  May  20,  1889,  was  mar- 
ried in  June,  1909,  to  Herbert  Bower. 

When  Mr.  Lieberenz  passed  away  the  community  lost  a  worthy  and  respected 
citizen.  He  had  been  a  member  of  the  German  Lutheran  church  while  residing 
in  his  native  country.  His  political  support  was  given  to  the  democracy  but  he 
never  aspired  to  office.  He  labored  diligently  and  earnestly  in  his  business  life 
and  the  success  which  he  achieved  was  the  result  of  his  own  efforts.  By  reason 
of  his  energy  and  capable  management  he  was  enabled  to  leave  his  family  in 
comfortable  financial  circumstances. 


GUS  GRELL. 


Gus  Grell  was  born  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  Scott  county,  June  5,  1868, 
and  is  of  that  stanch  German  stock  which  is  so  satisfactory  an  ingredient  of 
the  cosmopolitan  civilization  of  America.  His  parents  were  James  and  Mar- 
garet (Bloomer)  Grell,  both  natives  of  Germany,  whose  sketch  appears  else- 
where in  this  volume.  Mr.  Grell  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until  his 
marriage,  when  he  established  a  separate  household  on  a  fine  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  situated  on  sections  11  and  12,  Hickory  Grove  township. 
In  1903  he  built  his  present  beautiful  eight-room  dwelling  and  a  number  of  farm 
buildings,  both  substantial  and  convenient.  Besides  general  farming,  he  is  suc- 
cessfully engaged  as  a  breeder  of  high  grade  stock,  his  animals  having  a  fine 
reputation  in  the  vicinity. 

On  the  7th  of  March,  1900,  Mr.  Grell  laid  the  foundations  of  a  pleasant 
home  life  by  his  marriage  to  Miss  Lizzie  Hamann.  She  was  born  in  Sheridan 
township,  February  4,  1872,  and  is  the  daughter  of  William  and  Anna  (Ehlers) 
Hamann,  natives  of  Germany,  who  came  to  this  county  in  1869.  Her  father 
died  at  Eldridge  in  1908,  and  her  mother  passed  away  in  1882.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Grell  have  one  child,  a  son  named  Orville. 

Mr.  Grell  gives  heartiest  support  to  the  democratic  party,  finding  wisdom  in 
its  measures  and  placing  confidence  in  the  men  selected  to  carry  them  out.  He 
is  a  valued  citizen  of  the  community  and  is  at  present  serving  his  second  term 
as  township  trustee.  He  is  also  filling  the  office  of  school  director  and  is  a 
trustee  of  the  Scott  County  German  Mutual  Insurance  Company. 


CLAUS  H.  LAMP. 


^A'fter  about  half  a  century  of  unremitting  laboj,  which  was  not  without  many 
compensations  naturally,  Claus  H.  Lamp  has  retired  from  agricultural  pursuits 
in  Hickory  Grove  township  and  has  taken  up  his  residence  in  Davenport.  He  is 
one  of  the  most  prosperous  fanners  of  this  county  and,  despite  advancing  years. 


OrS  (iliELL  AXI)   l'■A.MII>^• 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  737 

still  retains  a  keen  interest  in  the  old  life  for  he  holds  a  large  amount  of  land 
which  is  a  constant  reminder  of  the  success  he  gained  in  former  years. 

He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  May  6,  1838,  a  son  of  Qaus  and  Celia 
(Gutch)  Lamp.  The  father,  also  a  native  of  Germany,  was  a  carpenter  by 
trade.  In  1847  he  decided  to  bring  his  family  to  the  United  States  and  make  a 
new  start  in  life..  They  were  fourteen  weeks  and  four  days  in  crossing  the 
Atlantic  but  finally  reached  New  Orleans  on  Christmas  day.  The  next  day  they 
started  up  the  Mississippi  river  and,  having  reached  St.  Louis,  spent  the  winter 
there.  With  the  opening  of  spring  they  came  to  Davenport,  where  the  father 
bought  a  lot  on  Fourth  street  and  himself  erected  a  house.  It  remained  the  fam- 
ily home  for  several  years  while  he  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade.  Later  he 
bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Davenport  township,  for  which  he 
paid  only  one  hundred  and  forty  dollars.  As  it  was  raw  land  the  father  turned  it 
over  to  his  two  sons  to  prepare  for  cultivation.  They  accomplished  the  work  so 
well  that  shortly  the  family  was  able  to  take  up  their  residence  thereon  and 
there  lived  until  the  death  of  the  mother,  when  they  separated  and  the  father 
lived  with  his  children.  He  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-four  years,  while  his  wife 
was  only  seventy  when  she  passed  away.  They  were  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren :  Trina,  who  married  Henry  Stotenburg,  both  now  deceased ;  Asmus  H.,  of 
Davenport;  Claus  H.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  and  Peter,  of  Port  Arthur. 

Although  Claus  H.  Lamp  was  but  eight  years  old  when  the  family  left  his 
native  land  he  had  already  acquired  some  education  in  the  schools  of  Germany. 
After  coming  to  Scott  county  he  spent  a  few  winters  in  the  pursuance  of  studies, 
his  first  teacher  having  been  Mr.  Prescott.  He  had  little  time,  however,  to  give 
to  lessons  for  he  had  early  to  begin  to  work.  His  first  job  was  driving  a  team 
of  oxen  to  a  breaking  plow.  Later  when  his  father  bought  his  first  farm  he 
and  his  brother  Asmus  undertook  to  prepare  it  for  cultivation.  Taking  their 
sister  with  them  as  housekeeper,  they  lived  on  that  place  during  the  summer, 
coming  to  town  with  the  cattle  during  the  winter.  Later  Mr.  Lamp's  father 
bought  another  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Hickory  Grove  township. 
It  also  was  raw  prairie  land  and  Mr.  Lamp  again  undertook  to  break  it.  There 
he  lived  for  two  years,  working  for  his  father,  the  latter  receiving  the  crops. 
Then  he  was  given  the  place,  and  it  remained  his  home  until  about  1897,  when  he 
retired  from  active  life  and  removed  to  Davenport.  In  the  meantime,  however, 
he  kept  increasing  his  landholdings  until  he  has  nine  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  some  of  the  best  land  of  Scott  county  in  his  possession.  It  is  divided  as  fol- 
lows :  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Hickory  Grove  township ;  another  farm 
of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  that  township;  a  third  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  also  in  Hickory  Grove  township;  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in 
Liberty  township;  and  forty  acres  in  Cleona  township.  Another  indication  of 
his  prosperity  is  the  fact  that  he  holds  considerable  stock  in  the  German  Savings 
Bank  and  in  the  Walcott  Savings  Bank.  Like  his  brother  Asmus  H.  Lamp, 
whose  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work,  Claus  Lamp  has  made  the  best  use 
of  the  opportunities  afforded  him.  More  than  that  he  has  not  been  lax  in  seeking 
for  chances  to  better  his  fortunes  and  prove  himself  worthy  of  the  highest  type 
of  citizenship  in  this  republic. 


738  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

On  the  13th  of  August,  1861,  Mr.  Lamp  wedded  Miss  Catherine  Lamp,  a 
daughter  of  Peter  and  Abel  (Goetsch)  Lamp.  They  have  had  five  children. 
Mathilda  became  the  wife  of  August  Paustian,  of  Hickory  Grove  township,  and 
they  have  seven  children,  Meta,  Wilma,  Julius,  August,  Martha,  Hilda  and 
Clarence.  Caroline  married  George  Schlapkohl,  of  Liberty  township,  and  they 
have  four  children,  Katie,  Edna,  Albert  and  Mabel.  Julius  wedded  Lena  Schlap- 
kohl and  they  have  four  children,  Rudolph,  Clarence,  Martha  and  Leonard. 
Gustavus  P.  married  Regina  Magnus  and  lives  in  Hickory  Grove  township. 
They  have  three  children,  Louis  C.  E.,  Dewey  E.  and  Melinda.  Clara  C.  became 
the  wife  of  Otto  F.  Harbeck.  They  live  with  Mr.  Lamp  and  have  three  chil- 
dren, Catherine  C,  Clara  M.  and  Helen  M. 

Mr.  Lamp  has  always  voted  the  republican  ticket  and  while  he  was  living  in 
Hickory  Grove  township  was  elected  upon  it  to  the  offices  of  justice  of  the  peace, 
trustee,  school  director  and  road  supervisor.  The  duties  of  each  position  he  ful- 
filled with  a  care  and  efficiency  which  has  marked  the  operations  of  bis  private 
life  so  that  he  enjoys  the  respect  of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  is  a  member  of 
lodge  No.  221,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Davenport,  and  of  the  German  Pioneer  Society. 


F.  A.  QUI  STORE. 


F.  A.  Quistorf,  who  has  now  retired  from  active  farming  pursued  with  such 
profit  in  Liberty  township,  was  born  in  Neudorf,  Holstein,  Germany,  November 
28,  1835,  his  parents  being  L.  A.  and  Anna  Elizabeth  (Langfeld)  Quistorf.  The 
former  was  a  native  of  the  same  town  as  his  son,  but  the  latter  was  bom  in 
Quisdorf  and  there  passed  away  in  October,  1848,  at  the  age  of  thirty-six  years. 
In  1850  L.  A.  Quistorf  embarked  upon  the  journey  to  America,  accompanied 
by  his  six  children :  F.  A.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch ;  Henry  F.,  who  died  in  Dav- 
enport, May  6,  1909;  Katharine  Elizabeth,  who  is  the  widow  of  Ferdinand  Bein 
■  and  resides  in  Davenport ;  Bernhard,  who  died  in  Santa  Cruz,  California,  in  1898 ; 
F.  L.,  of  Bonny  Doon,  Cahfornia ;  and  John  F.,  of  St.  Francis,  Kansas.  For  a 
time  after  his  advent  here  Mr.  Quistorf  worked  as  a  farm  hand  and  then  pur- 
chased forty  acres  of  land  in  Blue  Grass  township,  continuing  farming  in  this 
county  until  he  retired  from  active  life  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Dixon, 
which  remained  his  home  until  his  death,  January  6,  1873.  He  was  at  that  time 
sixty  years  and  one  day  old  and  a  man  who  was  well  thought  of  in  the  community. 
He  had  been  a  weaver  in  the  old  country  but  after  coming  here  devoted  himself 
exclusively  to  farming. 

F.  A.  Quistorf  worked  as  a  farm  hand  for  three  years  after  his  arrival  in 
this  county  and  then  united  with  his  father  when  the  latter  purchased  the  first 
tract  of  forty  acres  in  Blue  Grass  township.  This  he  assisted  the  older  man  to 
cultivate  until,  having  gained  substantial  returns,  they  were  able  to  sell  it  and 
buy  a  place  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Liberty  township.  There  he  lived 
until  he  married,  when  he  and  his  brother  Henry  assumed  full  charge  of  the 
homestead,  the  other  brothers  having  gone  to  Pike's  Peak.  In  1897  Mr.  Quis- 
torf decided  to  retirie  from  active  life  and  came  to  the  village  of  Dixon,  which 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  739 

is  now  his  home.  The  extent  of  his  landholdings,  however,  indicates  with  what 
profit  he  pursued  agriculture  for  he  owns  two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  one 
hundred  and  sixty  in  Liberty  township,  the  remainder  in  Cleona,  besides  the 
handsome  home  in  Dixon  which  he  occupies. 

When  Mr.  Quistorf  married  he  chose  as  his  wife  Miss  Helene  Steffen,  who 
was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  March  24,  1841.  In  1858  she  with  her  parents, 
Jochem  and  Anna  (Ewaldt)  Steffen,  came  to  Scott  county,  by  way  of  New  Or- 
leans and  the  Mississippi  river.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Steffen  passed  the  remainder  of 
their  hves  here,  he  dying  in  Cleona  township  and  she  in  the  city  of  Davenport. 
They  had  two  sons  and  three  daughters,  all  born  in  the  old  country.  The  sons 
went  to  AustraHa  before  their  parents  came  to  America.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quistorf 
have  had  seven  children :  Anna  E.,  the  widow  of  William  Schroeder,  of  Archer 
City,  Texas;  Ferdinand,  who  operates  his  father's  farm  in  Liberty  township; 
Caroline,  the  wife  of  John  Reesey,  Basin,  Wyoming ;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Henry 
Wuestenberg,  of  whom  mention  is  made  elsewhere  in  this  work ;  Minnie  Matilda, 
the  wife  of  Louis  Hensen,  of  Cleona  township;  Meta  H.,  the  wife  of  Henry 
Goetsch,  of  Eldridge,  this  county ;  and  Clara,  the  wife  of  Dan  Snyder,  of  Buena- 
vista,  Iowa. 

Mr.  Quistorf  is  now  a  stanch  adherent  of  republican  principles,  although 
in  former  years  he  gave  his  support  to  the  democrats,  but,  irrespective  of  his 
party  predilections,  he  has  always  been  active  and  prominent  in  local  affairs  and 
asserts,  with  a  bit  of  pardonable  pride,  that  since  he  became  a  citizen  of  this 
country  he  has  missed  only  two  elections.  All  of  the  more  important  offices 
within  the  gift  of  the  people  of  his  locality  have  been  bestowed  upon  him.  For 
more  than  the  past  quarter  of  a  century  he  has  been  a  justice  of  the  peace  in 
Liberty  and  Allen  Grove  townships  and  in  Dixon.  He  was  clerk  of  Liberty 
township  for  twelve  years  and  trustee  and  school  director  there  for  another  long 
period.  From  1880  to  1883  he  served  as  county  supervisor,  in  this  capacity  as  in 
all  the  others  rendering  the  most  efficient  service  possible,  such  as  to  obtain  for 
him  the  confidence  as  well  as  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens. 


LOUIS  A.  KEPPY. 


Louis  A.  Keppy  was  born  in  Donahue,  Scott  county,  August  28,  1879,  and 
has  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  that  village,  in  affairs  of  which  he  plays  a 
prominent  part.  His  parents  are  Frank  and  Mary  (Rohwer)  Keppy,  who  reside 
in  Donahue  and  he  is  the  second  of  their  three  children.  He  received  his  educa- 
tion in  district  school  No.  i,  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  after  which  he  laid  the 
foundation  of  a  successful  business  career  by  a  course  in  Duncan's  Business  Col- 
lege in  Davenport.  After  working  for  his  father  in  his  creamery  until  he  made 
himself  acquainted  with  the  details  of  the  business  he  became  manager  and  con- 
tinued in  that  capacity  for  four  years.  When  his  father  entered  a  new  field  of 
activity,  dealing  in  general  merchandise,  live  stock  and  farm  implements,  he 
accepted  his  present  position  as  general  manager. 


740  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

On  July  29,  1908,  Mr.  Keppy  married  Miss  Lena  Ewaldt,  who  was  born  in 
Eldridge,  Scott  county,  March  26,  1887,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Herman  E.  and 
Katherine  Ewaldt,  residents  of  Eldridge.  Their  home  is  brightened  by  the 
presence  of  a  small  daughter,  Katherine  Marie. 

Mr.  Keppy  has  given  his  allegiance  to  the  republican  party,  to  whose  measures 
he  pins  his  faith.  He  takes  a  keen  interest  in  public  affairs  and  enjoys  the  confi- 
dence of  the  community  in  which  he  makes  his  home  and  where  his  career  has 
been  watched  from  birth.  He  is  a  councilman  and  serves  as  assistant  to  his  father, 
who  in  addition  to  his  business,  holds  the  office  of  postmaster. 


MRS.  MARIE  L.  FOLLETTE. 

Mrs.  Marie  L.  Follette,  living  in  Le  Claire,  was  born  in  Marion,  Ohio,  about 
forty  miles  from  Columbus,  on  the  loth  of  March,  1833.  She  has,  therefore, 
reached  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years  and  is  one  of  the  most  highly  esteemed 
among  the  older  ladies  of  this  city.  Her  father,  John  Newton  Wick,  was  born 
in  1 80 1,  and,  having  arrived  at  years  of  maturity,  he  wedded  Maria  Louisa  Franks, 
who  was  born  July  4,  1804.  His  death  occurred  in  October,  1834,  when  his  daugh- 
ter Mrs.  Follette  was  only  a  year  old,  and  in  the  year  1844  Mrs.  Wick  came  to 
Iowa.  She  died  in  Platteville,  Colorado,  in  May,  1890,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
nearly  eighty-six  years.  Her  father  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war 
and  also  of  the(war  of  1812,  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  New  Orleans  un- 
der General  Jackson.  He  was  a  slaveholder  in  Virginia,  where  for  many  years 
he  made  his  home. 

Mrs.  Follette  came  to  Iowa  with  her  mother  September  15,  1844,  when  but 
eleven  years  of  age.  She  acquired  her  education  in  the  schools  of  Portsmouth, 
Ohio,  and  there  attended  one  of  the  first  public  schools  that  was  opened  in  the 
United  States.  She  has  been  married  twice.  On  the  22d  of  May,  1849,  when 
but  sixteen  years  of  age,  she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Captain  J.  E.  David- 
son, a  son  of  William  and  Elizabeth  Jemini  Davidson,  of  Philadelphia.  His 
grandfather  was  a  well  known  sea  captain.  Unto  Captain  and  Mrs.  J.  E.  David- 
son were  born  four  children.  William  Henry,  whose  birth  occurred  June  18, 
1850,  died  in  California  in  1874.  Mary  Louise,  born  January  18,  1852,  died  in 
infancy.  Edgar  Alfred,. born  May  11,  1853,  is  a  master  musician  of  Bay  City, 
Texas,  and  married  Elizabeth  Doty,  by  whom  he  has  four  children,  Gladys  Doty, 
Edgar  Alfred,  Charles  Eugene  and  William  Walter.  Louisa  Davidson,  born 
June  24,  1855,  was  married  in  August,  1871,  to  Charles  Hatton,  now  a  resident 
of  Goldfield,  Nevada,  and  they  have  seven  children:  Grace,  who  became  the 
wife  of  Bion  Hull  and  has  two  children,  Josephine  and  Biona  Hull ;  Lulu  Hatton, 
who  became  the  wife  of  Morton  Rutan ;  Charles  Hatton,  a  resident  of  Wichita, 
Kansas ;  Katharine ;  Alice ;  William  D ;  and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 

After  the  death  of  her  first  husband  Mrs.  Davidson  was  married  on  the  nth 
of  February,  1862,  to  William  D.  Follette  and  they  became  the  parents  of  a  son 
and  daughter.  The  elder,  Charles  Stewart  Follette,  born  Kugust  4,  1863,  mar- 
ried Leona  Flora  and  is  a  marine  engineer  residing    at    Seattle,    Washington. 


:\[RS.  MARIE  L.  FOLLETTE 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  743 

Genevieve  Follette,  born  April  24,  1865,  became  the  wife  of  Christopher  T. 
Goodlow,  wfho  was  a  river  engineer.  Both  are  now  deceased,  the  death  of  Mrs. 
Goodlow  having  occurred  in  1903. 

Mr.  Follette  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  a  large  landowner,  having  ex- 
tensive holdings,  from  which  he  derived  a  substantial  annual  income.  His  prop- 
erty interests  also  enabled  him  to  leave  his  family  in  very  comfortable  financial 
circumstances,  when,  in  March,  1880,  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest.  In  his  po- 
litical views  he  was  a  democrat  but  never  aspired  to  office,  preferring  to  con- 
centrate his  energies  upon  his  business  affairs,  in  which  he  met  with  excellent 
success. 

Mrs.  Follette  has  now  lived  in  Iowa  for  sixty-six  years  and  during  her  resi- 
dence in  Scott  county  has  always  enjoyed  in  large  measure  the  friendly  regard 
of  those  with  whom  she  has  been  associated.  After  her  husband's  death  she  re- 
moved to  Le  Claire,  where  she  is  now  pleasantly  situated  in  a  comfortable  home. 


HANS  HEINRICH  KISTENMACHER. 

Among  the  many  pioneer  of  Scott  county  who  brought  the  strong  traits  of 
character  of  the  German  race  to  bear  up  its  development  was  Hans  Heinrich 
Kistenmacher,  now  deceased,  who  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  was  a 
prosperous  farmer  of  Blue  Grass  township,  on  the  place  which  his  son  Louis  still 
operates.  He  was  bom  in  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  January  3,  1826,  and 
came  to  America  before  he  reached  his  majority.  On  the  13th  of  July,  1847,  he 
reached  Scott  county,  and  the  next  year  was  granted  by  the  government  eighty 
acres  of  land,  the  document  asserting  his  right  to  its  possession  bearing  the  date 
of  June  I,  1848,  and  being  signed  by  President  Polk.  A  couple  of  years  later 
he  received  forty  acres  more  from  the  government,  this  grant  being  dated  April 
I,  1850,  and  bearing  the  signature  of  President  Taylor.  These  scrips  of  national 
paper  are  still  in  the  possession  of  Louis  Kistenmacher,  who  places  high  value 
upon  them,  for  their  historical  value  and  for  the  associations  with  which  they 
will  always  be  joined  while  in  the  family.  For  many  years  Mr.  Kistenmacher 
tilled  the  soil  with  profit,  although  the  early  years  of  his  residence  here  were 
attended  with  the-  hardships  which  come  to  the  pioneer,  and  as  time  brought  rich 
returns  from  his  endeavors  he  acquired  more  land  until  at  his  death  he  owned 
four  hundred  and  forty-five  acres  in  Blue  Grass  township.  In  1885  he  retired 
from  the  active  pursuit  of  farming,  taking  up  his  residence  in  the  city  of  Daven- 
port, which  was  his  home  when,  on  the  19th  of  August,  1909,  he  passed  away. 

After  coming  to  Scott  county  Mr.  Kistenmacher  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Maria  Kruse,  who  was  bom  in  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  March  3, 
1833.  Their  marriage  was  blessed  with  the  following  children :  Louis,  of  whom 
mention  is  made  below ;  Amelia,  who,  unmarried,  is  living  in  Davenport ;  Augusta, 
who  became  the  wife  of  James  Muldoon,  of  Corley,  Iowa ;  Dorothea,  the  wife  of 
Theodore  Nelson,  of  Harlan,  Iowa;  Christina,  who  has  not  married  and  makes 
her  home  in  Davenport ;  Delia,  who  is  also  unmarried  and  lives  in  Davenport ; 
and  Bertha,  the  wife  of  Charles  Zoller,  of  Davenport. 


744  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Louis  Kistenmacher,  the  only  son  born  to  his  parents,  has  always  lived  upon 
the  farm  where  he  resides  today.  It  embraces  two  hundred  acres  of  the  old 
homestead  and  is  well  cultivated.  In  addition  his  wife  owns  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  in  Rock  county,  Minnesota,  a  valuable  asset.  She  was  Miss  Louisa 
Rochau  in  her  maidenhood  and  is  a  daughter  of  F.  A.  Rochau,  of  Sheridan 
township.  Eleven  children  have  been  born  to  the  couple,  all  of  whom  are  at 
home.  They  are  Arnold,  Henry,  Walter,  Alice,  Lydia,  David,  Flora,  Minnie, 
Martha,  Louis  and  John.  Mr.  Kistenmacher  has  not  allied  himself  with  any 
political  party,  preferring  to  vote  for  measures  and  candidates  as  appear  to  him 
best,  and  for  two  terms  has  rendered  efficient  service  to  the  community  through 
being  a  member  of  the  school  board.  He  belongs  to  the  Modern  Brotherhood 
of  America  and  is  active  in  its  lodge.  No.  26,  of  Blue  Grass,  where  he  has  made 
many  friends,  who,  recognizing  the  high  character  of  the  man  and  aware  of  his 
success  and  the  honorable  manner  in  which  it  has  been  gained,  are  loyal  in  their 
admiration  of  him. 


MRS.  H.  A.  HORTON. 


Among  Le  Claire's  highly  esteemed  ladies  is  Mrs.  H.  A.  Horton,  who  has  now 
passed  the  seventy-first  milestone  on  life's  journey,  her  birth  having  occurred  in 
Louisville,  Kentucky,  October  18,  1838.  Her  father,  Nathan  Hart,  was  born 
in  Warsaw,  Poland,  in  1793,  and  it  was  after  his  arrival  in  America  that  he  met 
and  married  Miss  Amelia  Van  Ostern,  who  was  born  in  New  Orleans,  Louisiana, 
in  1813.  For  many  years  Mr.  Hart  engaged  in  the  dry-goods  business,  but  was 
living  retired  at  the  time  of  his  death.  H.e  came  to  Iowa  in  1857,  settling  in  Le 
Claire,  and  for  a  long  period  was  connected  with  the  commercial  interests  of  the 
town  and  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  its  commercial  activity  and  prosperity. 
He  always  adhered  to  the  Jewish  faith  and  in  his  political  views  was  a  democrat 
but  never  an  ofiSce  seeker.  In  his  family  were  eight  children :  Mary ;  Elenora,  the 
deceased  wife  of  Major  Foster,  of  the  Eleventh  Iowa  Infantry;  Rebecca,  who 
became  the  wife  of  Colonel  Mitchell,  of  the  Eleventh  Iowa  Infantry;  Moses,  who 
died  in  Walla  Walla,  Washington ;  Mrs.  Horton ;  Ada,  who  resides  in  Wakefield, 
Massachusetts ;  Belle,  who  makes  her  home  in  Butte,  Montana ;  and  Edward,  who 
was  a  newspaper  editor  of  Chicago,  where  he  died  in  1889. 

Mrs.  Horton  spent  her  girlhood  in  her  native  city  and  was  nineteen  years  of 
age  when  she  came  with  her  parents  to  Iowa,  where  she  has  since  made  her  home. 
On  the  20th  of  September,  1865,  she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  H.  A.  Horton, 
a  son  of  George  W.  and  Eliza  (Brotherlin)  Horton,  who  were  residents  of  Clin- 
ton, Iowa,  at  the  time  of  their  demise.  Their  son,  H.  A.  Horton,  acquired  his 
education  in  the  graded  schools  of  Le  Claire  and,  entering  business  life,  became  a 
steamboat  engineer  on  the  Mississippi  river.  He  always  led  a  busy  and  useful 
life,  was  faithful,  reliable  and  industrious  and  his  services  were,  therefore,  always 
in  demand. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Horton  became  the  parents  of  two  children.  Belle  S.,  who  was 
born  February  23,  1868,  is  the  wife  of  Edgar  Kindley,  a  resident  of  Silvis,  Illinois, 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  745 

where  he  is  filling  the  position  of  superintendent  of  schools.  They  have  one 
child,  Murena  Kindley.  George  W.  Horton,  who  was  born  in  1871,  is  a  resident 
of  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  where  he  carries  on  business  as  an  electrician.  He 
wedded  Mary  Headley  and  they  have  one  child,  Isabel  Horton,  who  was  born 
March  25,  1906. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Horton  occurred  January  8,  1910,  and  was  deeply  regretted 
by  many  friends  as  well  as  his  immediate  family.  He  was  a  faithful  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  affiliating  with  Snow  Lodge,  No.  44,  F.  &  A.  M.,  at 
Le  Claire,  and  was  held  in  high  esteem.  He  gave  his  political  support  to  the 
republican  party  and  was  a  stanch  advocate  of  its  principles.  He  held  the  office 
of  school  director  and  was  also  a  member  of  the  city  council,  in  which  connection 
he  exercised  his  official  prerogatives  in  support  of  various  progressive  public 
measures.  His  long  residence  in  this  county  made  him  widely  known  and  his 
many  substantial  qualities  gained  for  him  the  high  regard  of  those  with  whom 
he  was  brought  in  contact. 


CORNELIUS  J.  BROWN. 

Although  Cornelius  J.  Brown  took  little  active  part  in  the  public  life  of 
Davenport,  his  name  was  ever  connected  with  those  interests  which  make  for 
progress,  philanthropy  and  the  general  amelioration  of  the  conditions  that  sur- 
rounded his  fellow  citizens.  On  the  20th  of  March,  1908,  he  passed  from  their 
midst,  and  has  since  been  mourned  as  a  man  of  ability  and  high  character.  He 
was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  March  15,  1843,  and  by  the  early  death 
of  his  father  was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources  while  still  a  boy.  Upon  the 
inauguration  of  the  Civil  war,  although  only  eighteen  years  of  age,  he  enlisted 
in  Knapp's  Independent  Battery,  Twentieth  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and  in  the 
four  years  of  his  service  took  part  in  many  of  the  important  battles  of 
the  great  struggle,  among  which  were  the  memorable  fight  at  Chancellorsville, 
the  second  engagement  at  Bull  Run,  and  that  of  Gettysburg.  He  had  entered 
the  army  as  a  private,  but  in  recognition  of  the  valor  which  ever  distinguished 
his  presence  upon  the  scene  of  conflict,  he  was  promoted  until  at  the  close  of 
the  hostilities  he  held  the  rank  of  corporal. 

After  he  returned  to  the  life  of  a  civilian  Mr.  Brown  remained  for  a  time 
in  the  east  and  then  in  1872  came  west,  spending  ten  months  at  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri. In  1872  he  came  to  Davenport,  and  almost  immediately  upon  his  arrival 
was  made  a  clerk  in  the  commandant's  office  at  the  Rock  Island  arsenal  while  in 
1876  he  was  made  chief  clerk.  There  he  remained  during  the  remaining  thirty-six 
years  of  his  life,  the  length  of  his  term  of  service  telling  its  own  story  of  the 
ability  and  conscientiousness  of  the  man.  He  was  highly  regarded  by  his  superior 
officers  at  the  arsenal,  while  in  Davenport,  where  he  was  known  for  his  public- 
spirit  and  the  interest  he  always  evinced  in  the  progress  and  development  of  the 
city,  he  had  many  warm  friends,  who  were  attached  to  him  because  of  his  many 
excellent  and  engaging  qualities. 


746  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

While  still  living  in  Philadelphia,  Mr.  Brown  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Eliza  Moore  Hague,  and  unto  them  were  born  one  daughter  and  four  sons, 
namely:  August  Mangus,  deceased;  Mrs.  W.  E.  Pheris,  of  St.  Paul;  Charles  C, 
also  of  St.  Paul,  Minnesota;  Benjamin  F.,  who  is  a  salesman;  and  Cornelius  J., 
who  is  a  clerk  in  the  Arsenal.  Mr.  Brown  was  ever  in  sympathy  with  the  re- 
ligious tenets  of  the  Unitarians  and  was  active  in  the  work  of  that  church,  but 
although  local  matters,  charities  and  other  interests  commanded  much  of  his  at- 
tention, he  was  most  concerned  for  the  welfare  and  advancement  of  the  Masonic 
orders  becoming,  indeed,  a  man  upon  whom  his  fraternal  brothers  throughout 
the  country  conferred  honors.  He  was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  Integrity  Lodge, 
No.  187,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  October  18,  1868;  in  May  1874  was  exalted  to  the  rank 
of  Royal  Arch  Mason,  and  in  1875  was  made  a  Knight  Templar.  In  1874  he  had 
entered  the  Scottish  Rite,  and  upon  him  was  conferred  the  honorary  thirty-third 
degree.  His  life  ever  exemplified  the  beneficent  spirit  of  the  craft  which  is  based 
upon  mutual  helpfulness  and  brotherly  kindness. 


ERNEST  T.  KEGEL,   M.  D. 

Although  one  of  the  younger  physicians.  Dr.  Ernest  T.  Kegel  is  said  to 
enjoy  the  largest  practice  in  Scott  county,  outside  of  the  city  of  Davenport,  of 
any  of  those  following  the  medical  profession.  He  resides  in  Blue  Grass  town- 
ship, which  has  been  the  scene  of  his  labors  for  more  than  a  decade.  A  na- 
tive of  Germany,  he  was  born  in  Potsdam,  June  13,  1875.  His  father,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  Saxony,  wedded  Miss  Augusta  Petersohn,  a  native  of  east  Prus- 
sia, and  in  1891  came  to  the  United  States.  Upon  reaching  Iowa,  he  settled 
in  Shelby  county,  where  he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine.  He  is  still 
living  there  and  is  highly  regarded. 

Dr.  Ernest  T.  Kegel  received  his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
Berlin,  and  after  coming  to  this  country  pursued  an  academic  course  in  the 
School  of  Correspondence.  It  was  in  September,  1892,  that  he  came  to  America. 
He  completed  his  studies  in  the  Iowa  State  University,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  with  the  class  of  1896.  Immediately  thereafter  he  joined  his  father 
in  Shelby  county,  Iowa,  but  remained  only  six  months,  after  which  he  came  to 
Blue  Grass  township,  Scott  county,  taking  up  his  residence  in  Walcott.  In  a 
few  years  he  built  up  a  large  practice  in  that  and  adjoining  townships,  for 
as  opportunity  was  afforded  for  the  exercise  of  his  talents  he  proved  himself 
to  be  a  man  of  skill  and  ability  and  one  upon  whose  judgment  in  medical 
matters  his  clients  might  rely  with  confidence.  He  returned  to  Germany  in 
1907  to  take  a  post-graduate  course  in  the  University  of  Berlin.  He  also 
studied  in  London,  under  the  direction  of  Professors  Douglas  and  Wright.  Since 
he  has  identified  himself  with  the  interests  of  Blue  Grass  township.  Dr.  Kegel 
has  done  much  to  promote  the  public  welfare  and  was  one  of  the  original  stock- 
holders of  the  Farmers  Savings  Bank  of  Walcott,  of  which  he  was  elected 
president  in  1905.     Since  that  date  he  has  guided  its  financial  policy  with  a 


BR.  ERNEST  T.  KEGEL 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  749 

wise,  conservative,  yet  progressive  hand,  and  no  small  part  of  the  prosperity 
of  the  locality  is  due  to  his  efforts. 

In  December,  1897,  was  celebrated  the  wedding  of  Dr.  Kegel  and  Miss  Birdie 
J.  Byrnes,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Thomas  Byrnes,  who  practiced  medicine  in  Wal- 
cott  for  a  number  of  years.    One  son,  Allen  Byrnes,  has  been  born  to  the  couple. 

Dr.  Kegel  is  a  member  of  all  the  Masonic  bodies  of  Davenport,  being  a 
Knight  Templar  and  has  been  advanced  to  the  thirty-second  degree  in  the 
Scottish  Rite.  He  belongs  also  to  the  Modern  Brotherhood  of  America,  being 
president  of  the  Walcott  lodge.  In  recognition  of  his  proficiency  as  a  practi- 
tioner and  of  his  character  as  a  man,  Dr.  Kegel  was  appointed  a  health  offiter  of 
the  village  of  Walcott,  in  which  position  he  is  serving  his  second  term,  and 
was  also  made  health  officer  of  Hickory  Grove  township.  As  a  member  of  the 
American  Medical  Association,  and  of  the  Iowa  State,  the  Scott  County,  the 
Iowa  and  Illinois  Central  Medical  Associations,  he  keeps  well  abreast  of  the 
advance  which  has  been  made  in  his  profession.  In  connection  with  his  practice 
Dr.  Kegel  conducts  a  drug  store,  wherein  are  dispensed  drugs  of  a  high  quality, 
and  which  while  it  evinces  the  Doctor's  business  acumen  is  but  another  demon- 
stration of  his  desire  to  render  his  clients  the  greatest  service  within  his  power. 


HERMANN  WULF. 


Hermann  Wulf,  who  is  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  largest  and  most  prosperous 
concerns  of  Davenport,  the  Davenport  Brewing  Company,  was  born  in  Germany, 
May  6,  1852,  his  parents  being  Michael  and  Margaret  (Speckelman)  Wulf,  both 
natives  of  the  fatherland.  He  received  his  education  in  his  place  of  birth,  where 
he  also  learned  the  trade  of  a  locksmith,  and  in  early  manhood  came  to  the 
United  States,  whither  his  brother  Fred  had  preceded  him.  For  eight  years  he 
worked  at  his  trade  here  in  conjunction  with  H.  Mueller.-  Later  he  engaged 
in  the  grocery  and  saloon  business  for  a  number  of  years  very  successfully.  In 
1891  he  and  George  Klindt  bought  out  the  interest  of  Henry  Klindt  and  operated 
the  Eagle  Brewery  on  Third  street,  of  which  the  latter  had  been  the  head  for  a 
number  of  years.  For  the  next  three  years  Mr.  Wulf  and  his  partners  made  it 
one  of  the  substantial  enterprises  of  Davenport  until  1894,  when  a  consolida- 
tion was  effected  among  the  five  breweries  in  the  city  under  the  name  of  the 
Davenport  Malting  Company.  In  that  year  Mr.  Wulf  became  the  city  representa- 
tive of  the  firm  and  in  1900  became  its  president.  About  1908  the  name  was 
changed  to  the  Davenport  Brewing  Company.  Mr.  Wulf  is  also  a  director  in  the 
Davenport  Malt  &  Grain  Company,  his  experience  in  this  line  of  work  making 
him  a  valuable  member  of  the  concern.  He  was  also  president  of  the  Hawkeye 
Realty  Company  until  1910. 

In  1874  Mr.  Wulf  wedded  Miss  Emma  Seaman,  a  native  of  Davenport.  Five 
children  l-.ave  been  born  to  them:  Amiel,  Rudolph,  Emily,  Bertha  and  Hugo. 
Emily  is  now  the  wife  of  Hugo  Moeller.  Mr.  Wulf  belongs  to  all  the  German 
societies  flourishing  in  this  city  and  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows.    A  man  of  fine  business  ability,  he  is  also  endowed  with  those  traits 


750  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

of  character  which  make  him  popular  among  his  fellowmen.  While  he  is  ever 
willing  to  join  others  in  pleasure,  he  is,  nevertheless,  a  good  citizen.  The  Daven- 
port Brewing  Company  is  one  of  the  largest  concerns  here  and  is  developing  an 
ever  increasing  field  of  operations,  largely  due  to  the  fact  of  Mr.  Wulf's  able 
guidance. 


LOUIS  A.  LE  CLAIRE,  SR. 

Few  among  the  families  of  Davenport  occupy  a  more  prominent  position 
than  that  of  which  Louis  A.  Le  Claire,  Sr.,  is  at  present  the  head.  He  has  been 
for  many  years  identified  with  the  business  life  here  and  is  now  the  vice  president 
of  the  Le  Claire  &  King  Publishing  Company.  A  native  of  Davenport,  he  was 
born  January  4,  1842,  a  son  of  Alexius  and  Marie  (Pujal)  Le  Claire.  The 
father  was  a  son  of  Francis  Le  Claire,  a  brother  of  Antoine  Le  Claire,  who  holds 
a  most  conspicuous  place  in  the  annals  of  Davenport  from  the  time  of  its  foun- 
dation. A  more  extended  mention  of  him,  however,  is  made  in  the  history  pref- 
atory to  these  biographies.  Alexius  Le  Claire  was  a  merchant  and,  like  his  uncle, 
was  one  of  the  important  men  of  the  city  during  his  lifetime. 

Louis  A.  Le  Claire  attended  the  public  schools  of  Davenport  and  after  com- 
pleting the  course  of  study  here  entered  Iowa  College.  When  he  embarked  upon 
his  business  career  in  1862  he  engaged  first  in  real-estate  dealing,  to  which 
he  devoted  his  energies  for  about  thirteen  years.  At  that  time  he  became  ad- 
ministrator of  his  uncle's  estate  and  united  his  interests  with  those  of  a  son  of 
Colonel  Davenport,  filling  the  position  of  accountant  in  the  latter's  office.  In 
1882  he  went  to  the  western  part  of  Iowa  and  then,  in  1886,  entered  the  gas  office. 
About  that  time,  however,  on  account  of  poor  health,  he  was  compelled  to  give  up 
all  business  and  take  a  much  needed  rest.  Later,  when  he  had  recuperated,  he 
joined  his  sons  in  the  formation  of  the  Le  Claire  &  King  Publishing  Company, 
of  which  he  was  made  vice  president.  This  is  one  of  the  enterprising  concerns 
of  the  city,  owing  no  small  share  of  its  prosperity  to  the  wisdom  and  good  judg- 
ment of  the  senior  member  of  the  firm. 

It  was  in  December,  1870,  that  Mr.  Le  Claire  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mattie  S.  Beddison,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Martha  (Corporal)  Beddison. 
They  are  descendants  of  a  family  which  has  been  prominent  from  the  Revolu- 
tionary days  and  one  ancestor  fought  in  Washington's  army.  At  that  time  the 
homestead  was  in  one  of  the  southern  states,  but  later  a  removal  was  made  to 
Rock  Island,  Illinois,  where  Thomas  Beddison  became  very  prominent.  Five 
children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Le  Claire.  Margaret  has  remained  un- 
married and  makes  her  home  with  her  parents.  Marie  has  passed  away.  Louis, 
Jr.,  is  the  president  of  the  Le  Claire  &  King  Publishing  Company.  He  married 
Miss  Jessie  Middleton  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Marie.  Beatrice  and  Bernice 
are  both  at  home.  The  family  belong  to  the  Catholic  church  of  Davenport  and 
are  prominent  in  its  work  and  liberal  in  its  support.  As  is  befitting  a  descendant 
of  the  famous  Antoine  Le  Claire,  our  subject  is  one  of  the  more  prominent  of 
the  citizens  of  Davenport.  He  is  interested  in  all  the  more  vital  of  the  city's 
affairs,  although  he  has  never  been  persuaded  to  take  any  active  part  in  the  local 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  751 

government.  Nevertheless,  he  enjoys  the  sincere  esteem  of  those  who  have  come 
to  know  him  and  feel  that  he  has  made  a  name  for  himself  and  is  not  dependent 
on  the  reputation  won  by  his  ancestors,  while  his  success  is  the  outcome  of  clear 
judgment  experience  and  unabating  energy. 


SAMUEL  B.  YOHN. 


Samuel  B.  Yohn,  living  in  Princeton,  his  attention  in  his  business  life  being 
devoted  to  carpentering  and  farming,  was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, March  13,  1833,  and  has  therefore  reached  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years 
His  has  been  a  well  spent  life  and  his  many  substantial  qualities  have  gained  him 
the  trust  and  good  will  of  his  fellow  townsmen. 

His  father,  Frederick  Yohn,  was  also  a  native  of  Lancaster  county,  bom 
March  13,  1812,  and,  having  arrived  at  years  of  maturity,  he  wedded  Rebecca 
Church,  who  was  bom  in  the  same  county  on  the  4th  of  February,  181 1.  For 
many  years  they  resided  in  the  Keystone  state,  where  they  were  married  and 
reared  their  family,  but  in  1868  removed  westward,  settling  in  Scott  county. 
The  father  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  from  Malen  Bonnell 
in  Princeton  township  and  lived  upon  that  farm  for  six  years,  carefully  culti- 
vating the  fields  in  the  production  of  substantial  harvests.  He  then  removed  to 
the  village  of  Princeton,  where  he  retired  from  active  life,  his  death  there  oc- 
curring five  years  later.  His  children  were  Samuel  B.,  Anna  Elizabeth  and 
Julia.  The  elder  daughter  was  born  October  22,  1847,  and  is  the  wife  of  David 
Condron,  a  carpenter  residing  in  Princeton.  The  younger  daughter  is  also  liv- 
ing in  Princeton  and  is  now  the  wife  of  George  Lancaster,  an  engineer. 

Samuel  B.  Yohn  is  indebted  to  the  district  schools  of  his  native  county  for 
the  educational  privileges  which  he  enjoyed.  After  leaving  school  he  learned 
the  carpenter's  trade  and  has  followed  it  through  much  of  his  life,  but  at  the 
time  of  the  Civil  war  he  put  aside  all  business  and  personal  considerations  and 
responded  to  the  country's  call  for  troops,  enlisting  at  Philadelphia,  on  the  20th 
of  January,  1864,  as  a  member  of  Company  I,  Second  Pennsylvania  Artillery. 
He  served  during  the  remainder  of  the  war  and  participated  in  the  battles  of 
Cold  Harbor,  Petersburg  and  other  important  engagements.  He  continued  with 
the  army  until  some  time  after  the  close  of  hostilities,  being  honorably  dis- 
charged January  29,  1866,  at  City  Point,  Virginia.  He  proved  a  faithful  sol- 
dier, never  faltering  in  his  performance  of  duty  but  giving  loyal  aid  to  the  cause 
he  espoused. 

When  honorably  discharged  Mr.  Yohn  returned  to  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
continued  to  reside  until  1879,  when  he  came  to  Princeton,  where  he  has  since 
made  his  home.  Here  he  has  followed  carpentering  and  has  been  closely  and 
actively  associated  with  building  interests,  his  efficient  workmanship  bringing 
him  a  liberal  patronage. 

Mr.  Yohn  has  been  married  three  times.  He  first  wedded  Miss  Mary 
Womert,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Womert.  Unto  them  was  born  a 
son,  Frank,  who  died  when  twenty  years  of  age.     For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Yohn 


752  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

chose  Miss  Etta  Howard  and  to  them  was  born  a  daughter,  Etta,  who  died  in 
infancy.  For  his  third  wife  Mr.  Yohn  chose  Sarah  Ferguson,  a  native  of  Ga- 
lena, Illinois. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Yohn  has  always  been  a  stalwart  republican  since 
casting  his  first  presidential  vote.  He  has  held  most  of  the  township  offices,  in- 
cluding that  of  township  trustee,  and  has  always  been  loyal  and  faithful  to  the 
trusts  reposed  in  him.  He  is  recognized  as  a  reliable  and  enterprising  citizen,  who 
is  always  found  on  the  side  of  improvement  and  progress.  He  can  remember 
seeing  Antoine  Le  Claire  in  1857.  During  the  years  of  his  residence  in  Scott 
county  he  has  witnessed  many  changes  and  has  taken  helpful  part  in  bringing 
about  the  transformation  which  has  made  Scott  county  one  of  the  populous  and 
prosperous  sections  of  the  great  Mississippi  valley. 


J.  H.  VILMONT. 

Despite  the  fact  of  his  advancing  years  and  the  large  measure  of  success  which 
has  come  to  him  J.  H.  Vilmont  has  been  unable  to  abandon  the  life  of  a  farmer, 
which  he  has  pursued  in  Scott  county  for  so  many  years.  He  operates  a  tract  of 
sixty-five  acres  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  adjoining  the  farm  on  which  he  was 
reared. 

A  native  of  Lorraine,  France,  he  was  born  May  14,  1851,  his  parents  being 
Maurice  and  Eugena  (Gaspard)  Vilmont.  The  father,  who  was  also  a  native  of 
Lorraine,  France,  was  a  son  of  Francis  and  Marie  Theresa  (Ponel)  Vilmont,  who 
spent  their  whole  lives  in  the  country  of  their  birth.  Indeed,  only  one  of  their 
nine  children,  seven  boys  and  two  girls,  came  to  America  to  make  his  fortune. 

Maurice  Vilmont,  whose  birth  occurred  July  15,  1825,  came  to  Scott  county, 
Iowa,  immediately  upon  landing  in  this  country  in  1854.  He  was  accompanied 
by  his  wife  and  son  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Davenport,  which  he  made  his 
home  for  a  few  years,  removing  later  to  Clinton  county,  where  he  lived  for  a  pe- 
riod of  seven  or  eight  years.  In  1865  he  located  on  the  farm  in  Aliens  Grove 
township  on  which  he  resided  until  1903,  adjoining  that  of  his  son  J.  H.  He  had 
learned  the  trade  of  a  stone-mason  in  the  old  country  and  worked  at  it  for  some 
time  after  his  arrival  here,  both  in  Davenport  and  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  where 
his  abilities  were  frequently  called  into  requisition  by  the  early  settlers  here.  He 
owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  section  16,  Aliens  Grove  township,  on  the 
bank  of  the  Wapsipinicon  river  and  during  the  years  of  his  activity  earned  a  well 
deserved  success  from  the  cultivation  of  its  fields.  In  1902  he  relinquished  the 
heavy  cares  of  life  and  retired,  now  living  with  his  son.  His  wife,  who  was  born 
February  16,  1824,  died  in  Davenport  in  February,  1891,  leaving  one  child,  J.  H., 
the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Since  1865  J.  H.  Vilmont  has  resided  in  Scott  county,  coming  here  with  his 
parents  when  located  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  so  that  the  greater  part  of  his  life 
has  been  spent  here.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  this  state,  in  which  he 
obtained  a  fair  education,  although  throughout  the  years  he  was  studying  he  also 
helped  his  father  upon  the  farm.    He  assumed  the  responsibility  of  its  culivation 


MRS.  J.    II.  VIOtOXT 


II.    \"ll,.Mi  IXT 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  757 

when  advancing  age  made  it  necessary  for  the  father  to  resign  the  heavier  cares. 
In  1903  the  son  bought  another  tract  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Aliens 
Grove  township,  on  which  he  resided  until  March,  1909,  when  he  sold  eighty  acres 
of  it  and  purchased  sixty-five  acres  adjoining  the  old  homestead,  on  section  17. 
Here  he  pursues  general  farming  with  good  success  for  he  is  progressive  as  well 
as  industrious,  sparing  no  effort  of  his  own  to  enhance  the  value  of  the  property 
or  increase  its  productiveness. 

In  1872  Mr.  Vilmont  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Catherine  Flynn,  who 
was  born  in  New  York  state,  July  9,  1853.  About  three  years  later  she  came  to 
Scott  county,  Iowa,  with  her  parents,  Michael  and  Mary  (Leary)  Flynn,  who 
were  of  Irish  birth.  They  passed  the  remainder  of  their  lives  here.  Nine  children 
have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vilmont :  Marie,  now  the  wife  of  James  McNie, 
of  California;  Maurice  J.,  who  is  living  in  Aliens  Grove  township;  Sylvia,  the 
wife  of  Adolph  Michael,  of  Nebraska ;  Victor  H.,  of  Grundy  Center,  Iowa ;  Kath- 
arine, the  wife  of  John  Wuestenberg,  of  Aliens  Grove  township;  Simon,  who  is 
living  in  Sonth  Dakota ;  Esther,  at  home ;  Vivian  V.,  of  South  Dakota ;  and  Isa- 
dore,  who  is  at  home.  Mr.  Vilmont  has  the  good  will  of  his  fellow  agriculturists 
for  he  has  proved  himself  a  good  farmer  and  a  man  capable  of  fulfilling  his  duties 
in  life  with  honor. 


THE  VERY  REV.  MARMADUKE  HARE,  M.  D. 

The  Very  Rev.  Marmaduke  Hare,  M.  D.,  rector  and  dean  of  Trinity 
Cathedral,  was  born  in  Knottingly,  Yorkshire,  England,  April  6,  1856,  a  son  of 
the  Rev.  Robert  Henry  Hare,  also  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England,  and 
Margaret  (Leighton)  Hare,  a  coUsin  of  Lord  Leighton.  On  the  paternal  side  of 
the  house,  the  family  belongs  to  that  bearing  the  name  of  HurstmontcieUn. 

Dr.  Hare  was  educated  at  Bath  College,  after  which  he  went  to  Kings  Col- 
lege, from  which  he  was  graduated  in  medicine  in  1876.  For  the  following  two 
years  he  practiced  medicine  in  London,  but  carrying  out  the  wishes  of  his  mother 
he  entered  the  church  and  studied  theology  at  Dorchester  College,  Oxford,  for 
two  years,  and  was  ordained  by  the  bishop  of  Oxford  in  1879.  His  first  charge 
was  the  church  of  Dorchester  Abbey.  He  then  entered  the  army  service  during 
the  first  Boer  war,  and  spent  five  years  in  South  Africa.  Returning  to  England 
he  was  appointed  rector  of  Bow,  London,  E.  C,  where  his  pastorate  extended 
over  a  decade.  During  that  period  he  was  chairman  of  the  Poplar  Board  of 
Guardians  and  one  of  the  managers  of  the  London  schoolboard. 

During  his  military  service  in  South  Africa,  in  1882,  Dr.  Hare  was  married 
to  Mary  Catherine,  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  Watson,  then  premier  of  South 
Africa,  and  a  great  granddaughter  of  Lord  Saltoune.  She  died  in  London,  in  1897, 
and  soon  thereafter  the  bereaved  husband  paid  a  visit  to  America.  While  in 
Albany,  he  accepted  a  call  to  St.  Paul's  church  of  that  city.  He  remained  a  year 
at  St.  Paul's,  and  then  spent  four  years  as  rector  of  St.  George's  church  of 
Toronto.    Following  this  he  was  rector  of  All  Saints  Church,  of  New  Milford, 


758  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Connecticut.    In  1907,  he  came  to  Davenport,  becoming  rector  and  dean  of  Trinity 
Cathedral  in  October  of  that  same  year. 

Dr.  Hare  is  a  Mason,  a  member  of  the  Commercial  and  Contemporary  Clubs, 
He  is  a  man  of  wide  experience  and  profound  learning  and  his  personality  and 
convincing  manner  make  him  very  popular.  His  zeal  in  his  work  has  resulted 
in  very  beneficial  effects  in  the  city  and  vicinity,  where  he  is  widely  known  and 
beloved. 


JULIUS  DENKMANN. 


Julius  Denkmann,  one  of  the  prominent  German  farmers  of  Davenport  town- 
ship, who  has  given  up  the  arduous  life  to  which  he  devoted  himself  for  so  many 
years,  was  born  in  Prussia,  Germany,  November  10,  1840,  a  son  of  John  and 
Mary  (Quinn)  Denkmann.  The  father  came  alone  to  the  United  States  in  1846, 
and  after  spending  the  winter  in  New  Orleans  he  ascended  the  Mississippi  river 
to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  he  bought  some  raw  prairie  land  from  Cook  & 
Sargent.  As  money  was  very  scarce  here  he  was  compelled  to  sell  part  of  his 
purchase  in  order  to  obtain  funds  wherewith  to  live.  He  was  able  to  build  a 
house,  however,  and  in  1847  the  rest  of  his  family  came  from  Germany.  They, 
following  the  same  route  as  Mr.  Denkmann,  got  as  far  as  St.  Louis,  where  their 
progress  was  hindered  on  account  of  the  ice  in  the  river.  With  the  opening 
of  spring  navigation  in  1848  they  came  to  Scott  county  and  joined  the  husband 
and  father  and  went  to  live  in  the  new  home  which  he  had  provided.  Then 
ensued  a  period  of  many  hardships  and  struggles  for  the  land  had  to  be  broken 
and  prepared  for  cultivation.  Nevertheless,  the  years  were  productive  of  sub- 
stantial success,  so  that  at  their  death  the  parents  might  look  back  upon  the  move 
to  this  country  with  satisfaction.  The  father  was  sixty-eight  when  his  life  was 
brought  to  a  close,  and  the  mother  about  seventy.  They  were  buried  at  Oakdale 
cemetery.  Eight  children  were  born  to  them:  William  and  Charles,  deceased; 
Julius,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Fred  and  Otto,  who  live  in  Scott  county;  Chris- 
tiana, the  widow  of  Dr.  Brunner;  Harmina,  the  widow  of  Christ  Mickle;  and 
Amelia,  the  wife  of  Charles  Rockel. 

Although  Julius  Denkmann  was  but  seven  years  of  age  when  he  started  upon 
his  journey  to  this  country  he  had  already  entered  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
land.  After  his  arrival  here  he  finished  his  education  as  best  he  could,  though 
it  was  with  many  discouragements  for  at  first  the  nearest  school  was  in  Blue 
Grass  township,  a  distance  of  five  miles  from  his  home.  Later,  after  the  railroad 
was  built,  he  attended  school  at  Walcott.  During  the  summer  months,  however, 
he  farmed  most  diligently,  assisting  his  father  until  his  death  and  then  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits  for  himself.  His  first  purchase  of  land  comprised  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Liberty  township.  It  was  slightly  improved  at  the 
time  but  proved  to  be  so  fertile  that  as  the  result  of  his  labors  he  was  able  to 
buy  another  tract  of  equal  area  contiguous  to  it.  Later  he  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  more  in  Davenport  township.  It  also  was  only  partially  im- 
proved but  it  had  a  small  house  upon  it,  to  which  Mr.  Denkmann  brought  his 
bride  and  which  remained  their  home  until  1872.    In  that  year  he  bought  twenty- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  759 

five  acres  of  land  on  the  middle  road,  on  which  he  resided  for  about  twenty  years, 
when  he  removed  to  the  twenty  acres  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city  of  Davenport, 
which  is  his  home  at  present.  He  has,  however,  given  up  all  active  participa- 
tion in  the  more  difficult  work  of  the  farm ;  as  his  land  holdings  and  the  income 
he  had  derived  through  the  labors  of  previous  years  enable  him  to  enjoy  the 
necessities  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life  without  thought  of  physical  toil. 

Mr.  Denkmann  has  made  three  trips  to  his  native  home.  He  went  first  in 
1866  and  while  there,  March  12,  1867,  married  Miss  Anna  Rochel,  a  daughter 
of  Carl  and  Anna  Rochel,  of  Germany.  His  wife  returned  with  him  to  America 
in  1867  and  in  the  course  of  years  became  the  mother  of  six  children :  Paulina, 
who  married  Charles  Strubie,  and  they  live  on  Mr.  Denkmann's  farm  in  Daven- 
port township;  Clara,  the  wife  of  Dr.  Blakeman,  of  Davenport;  Bianca,  who 
married  John  Carson,  of  Davenport  township,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Eliza- 
beth ;  William,  who  wedded  Meta  Lamp  and  lives  in  Scott  county ;  and  the  other 
two  died  in  infancy. 

In  1872  Mr.  Denkmann  made  a  second  trip  to  Germany,  remaining  there  a 
year,  and  then  in  1896  crossed  the  ocean  upon  his  third  journey.  On  this  occasion, 
however,  he  remained  only  six  weeks.  As  he  has  felt  that  his  good  fortune  has 
been  made  in  Scott  county,  he  has  identified  himself  closely  with  the  principal 
interests  of  his  fellow  citizens,  exerting  his  influence  especially  during  the  years 
he  was  engaged  in  active  life  in  advancing  the  cause  of  education,  for  he  was 
chosen  as  one  of  the  members  of  the  school  board.  Although  he  has  rented  his 
farms  and  does  not  participate  in  farming,  he  is  still  accounted  one  of  the  promi- 
nent agriculturists  of  Davenport  township.  For  the  younger  men  his  life  may 
be  taken  as  an  example  of  the  achievements  to  be  gained  from  the  cultivation 
of  the  soil,  while  among  the  older  men  who  are  his  associates  he  enjoys  the  good 
will  and  respect  conferred  upon  all  who  have  attained  success  through  their  own 
endeavors. 


MRS.  KATHERINE  TROMBLY. 

Mrs.  Katherine  Trombly  is  the  widow  of  George  Trombly  and  resides  in  Le 
Claire,  where  she  has  made  her  home  for  more  than  a  half  century.  She  was 
born  in  County  Clare,  Ireland,  in  February,  1842,  and  was  a  daughter  of  James 
and  Mary  (Murray)  McCaffrey,  both  of  whom  were  also  natives  of  the  Emerald 
isle,  where  they  resided  until  1847,  when  they  bade  adieu  to  friends  and  native 
land  and  with  their  family  sailed  for  America,  hoping  to  enjoy  better  opportuni- 
ties in  the  new  world.  They  landed  at  New  Orleans  and  thence  made  their  way 
up  the  Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis,  where  their  remaining  days  were  passed. 

Mrs.  Trombly  was  only  five  years  of  age  when  her  parents  came  to  the  United 
States  and  her  education  was  acquired  in  the  public  schools  of  St.  Louis,  where 
she  remained  until  1857,  when  she  came  to  Le  Claire.  She  was  married  on  the 
i6th  of  February,  1856,  to  George  Trombly,  a  well  known  river  man  who  sailed 
before  the  introduction  of  steamboats.  He  built  the  first  raft  boat  on  the  river 
at  Le  Claire  and  for  many  years  sailed  the  Mississippi  waters  as  captain. 


760  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Trombly  were  born  three  children.  George,  the  eldest, 
born  December  7,  1857,  is  a  resident  of  Le  Claire,  where  he  is  engaged  as  a  steam- 
boat captain.  He  married  Alice  LaCock  and  they  have  an  adopted  daughter, 
Ruth.  Robert  Henry  Trombly,  born  August  19,  1862,  wedded  Stella  Young 
and  they  have  four  children,  Helen,  Robert,  Arthur  and  Paul,  who  are  with  their 
parents  in  Dubuque,  Iowa.  Minnie,  born  February  13,  1866,  is  the  wife  of  Elmer 
McCraney  and  they  have  one  child,  Harriet  Katharine,  who  was  born  August 
II,  1905. 

Mr.  Trombly  exercised  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  democratic  party  but  never  sought  nor  desired  office,  for  his 
time  was  fully  taken  up  with  his  business  duties  and  home  interests.  He 
died  October  16,  1904,  and  in  his  death  the  community  lost  a  substantial  citizen, 
for  he  belonged  to  that  class  of  men  who,  though  never  figuring  in  public  life, 
wield  an  influence  in  favor  of  right  and  progress. 


LUDWIG  H.  SCHMIDT. 

Among  the  many  men  who  witnessed  the  development  of  Scott  county  from 
the  days  when  those  who  located  here  had  to  go  to  the  forests  and  hew  the  trees 
from  which  to  make  rude  shelters  for  themselves  was  Ludwig  H.  Schmidt,  now 
deceased,  who  was  formerly  one  of  the  successful  agriculturists  of  Blue  Grass 
township.  He  was  bom  in  Revensdorf,  near  Kiel,  Germany,  a  son  of  John 
Frederick  Christian  Schmidt,  a  highly  respected  school  teacher  there.  In  1847 
he,  with  his  family,  came  to  Scott  county  and  bought  land  in  Blue  Grass  town- 
ship, upon  which  he  built  a  log  cabin  as  his  first  dwelling  place.  He  broke  the 
land  and  prepared  it  for  cultivation,  becoming  a  prosperous  farmer.  Before  his 
death  he  was  in  possession  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land. 

Ludwig  H.  Schmidt,  who  was  but  nine  years  of  age  when  his  father  came  to 
this  country,  received  but  little  education  in  the  land  of  his  birth  and  had  but 
few  opportunities  for  continuing  his  studies  here,  owing  to  the  primitive  condi- 
tion of  the  country  and  the  necessity  for  his  working  in  the  fields.  He  had  prac- 
tical preparation  for  life,  however,  and  through  his  father  obtained  a  good  intro- 
duction into  the  world  of  letters.  He  assisted  in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  from 
the  beginning,  developing  and  making  the  improvements  which  adorned  the 
place.  Later,  he  assumed  full  charge  of  the  homestead,  which  remained  his 
place  of  residence  throughout  his  life.  A  thorough  and  careful  farmer,  indus- 
trious and  a  good  manager,  he  was  very  successful,  both  in  general  agriculture 
and  in  the  growing  of  grapes  for  wine. 

In  1865  Mr.  Schmidt  returned  to  Germany  on  a  visit  and  there  married  Miss 
Dora  Schuett,  by  whom  he  had  nine  children;  Mrs.  Ida  Thorborg,  Adolph,  Mrs. 
'Agnes  Kistenmacher,  Mrs.  Helen  Schroeder,  Emil,  Herman,  Albert,  Ferdinand 
and  Richard. 

Mr.  Schmidt  took  an  active  interest  in  the  public  affairs  of  the  country  of  his 
adoption  and,  being  public-spirited,  was  identified  with  some  of  the  more  vital 
interests  of  Scott  county.     He  was  well  known  in  agricultural  circles  in  Blue 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  761 

Grass  township  and  was  ever  spoken  of  as  a  man  of  sound  principles  and  high 
integrity.  His  death  occurred  in  1884.  For  several  years  Mrs.  Schmidt  lived 
upon  the  homestead  but  now  resides  in  Davenport.  She  still  owns  two  hundred 
acres  of  land,  which  her  son  Richard  operates. 


HEUER  &  WESTPHAL. 

One  of  the  important  hostelries  of  the  village  of  Dixon  is  that  of  which  J.  W. 
Heuer  and  Henry  Westphal  are  the  proprietors.  The  former,  who  is  the  senior 
member  of  the  firm,  was  born  in  Ditmarschen,  Holstein,  Germany,  April  29,  1854, 
a  son  of  Henry  and  Marie  (Karson)  Heuer.  His  parents  were  also  natives  of 
the  same  province  and  in  1858  came  to  this  country,  making  their  way  immedi- 
ately to  Scott  county,  where  they  took  up  their  residence  in  the  city  of  Davenport. 
The  mother  passed  away  shortly  after  her  arrival  but  Mr.  Heuer  is  still  living 
Three  children  were  born  to  him  and  his  wife:  J.  W.,  who  is  the  subject  of  this 
sketch;  Claus,  who  is  deceased;  and  Maggie,  who  was  the  youngest  of  the 
family. 

J.  W.  Pleuer  accompanied  his  parents  when  they  came  to  America  and  has 
since  spent  all  of  his  life  in  Scott  county.  He  received  a  rather  meager  educa- 
tion in  the  schools  of  Davenport,  for  while  still  a  youth  he  began  to  make  his 
own  way  in  the  world.  He  found  employment  first  in  a  brickyard,  later  in  a 
furniture  factory  and  finally  learned  the  cigar  business  in  the  city.  After  he  had 
become  proficient  in  this  last  occupation  he  formed  a  partnership  with  his  half- 
brother,  Henry  Westphal,  and  together  they  manufactured  cigars  in  Davenport 
until  1882,  when  feeling  that  larger  opportunities  awaited  them  elsewhere  they 
came  to  Dixon.  For  about  a  decade  they  devoted  themselves  to  their  trade  and 
then  opened  the  hotel  and  saloon  of  which  they  are  still  the  proprietors. 

In  1876  Mr.  Heuer  was  married  to  Miss  Annie  Gerts,  a  native  of  the  father- 
land, and  seven  children  have  been  born  to  them :  William,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  eight  years ;  Martha,  who  passed  away  when  five  years  old ;  Emil,  who  is  en- 
gaged in  the  implement  business  in  Dixon;  Harry,  who  died  at  the  age  of  five; 
and  Millie,  Herbert  and  Henry,  who  are  at  home.  A  man  of  good  business 
ability  and  endowed  with  the  qualities  of  industry  and  frugality,  he  has  had  a 
guiding  hand  in  the  operation  of  the  business,  which  has  prospered  well  during 
the  eighteen  years  it  has  been  conducted  here. 

Henry  Westphal,  junior  partner  in  this  profitable  enterprise,  was  born  in 
Davenport,  Iowa,  March  6,  1859,  and  has  spent  all  his  life  in  Scott  county.  His 
father  was  F.  F.  Westphal,  a  native  of  Holstein^  Germany,  and  his  brother  is 
Adolph  Westphal.  After  his  wife's  death,  however,  F.  F.  Westphal  married  Mrs. 
Henry  Heuer,  and  by  this  second  union  three  children,  two  sons  and  a  daughter, 
were  born.  Henry  Westphal  attended  the  public  schools  of  Davenport,  but  put 
aside  his  text-books  when  he  was  only  thirteen  years  of  age  that  he  might  learn  the 
trade  of  a  cigarmaker.  He  found  employment  with  the  Otto  Albrecht  Com- 
pany, first  as  a  shipping  boy.  During  the  eight  years  he  remained  with  that 
house  he  rose  rapidly  in  their  esteem  and  learned  his  trade  well.    When  he  at- 


762  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

tained  his  majority,  he  was  taken  into  partnership  by  Hr.  Heuer,  and  together 
they  worl<ed  in  Davenport  for  a  couple  of  years,  coming  to  Dixon  about  1882. 
Ten  years  later,  they  opened  the  hotel  and  saloon  which  has  been  a  flourishing 
institution  of  the  village.  Its  success  has  been  due  in  no  small  measure  to  the 
strong  traits  of  character  which  are  Mr.  Westphal's.  He  is  a  man  who  lets  no 
good  opportunity  slip  through  his  hands.  Like  his  partner  he  has  made  every 
endeavor  to  satisfy  the  wants  of  the  hotel's  guests,  making  them  both  welcome 
and  comfortable,  while  he  has  exercised  an  equally  efficient  oversight  over  the 
business  part  of  the  undertaking.  Mr.  Westphal  has  also  fostered  local  enter- 
prises, for  when  the  Dixon  Savings  Bank  was  organized,  he  became  a  stockholder 
in  the  concern  and  has  since  been  one  of  the  directors,  having  m  this  the  sup- 
port of  his  partner. 


HENRY  F.  REIMERS. 


Henry  F.  Reimers  is  one  of  the  prosperous  German  farmers  of  Winfield  town- 
ship, where  he  owns  and  operates  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  about  a 
mile  east  of  Long  Grove.  He  was  born  in  Mecklenburg,  Germany,  February  18, 
1858,  a  son  of  Hans  and  Louisa  Reimers.  The  father  was  a  farmer  in  the  old 
country  and  served  in  the  army  during  the  war  between  Holstein  and  Denmark 
from  1848  to  1850.  In  i860  he  came  to  America,  landing  at  New  York,  whence 
he  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  a  brother  Peter  was  already  residing.  Shortly 
after  his  arrival  here  he  enlisted  in  the  Fourteenth  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry, 
serving  in  the  Union  army  until  the  close  of  the  Civil  war,  when  he  returned  to 
Scott  county  and  for  a  year  farmed  as  a  renter  in  Butler  township.  Then  he 
bought  a  tract  of  eighty  acres,  which  remained  the  family  home  for  about  seven 
years,  for  as  the  war  cloud  had  lifted  his  wife  and  children  crossed  the  ocean 
and  came  to  this  county.  At  the  end  of  that  period  he  sold  that  property  and 
bought  from  John  HoUing  the  place  whereon  his  son  Henry  now  lives.  It  re- 
mained his  home  until  1894,  when  he  retired  and  removed  to  Davenport,  where 
his  death  occurred  December  9,  1901.  His  widow  still  survives  and  makes  her 
home  in  this  city.  She  is  the  mother  of  five  children,  as  follows :  Henry,  of  this 
review;  William,  of  Long  Grove;  Theodore,  of  Davenport  township;  Herman, 
who  is  living  with  his  mother;  and  Emil,  of  Grundy  county,  Iowa. 

Henry  F.  Reimers,  although  only  seven  years  of  age  when  brought  to  this 
country,  had  attended  school  a  little  in  Germany,  but  his  education  was  really 
obtained  in  the  district  schools  of  Butler  and  Winfield  townships.  He  early 
became  acquainted  with  the  duties  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist  as  he 
helped  his  father  on  the  farm,  and  he  continued  at  home  until  he  was  twenty- 
seven  years  of  age,  when  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  for  three  years.  Then  he 
married,  and,  renting  land,  he  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  on  his  own  ac- 
count, continuing  as  a  tenant  until  1909,  when  his  circumstances  justified  his 
buying  the  place  whereon  he  now  lives,  which  was  the  old  home  farm.  He  raises 
various  cereals  adapted  to  soil  and  climate,  and  as  the  work  is  carried  on  along 


.MK.   AND   Mi;s.   IIK-VRY    \\   UKIAIKK 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  765 

systematic  and  progressive  lines  large  harvests  result  from  his  labor  and  energy. 
He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  bank  at  Donahue,  Iowa. 

On  the  9th  of  December,  1887,  Mr.  Reimers  wedded  Miss  Carolina  C.  Hol- 
land, a  daughter  of  Adolph  and  Maggie  Holland,  of  Davenport,  of  whom  men- 
tion is  made  elsewhere  in  this  vplume.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reimers  are  the  parents 
of  nine  children,  namely:  Effie,  Liddie,  Rudolph,  Rosie,  Henry,  Laura,  Adolph, 
Harry  and  Emil,  who  died  at  the  age  of  three  months.  The  parents  belong  to 
the  Court  of  Honor,  and  Mr.  Reimers  belongs  to  the  Turners  society  of  Eldridge. 
A  successful  farmer,  he  is  recognized  throughout  the  community  as  a  man  of 
genuine  personal  worth,  a  good  neighbor  and  stanch  friend,  possessing  many  of 
the  sterling  traits  of  character  for  which  the  German  race  is  noted.  He  is  a 
public-spirited  citizen  and  served  as  school  director  for  a  number  of  years,  all 
things  that  tend  to  promote  the  general  welfare  receiving  his  support. 


FRANK  NEUFELD,  M.  D. 

Dr.  Frank  Neufeld,  a  physician  of  Davenport  who  has  a  pleasant  home  on 
the  corner  of  Ainsworth  and  West  Third  streets,  was  born  in  Monroe  county, 
Wisconsin,  September  15,  1874,  his  parents  being  Lawrence  and  Catharine 
(Schriener)  Neufeld.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Daun,  Germany,  and  there, 
received  all  of  his  education.  In  1854  he  came  to  the  United  States,  being  then 
twenty-eight  years  of  age.  He  landed  in  New  Orleans,  where  he  spent  two  years, 
and  from  that  city  ascended  the  Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis,  continuing  the 
journey  to  Rock  Island,  Illinois.  After  a  sojourn  of  a  few  years  there  he  went 
to  Monroe  county,  Wisconsin,  which  remained  his  home  for  perhaps  twelve 
years.  At  the  end  of  that  period  he  returned  to  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  successfully  engaged  in  farming.  With  advancing  years  he  retired  from 
active  life  and  removed  to  the  city  of  Rock  Island  but  later  removed  to  Geneseo, 
Illinois,  where  he  died  April  28,  1906.  His  wife  had  died  more  than  twenty 
years  previously,  for  she  passed  away  July  2,  1886. 

Dr.  Frank  Neufeld  attended  the  common  schools  of  Rock  Island  county  and 
after  he  had  completed  the  regular  course  of  study  he  took  a  commercial  course 
in  the  city  schools.  By  that  time  he  had  determined  upon  his  life  profession  and 
entered  the  pharmaceutical  department  of  the  Northwestern  University.  Later 
he  went  to  the  John  A.  Creighton  Medical  College  at  Omaha,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  in  May,  190 1.  In  recognition  of  the  excellence  of  his  work  there  he 
was  given  the  first  prize — a  gold  medal — in  surgery.  After  his  graduation  he 
became  interne  at  St.  Joseph's  Hospital  at  Omaha  and  on  leaving  there  came 
direct  to  Davenport,  which  has  since  been  his  home  and  the  scene  of  his  labors. 
The  record  which  he  made  as  a  student  has  been  duplicated  in  the  years  of  his 
work  here.  He  has  proved  an  efficient  physician  and  a  surgeon  of  skill  and  good 
judgment,  so  that  all  who  have  sought  his  aid  speak  highly  of  the  man  and  his 
work.  He  is  careful  and  thorough,  not  thinking  of  himself  when  it  is  a  case  of 
helping  others,  while  his  sympathy  and  his  cheerful  personality  make  him  a  man 
whose  presence  is  ever  welcome  in  the  sickroom. 


766  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

In  Davenport,  May  4,  1909,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Dr.  Neufeld  and 
Miss  Harriett  Turner,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Ellen  (Mcllmurray)  Neufeld. 
The  Doctor  belongs  to  all  of  the  medical  associations  which  aim  to  advance  the 
interests  of  physicians,  and  he  obtains  recreation  in  the  social  gatherings  of  his 
brother  Elks  and  Knights  of  Columbus. 


FRANK  DE  COCK. 


For  more  than  thirty-five  years  Frank  De  Cock  has  been  a  resident  of  Scott 
county,  and  during  the  greater  part  of  that  period  he  has  lived  on  the  farm  in 
Winfield  township  which  is  now  his  home.  It  is  a  fine  tract,  which  originally 
embraced  a  quarter  section,  but  five  acres  were  taken  from  it  when  St.  Ann's 
church  was  built.  It  is  finely  improved  and  well  cultivated,  rendering  Mr.  De 
Cock  yearly  large  returns  for  his  labor,  so  that  he  deserves  classification  with  the 
prosperous  citizens  of  the  county. 

He  was  born  in  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois,  June  6,  1864,  and  is  a  son  of  Evo 
and  Piliga  (Duyvetter)  De  Cock,  both  natives  of  Belgium.  The  father  was 
born  in  1833,  received  his  education  in  the  land  of  his  birth  and  there  was  en- 
gaged in  farming  until  he  was  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  when  he  came  alone  to 
the  United  States.  Landing  at  New  York,  he  came  west,  settUng  near  Moline, 
Illinois,  where  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  for  about  six  years.  Then  he  married 
and  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Rural  township,  Rock  Island  county, 
whereon  he  lived  until  March  i,  1873,  when  he  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa.  After 
his  arrival  he  bought  from  Mike  and  Pat  Norton  the  farm  on  which  his  son 
Frank  is  now  living.  At  that  time  there  were  no  improvements  on  the  place 
except  a  small  shanty  and  a  small  stable,  and  he  immediately  set  to  work  to  make 
it  comfortable  and  profitable  as  a  farm.  He  met  with  success  in  his  undertakings 
and  about  1888  removed  from  it  to  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-two  acres, 
also  in  Winfield  township,  which  he  had  purchased.  This  second  farm  remained 
his  home  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  March,  1905.  Three  other  farms, 
one  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-two  acres,  another  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
and  the  third  of  one  hundred  acres,  which  were  in  his  possession,  indicate  the 
success  which  attended  his  labors  as  an  agriculturist.  He  was  a  devout  member 
of  the  Catholic  church  and  gave  liberally  to  its  support.  His  wife  survived  him 
a  little  more  than  two  years  and  was  sixty-three  years  of  age  when  in  October, 
1907,  she  was  called  to  her  final  rest.  She  was  the  mother  of  ten  children,  as 
follows :  Frank,  of  this  review ;  Rose,  who  married  Jerry  King  and  now  lives  in 
Oklahoma ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  R.  T.  Murphy,  of  Winfield  township ;  Sarah,  who 
is  a  Sister  in  St.  Vincent's  Orphans  Home  in  Davenport ;  Julia ;  Josephine,  who 
married  August  De  Cock,  of  Winfield  township ;  Donatus,  of  Winfield  township ; 
Thomas ;  John,  of  Winfield  township ;  and  Joseph,  of  Davenport. 

Frank  De  Cock  has  lived  upon  his  present  farm  ever  since  he  was  nine  years 
old,  except  for  the  year  and  a  half  he  was  abroad.  He  acquired  his  elementary 
education  in  district  school  No.  4,  of  Winfield  township,  and  upon  completing 
the  required  course  of  study  attended  St.  Ambrose  College  for  two  years.     Then 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  767 

he  went  to  Europe  to  enter  the  agricultural  college  of  St.  Peter's  in  Belgium, 
and  after  spending  a  year  and  a  half  there  he  returned  to  Scott  county  to  assume 
charge  of  the  farm.  It  has  since  been  his  home  continuously,  the  neat  and  at- 
tractive appearance  of  the  fields  and  the  well  kept  buildings  being  an  indication 
of  the  good  management  of  the  owner.  He  raises  various  crops,  such  as  are 
adapted  to  soil  and  climate,  and  in  addition  keeps  a  number  of  hogs  and  cattle. 
He  finds  a  ready  market  for  his  harvests  and  his  stock,  so  that  his  income  there- 
from is  of  generous  proportions. 

On  the  ist  of  September,  1893,  Mr.  De  Cock  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
De  Jagher,  a  daughter  of  Felix  and  Natalia  De  Jagher,  who  came  to  this  country 
from  Belgium,  accompanied  by  their  daughter,  about  six  months  before  Mr. 
De  Cock  returned  from  his  college  work.  The  young  couple  went  to  the  Chicago 
world's  fair  on  their  wedding  trip  and  then  returned  to  the  farm,  where  they  have 
since  lived.  Their  family  numbered  seven  children,  one  of  whom,  Anna,  died 
at  the  age  of  six  months.  The  others  are :  Leona,  Antoinette,  Rosalia,  Berna- 
dine,  Francis  and  Colette,  all  of  whom  are  at  home. 

Mr.  De  Cock  is  a  communicant  of  St.  Ann's  Catholic  church  and  exercises 
his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  measures  of  the  republican 
party,  on  which  ticket  he  was  elected  school  director,  a  position  he  still  holds. 
The  cause  of  education  finds  in  him  a  warm  friend  and  he  withholds  his  influence 
from  no  measure  or  movement  which  is  calculated  to  benefit  the  county.  In  fact, 
he  is  numbered  among  its  most  progressive  citizens  and  public-spirited  men. 


HANS  KETELSEN. 


Hans  Ketelsen,  now  living  in  retirement  in  Dixon,  was  for  many  years  one 
of  the  prominent  agriculturists  of  Aliens  Grove  township,  where  he  owned  a  large 
tract  of  land.  He  was  born  in  Schleswig,  Germany,  February  2^,  1839,  and  is 
a  son  of  Peter  and  Christina  (Reimers)  Ketelsen,  both  natives  of  the  same 
province  of  the  fatherland.  They  came  to  America  in  1861,  making  their  way 
direct  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  Mr.  Ketelsen  followed  farming  with  such 
profit  that,  although  he  had  come  here  with  little  money,  by  the  time  he  felt  that 
advancing  age  necessitated  his  retirement  from  active  life  he  was  the  owner  of 
nearly  six  hundred  acres  of  valuable  land.  The  last  years  of  his  life  were  spent 
in  Dixon.  Nine  children  were  born  to  him  and  his  wife:  Hans,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch;  Mrs.  Margaret  Eichner,  of  Davenport;  Christina,  who  became  the 
wife  of  Hon.  Ernst  Moeller,  at  one  time  a  member  of  the  state  legislature  but 
now  like  his  wife  deceased ;  Katherine,  the  wife  of  Peter  Koch,  of  Omaha ;  Chris- 
tian, who  died  in  this  county  in  April,  1908;  Peter,  of  Clay  county,  Iowa; 
Thomas,  who  resides  in  New  Liberty ;  Henry,  whose  home  is  in  Davenport ;  and 
Mary,  who  is  deceased.  All  the  children  were  born  in  Germany,  and  all  came 
to  the  United  States. 

Hans  Ketelsen  was  about  twenty-two  years  of  age  when  he  accompanied  his 
parents  to  this  country.  As  they  made  their  way  almost  immediately  to  Scott 
county,  he  found  work  here  as  a  farm  hand,  receiving  fifty  cents  a  day  in  com- 


768  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

pensation  for  his  labor.  For  four  or  five  years  he  continued  in  the  employ  of 
others  and  then,  having  married,  he  took  up  farming  on  his  own  account.  His 
first  farm  consisted  of  eighty  acres  in  Liberty  township,  on  which  he  lived  for 
two  years.  Then  he  sold  it  and  bought  one  hundred  acres  in  Aliens  Grove  town- 
ship. This  remained  his  home  until  he  retired  from  active  life,  March  i,  1899, 
but  in  the  course  of  years  he  had  cultivated  the  soil  with  such  profit  that  he  had 
been  able  to  add  to  it  frequently  until  his  landholdings  embraced  four  hundred 
acres,  a  part  of  which  lay  in  Liberty  township.  Much  of  the  land,  however,  he 
has  now  sold,  retaining  in  his  possession  only  the  one  hundred  and  eighty  acres 
on  which  one  of  his  sons  lives  and  which  he  operates.  This  success  of  Mr.  Ket- 
elsen,  which  tells  its  own  story  of  the  skill  he  possesses  as  a  farmer,  is  the  result 
of  the  keen  foresight  which  has  always  been  conspicuous  in  his  character  and 
of  his  ability  to  realize  and  benefit  by  a  need  which  is  either  existent  or  potential. 
It  was  this  progressive  policy  of  his  which  urged  the  establishment  of  a  bank 
here,  and  when  the  Dixon  Savings  Bank  was  organized  he  became  one  of  its 
directors,  holding  that  position  to  the  present. 

In  1867,  Mr.  Ketelsen  was  married  to  Miss  Maggie  Eichner,  who  was  born 
in  Schleswig,  Germany,  March  20,  1847.  In  1864,  she  came  to  the  United  States 
with  her  parents,  Peter  and  Christina  Eichner,  who  located  in  Scott  county. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ketelsen  six  children  have  been  born:  William,  who  re- 
sides in  Davenport;  Emma,  who  became  the  wife  of  William  Jurgens  but  has 
passed  away,  leaving  one  child;  Henry,  who  operates  his  father's  farm  in 
Aliens  Grove  township;  Alvena,  who  died  unmarried  at  the  age  of  thirty 
years;  Otto,  who  is  living  with  his  father;  and  Clara,  who  is  the  wife  of  Emil 
Brockmann,  of  Aliens  Grove.    Mrs.  Ketelsen  died  in  Dixon  May  i,  1908. 

Mr.  Ketelsen  has  always  been  a  republican  since  he  was  admitted  to  citizen- 
ship, and  while  a  resident  of  Aliens  Grove  township  evinced  the  same  public 
spirit  which  has  distinguished  his  life  in  Dixon,  for  he  was  trustee  for  six 
years  and  school  director  off  and  on  for  a  number  of  years.  In  fact  he  has 
proved  himself  wholly  worthy  of  the  high  respect  and  honor  which  his  fellow 
citizens  have  shown  him,  for  he  is  a  man  of  sound  principles,  by  the  aid  of 
which  he  has  won  a  large  prosperity. 


BEN  F.  LUETJE. 


Ben  F.  Luetje,  county  treasurer,  and  one  of  Davenport's  successful  business 
men,  was  born  in  Geneseo,  Illinois,  August  10,  1878.  He  is  of  German  paren- 
tage, his  father,  William  Luetje,  having  severed  home  ties  at  the  age  of  nine- 
teen. Upon  reaching  our  shores  he  came  almost  directly  to  Davenport  where 
he  engaged  in  the  grocery  business.  Following  this  he  secured  a  position  with 
the  Petersen  Dry  Goods  Company,  his  association  with  this  concern  continu- 
ing to  the  present  day.  He  married  Miss  Frederica  Petersen,  a  daughter  of 
J.  H.  C.  Petersen,  a  member  of  the  firm,  and  it  was  while  the  father  was  man- 
aging a  branch  house  at  Geneseo  that  Ben  F.  Luetje  was  bom.  One  other 
member,  a  brother  Harry,  completes  the  family. 


BEX  F.  LUETJE 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  771 

Ben  F.  Luetje  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  graduating  from 
the  higher  department  in  1895.  His  first  experience  as  a  wage-earner  was 
gained  in  the  shoe  and  clothing  department  of  the  Petersen  Dry  Goods  Com- 
pany. In  course  of  time  he  became  manager  of  the  department,  only  relin- 
quishing this  position  to  accept  another,  likewise  in  a  managerial  capacity,  with 
the  Davenport  Woolen  Mills,  where  he  has  given  efficient  service  for  a  year 
and  a  half.  In  1908  Mr.  Luetje  was  elected  county  treasurer  of  Scott  county 
by  a  majority  of  one  thousand,  five  hundred  and  fifty.  Not  only  was  this  ma- 
jority flattering,  everything  considered,  but  he  has  the  distinction  of  being 
only  the  third  democratic  treasurer  ever  elected  in  Scott  county. 

In  April,  1892,  Mr.  Luetje  laid  the  foundation  of  a  congenial  home  life  by 
his  marriage  to  Miss  Anita  Johannsen,  a  daughter  of  John  C.  Johannsen,  of 
Davenport.  Mr.  Luetje  is  a  man  who  takes  pride  and  pleasure  in  his  fraternal 
relations.  He  is  prominent  in  Masonry,  in  which  he  has  taken  high  rank,  hav- 
ing membership  in  Fraternal  Lodge,  No.  221,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  Davenport  Chap- 
ter, No.  16,  R.  A.  M. ;  and  Kaaba  Temple  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  also  be- 
longs to  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  No.  298,  and  several  other 
orders,  among  them  the  Turners.  He  makes  friends  readily  and  is  equally 
happy  as  a  business  man,  the  guardian  of  a  public  trust  and  a  genial  companion. 


JOHN  BEHRENS. 


John  Behrens,  who  was  formerly  engaged  in  house-moving  in  Davenport  but 
is  now  living  retired,  his  sons  having  uhdertaken  the  management  of  the  business 
inaugurated  by  him.  He  is  a  native  of  Germany,  the  date  of  his  birth  being 
September  20,  1846.  His  parents  were  Henry  and  Katherine  (Eccers)  Behrens, 
the  father,  who  was  a  farmer,  lived  and  died  in  his  native  land.  Early  in  life 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  decided  to  try  his  fortune  in  the  new  world  and  after 
landing  in  New  York  came  direct  tO'  Davenport,  where  he.  has  ever  since 
made  his  home.  Here  for  some  time  he  gained  his  livelihood  as  a  laborer, 
willing  to  turn  his  hand  to  anything  honest,  but  his  ambition  to  become 
independent  was  nevertheless  smouldering.  This  independence  he  achieved  when 
he  went  into  the  house-moving  business  and  as  soon  as  his  efficiency  became 
known  his  services  were  in  demand  in  many  different  cities.  He  was  extremely 
successful  and  the  business  which  he  placed  in  the  hands  of  his  sons  two  years 
ago  upon  his  retirement  from  active  life  was  a  large  and  remunerative  one. 

On  March  11,  1873,  Mr.  Behrens  married  Miss  Elsie  Ramm,  their  union 
being  blessed  by  the  birth  of  three  children  who  reached  the  age  of  maturity. 
Henry  married  Anna  Weiskoph  and  has  a  family  of  three  children,  Walter, 
Helen  and  Marie.  Anna  is  the  wife  of  Harry  Struck  and  is  the  mother  of  two 
children.  Bertha,  who  became  Mrs.  Charles  Moeller,  is  deceased,  a  son,  John, 
surviving  her.  On  April  23,  1881,  Mr.  Behrens  was  a  second  time  married,  the 
lady  who  became  his  wife  being  Miss  Mary  E.  Hoffmann.  Six  children  were 
born  to  this  marriage,  two  of  whom  survive.  The  elder,  Otto,  married  Miss 
Emma  Gochins  and  has  a  son,  John.    The  daughter,  Flora,  has  finished  school 


772  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

and  is  completing  her  education  with  study  at  home.  She  is  an  excellent  piano 
player,  having  taken  lessons  since  the  age  of  nine  years.  Another  son,  John, 
was  drowned  in  the  Mississippi  river  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years. 

Mr.  Behrens  is  a  popular  and  influential  citizen,  particularly  among  the  Ger- 
man element  in  Davenport.  He  is  a  public-spirited  man,  ever  ready  to  give  his 
support  to  the  cause  likely  to  bring  the  greatest  good  to  the  greatest  number. 
He  is  possessed  of  that  admirable  German  characteristic,  a  love  of  good  music. 
He  belongs  to  several  German  singing  societies  and  is  identified  with  the  Freie- 
gemeinde  and  the  Kampfgenossen  Verein. 


WILLIAM  UNTIEDT. 


Among  the  prominent  farmers  of  Davenport  township  will  be  found  those 
who  are  its  native  sons  and  have  as  their  inheritance  the  excellent  traits  of  char- 
acter with  which  the  German  race  is  endowed  and  which  have  proved  of  such  value 
in  agriculture  as  in  the  other  phases  of  life.  He  was  born  upon  the  land  which 
he  operates  at  present,  March  2,  1853,  his  parents  being  Claus  and  Kathrina 
(Stoltenberg)  Untiedt.  They  were  both  natives  of  the  fatherland,  were  married 
and  had  one  child  born  to  them  before  they  decided  to  come  to  America.  They 
landed  in  New  Orleans  in  the  fall  of  1847  ^^'^  then  came  up  the  Mississippi  river 
to  Davenport.  Mr.  Untiedt  received  from  his  father-in-law  eighty  acres  of  prairie 
land,  which  now  constitutes  a  part  of  his  son's  farm.  He  broke  the  land,  erected 
a  small  dwelling  upon  it  and  devoted  himself  to  its  cultivation  and  improvement. 
As  the  years  brought  him  a  generous  return  for  his  labors  he  purchased  another 
eighty  acres  contiguous,  making  his  home  upon  the  whole  tract  until  1875,  when 
he  moved  to  another  part  of  the  township.  He  and  his  wife  are  now  deceased. 
They  reared  four  children  to  maturity,  namely:  Anna,  who  is  the  widow  of 
Henry  Rohwedder,  of  Davenport;  Mary,  the  deceased  wife  of  George  Roggen- 
kamp;  Amelia,  who  married  George  Roggenkamp,  of  Blue  Grass  township;  and 
William,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

William  Untiedt  has  spent  all  of  his  life  upon  the  farm  which  is  now  his  home 
and  claims  that  he  has  never  been  absent  from  it  more  than  six  weeks  at  a  time. 
He  attended  the  district  school  of  his  locality  and  later  a  German  school  so 
that  he  had  a  good  training  both  in  the  fundamental  branches  of  English  educa- 
tion and  in  particular  studies  which  those  of  German  birth  and  parentage  are  anx- 
ious that  their  offspring  should  know.  He  has  devoted  his  time  since  childhood  to 
agricultural  pursuits,  even  as  a  youth  assisting  his  father  in  the  heavier  work, 
and  as  he  advanced  in  years  assuming  no  small  share  of  the  responsibility  in  the 
operation  of  the  place.  He  is  engaged  in  general  farming  and  as  he  has  spared 
neither  effort  nor  industry  to  improve  and  develop  his  land  he  has  been  successful 
beyond  the  ordinary.  In  addition  to  the  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  which  consti- 
tute the  homestead,  Mr.  Untiedt  owns  another  tract  of  equal  area  in  Blue  Grass 
township,  this  county,  and  is  accounted  one  of  the  prominent  Germans  of  his 
locality. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  773 

On  the.  14th  of  July,  1875,  Mr.  Untiedt  wedded  Miss  Anna  M.  Sindt,  a 
daughter  of  Claus  and  Lena  Sindt,  who  had  come  with  her  parents  from  Ger- 
many. Nine  children  have  been  born  to  the  couple.  Herman  N.  married  Miss 
Lena  Nagle  and  lives  on  his  father's  farm  in  Blue  Grass  township,  where  he  is  rear- 
ing his  two  children,  Herbert  and  Melinda.  Theodore  R.  has  remained  at  home. 
Albert  A.  married  Miss  Hulda  Joens  and  lives  in  Dickinson  county,  Iowa.  They 
have  three  children.  Alvina  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Kroenenberg  of  Blue  Grass 
township,  and  is  the  mother  of  a  daughter  Lillie.  Alma  became  the  wife  of  Hans 
Bockwoldt,  of  Minnesota,  and  they  have  two  sons,  William  and  Walter.  The 
four  youngest  children— Rudolph,  Otto,  Hugo  and  Hertha— are  at  home. 

Mr.  Untiedt  has  served  as  school  director  and  road  supervisor  in  his  town- 
ship, but  while  his  duties  were  ever  fulfilled  with  dignity  and  to  the  satisfaction 
of  those  who  had  placed  confidence  in  him,  he  took  little  active  part  in  the  public 
affairs  and  could  never  be  called  an  aspirant  for  official  distinction. 


GEORGE  A.  GOULD. 


Held  in  uniform  affection  and  esteem  by  those  who  know  him  best  and  in- 
deed by  all  those  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact  is  George  A.  Gould,  president 
of  the  Gould  Construction  Company,  one  of  those  thriving  industries  which 
contribute  in  large  measure  to  Davenport's  prosperity  and  standing  among  cities 
of  its  size. 

He  was  born  August  7,  1854,  and  comes  of  fine  New  England  stock,  among  his 
ancestors  being  the  usual  quota  of  patriots.  His  parents  were  Isaac  C.  and  Betsy 
R.  (Read)  Gould.  His  maternal  grandfather^  Benjamin  Read,  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Revolution  and  a  captain  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  lived  to  witness  the  war 
of  the  RebelUon  and  its  outcome  and  died  in  1865  at  the  age  of  ninety-two  years 
at  Heath,  Massachusetts.  The  father,  Isaac  Gould,  was  a  mechanic  and  had  a 
family  of  five  sons  and  a  daughter.  He  decided  to  come  west,  as  he  expressed  it, 
"to  give  the  boys  a  chance  in  life."  Before  he  could  get  his  family  to  Iowa,  where 
he  had  preceded  them,  he  was  taken  ill  and  lived  only  about  six  months  after  they 
finally  arrived.  Mr.  Gould's  only  sister  also  died  about  one  year  after  the  death  of 
the  father,  being  at  the  time  of  her  demise  about  twelve  years  of  age. 

Diverse  fortunes  befell  the  brothers,  all  those  who  were  old  enough  enlisting 
in  the  Civil  war.  Joseph  R.  had  been  admitted  to  the  bar  and  was  already  prac- 
ticing in  Rochester  when  the  Rebellion  broke  out.  He  raised  a  company  in  Cedar 
county  and  was  made  first  lieutenant  in  the  Twenty-fourth  Iowa  Infantry.  He 
served  most  of  his  time  as  quartermaster  until  1863,  when  he  was  promoted  to 
a  captaincy  and  only  four  days  after  his  promotion  was  killed  in  the  valley  of  the 
Shenandoah.  He  left  a  wife  and  one  son,  Herbert,  who  died  at  the  age  of  two 
years.  Benjamin  Gould,  the  second  brother,  enlisted  at  the  first  call  from  the 
state  of  New  York  and  served  as  a  private.  Later  he  reenlisted  and  served  until 
peace  was  declared,  doing  light  duty.  His  wife  was  Sarah  Glaspell.  Isaac  C, 
the  third  brother,  also  offered  his  life  to  the  cause  of  freedom,  enlisting  as  a 
private  in  the  Eleventh  Iowa  Infantry,  in  which  he  served  three  years.    Upon  his 


774  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

reenlistment  he  became  lieutenant  in  charge  of  colored  troops  and  served  until 
the  close  of  the  war.  Franklin  T.,  the  fourth  brother,  emulated  the  example  of 
the  others  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years  ran  away  from  home  to  enlist^  He  was 
admitted  to  the  Second  Iowa  Cavalry  and  served  during  the  entire  war,  having 
reenlisted.  He  married  the  widow  of  his  eldest  brother  and  resided  in  Davenport 
to  the  time  of  his  death.  Had  the  subject  of  the  sketch  been  more  than  seven 
years  of  age  when  the  first  guns  were  fired  at  Fort  Sumter,  he  would  doubtless 
have  been  found  in  the  thickest  of  the  fray,  but  destiny  had  ordained  otherwise. 
He  is  the  last  surviving  member  of  the  family,  his  mother  having  died  at  the  age 
of  eighty-three  years. 

George  A.  Gould  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  found  his 
first  employment  in  the  bridge  and  building  department  of  the  Chicago,  Rock  Is- 
land &  Pacific  Railway.  After  giving  efficient  service  there  for  a  number  of 
years  he  became  superintendent  of  bridges  and  buildings,  his  promotion  coming 
as  a  natural  sequence  to  his  prowess.  In  1904  he  brought  into  play  his  dormant 
talents  as  an  organizer  and  the  Gould  Construction  Company  came  into  being. 
This  enterprise  has  enjoyed  the  most  abundant  success,  doing  work  of  superior 
excellence  and  employing  many  people. 

Mr.  Gould  was  married  December  27,  1876;  to  Miss  Emma  Smith,  and  two 
children  were  born  to  the  union.  The  elder,  Augustus  G.,  is  vice  president  of  the 
Gould  Construction  Company.  After  finishing  in  the  public  schools,  he  entered 
the  Davenport  Business  College,  taking  a  course  in  the  engineering  department. 
He  is  now  very  familiar  with  that  subject,  having  been  for  a  time  associated  with 
the  Rock  Island  Railway  and  the  Delaware  &  Lackawanna  Railway.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Jennie  Reed  and  they  have  one  child,  Elizabeth.  Mr.  Gould's  daughter, 
Grace  E.,  is  the  wife  of  Orville  Davies  and  resides  in  Kirksville,  Missouri,  her 
husband  being  a  traveling  salesman.  They  have  two  children,  John  and  George. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gould  have  a  delightful  home  at  1039  Arlington  avenue. 

Mr.  Gould  belongs  to  the  Masonic  order,  in  which  he  has  taken  all  -the  de- 
grees. He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Commercial  Club  and  has  various  other 
affiliations.  Many  things  have  contributed  to  the  success  which  he  now  enjoys, 
his  determination,  his  poise  and  sound  judgment,  his  upright  life,  his  gift  for  mak- 
ing friends  and  his  championship  of  just  measures. 


HANS  HARKERT. 


Hans  Harkert,  president  of  the  Harkert  Cigar  Company,  one  of  those  indus- 
tries which  operate  for  Davenport's  prosperity,  was  born  February  17,  1852,  in 
Holstein,  Germany,  his  parents  being  Claus  and  Anna  (Hinrichs)  Harkert.  His 
father  was  a  mechanic  and  windmill-maker.  Upon  coming  to  the  United  States 
he  settled  in  Davenport,  where  he  was  one  of  the  earliest  citizens. 

Hans  Harkert  received  his  education  in  the  school  of  the  fatherland,  and 
had  attained  the  age  of  eleven  years  when  he  arrived  in  the  land  of  his  adoption. 
He  landed  in  New  York  and  came  almost  directly  to  Davenport.  For  seven 
years  thereafter  he  engaged  in  farming  and  then  located  in  Davenport  to  test 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  775 

his  fortunes  as  a  teamster.  He  eventually  took  up  cigarmaking,  acquiring  skill 
in  that  trade  in  three  months'  time,  and  then  started  a  small  factory  of  his  own. 
Discontinuing  this  after  a  while,  he  secured  employment  in  another  factory  of 
greater  proportions  and  soon  became  foreman,  in  which  capacity  he  continued 
for  fifteen  years.  Severing  this  association  he  tried  a  second  independent 
venture  and  started  a  cigar  factory,  in  which  he  employed  two  helpers.  From 
this  modest  beginning  grew  the  present  business,  one  of  the  largest  of  its  kind  in 
the  city,  giving  as  it  does  employment  to  one  hundred  people  and  steadily  grow- 
ing in  size  and  importance. 

Mr.  Harkert  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Hulda  Weissermal,  their  union 
being  celebrated  February  18,  1872.  His  wife's  people  like  his  own  are  Ger- 
mans who  were  attracted  to  America  by  its  many  opportunities  and  its  newer 
civilization.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harkert  are  the  parents  of  eleven  children,  of  whom 
four  survive.  Richard  married  Miss  Dora  Spath  and  they  have  two  children, 
Herbert  and  Dorothy.  Arthur  married  Miss  Dora  Berger,  and  they  also  are  the 
parents  of  two  children.  Adolph  and  Verona  are  at  home.  The  Harkert  resi- 
dence is  situated  at  518  West  Fourth  street. 

Mr.  Harkert  enjoys  great  popularity  among  his  fellowmen  and  has  many 
pleasant  affiliations,  being  identified  with  the  Turners  and  indeed  with  most  of  the 
German  societies.  Humane,  public-spirited  and  broad-minded,  he  contributes 
materially  to  the  good  citizenship  of  Davenport. 


REV.  HARVEY  F.  FINEFIELD. 

Rev.  Harvey  F.  Finefield,  who  since  April,  1906,  has  been  the-  pastor  of  St. 
Ann's  parish  of  Winfield  township,  was  born  in  Davenport,  Iowa,  November 
12,  1877.  His  father,  William  Finefield,  was  born  in  New  York  state  in  1832, 
was  a  steamboat  carpenter  and  engineer  by  trade,  and  ran  a  steamboat  on  the 
Great  Lakes  and  the  Mississippi  river  for  many  years,  enjoying  the  distinction 
of  having  helped  to  bring  the  first  steam  engine  across  the  Father  of  Waters. 
In  Kiespburg,  New  York,  lie  wedded  Miss  Rosana  Connelly,  who  was  bom  in 
Ohio,  December  26,  1841,  and  about  forty  years  ago  the  young  couple  came  to 
Davenport,  being  among  the  early  settlers  of  the  city.  Now  they  make  their 
home  with  their  son  Harvey.  In  their  family  were  nine  children :  John,  who  died 
in  infancy ;  Mary,  who  married  Dr.  Rogers,  of  Davenport ;  one  who  died  in  in- 
fancy; Bertha,  who  is  the  wife  of  M.  J.  Flynn,  of  Davenport;  Elizabeth,  who 
married  F.  X.  Bath,  of  Chicago,  Illinois ;  William  F.,  proprietor  of  the  Davenport 
Hotel;  Edward,  who  died  in  1905,  at  the  age  of  thirty-three;  Vernard  P.,  of 
Omaha,  Nebraska ;  and  the  Rev.  Harvey  F.  Finefield. 

The  last  named  received  his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Daven- 
port and  in  St.  Mary's  school,  later  attending  St.  Ambrose  College,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  the  classics  in  1899,  and  in  philosophy  in  1901.  Thereupon 
he  entered  St.  Paul's  Seminary,  from  which  he  received  the  sacrament  of  holy 
orders  in  1904,  after  which  he  went  to  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  where  he  spent  nine- 
teen months  with  Monsieur  Flaven.     At  the  end  of  that  period  in  April,  1906, 


776  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  QOUNTY 

he  was  assigned  to  the  pastorate  of  St.  Ann's  parish  in  Winfield  township,  where 
he  has  since  been  located. 

St.  Ann's  church  is  situated  in  Winfield  township  about  two  miles  from  Long 
Grove.  The  parish  was  organized  in  1857  by  a  number  of  the  pioneers  of  Scott 
county,  including  John  McMannis,  .who  took  a  very  active  part  in  the  work  of 
the  early  congregation;  John  McGurty;  Maurice  Norton;  Richard  Toben;  Pat 
Dempsey;  Thomas  Malony;  Mr.  McGary;  Martin  Lillis;  Martin  Cahoe;  Mr. 
Cooper;  Mr.  Hogan  and  others,  and  Father  Francis  McKenney  was  the  first 
priest.  He  traveled  through  the  township  on  horseback,  saying  mass  in  different 
houses.  About  1855  the  first  church  was  built,  a  small  structure  that  is  now 
used  as  the  vestry  room.  Father  McDermott  was  the  second  priest  and  later 
Father  Cosgrove  came,  remaining  in  charge  until  1859,  when  Father  Dennis 
Wheeler  became  pastor.  He  was  here  only  a  year,  however,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Father  John  Foley,  who  was  pastor  until  1868,  during  part  of  which  year 
Father  Maurice  Flavin  was  in  charge.  He  built  St.  Mary's  church  in  Daven- 
port, but  as  he  died  before  it  was  completed  his  brother  finished  the  work.  The 
first  resident  priest  of  St.  Ann's  parish  was  Father  Thomas  Smith,  who  came  in 
July,  1870,  and  continued  in  charge  until  January,  1893.  He  was  a  very  active 
worker  in  behalf  of  his  congregation,  set  out  all  the  trees  in  the  beautiful  church- 
yard, built  the  church  and  the  parsonage  and  in  other  ways  improved  the  prop- 
erty of  the  parish.  At  present  he  is  located  at  Cosgrove,  Iowa.  Father  P.  J. 
Moran  was  his  successor,  remaining  until  December,  1895,  when  Father  Martin 
McNamara  assumed  charge  of  the  parish  until  1902,  when  Father  Gall  came, 
and  remained  until  1904.  For  a  few  months  subsequently  the  church  was  at- 
tended by  priests  from  St.  Ambrose  College  at  Davenport,  and  then  Father  James 
P.  McGillin  became  pastor.  He  was  Father  Finefield's  predecessor.  Father 
Finefield  has  done  excellent  work  in  behalf  of  the  church  during  the  four  years 
of  his  residence  here,  carefully  ministering  to  the  spiritual  needs  of  his  con- 
gregation and  at  the  same  time  proving  of  assistance  to  them  in  material  things 
by  his  kindly  advice  and  counsel. 


HENRY  KOHRS. 


Henry  Kohrs,  whose  foresight  enabled  him  to  realize  the  possibilities  of  Dav- 
enport as  the  center  of  many  industries  and  a  prominent  shipping  point  for  the 
west,  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  November  15,  1830,  a  son  of  Carsten  and 
Gesche  (Krause)  Kohrs.  The  father  was  born  in  the  same  place  as  his  son 
and  died  there  in  1835. 

The  education  of  Henry  Kohrs  was  received  in  the  excellent  schools  of  Ger- 
many and  there  learned  the  butcher's  trade.  When  twenty-three  years  old  he 
came  to  the  United  States  and  for  a  short  time  was  in  New  York  city  but  soon 
removed  to  Davenport,  landing  here  March  13,  1854.  Being  a  hard-working  and 
industrious  young  man,  he  soon  secured  employment  in  a  dry  goods  and  grocery 
store,  from  which  he  went  to  a  clothier's,  and  in  this  way  became  acquainted  with 
the  language  and  customs  of  his  new  home.    In  1855,  he  was  able  to  start  in  busi- 


HRNRY  KOHRS 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  779 

ness  in  a  humble  way,  opening  a  market  on  Western  between  Fourth  and  Fifth 
streets.  In  1857  he  removed  to  Harrison  avenue,  and  in  1858  erected  a  building 
at  Nos.  310  and  312  West  Second  street,  where  he  carried  on  business  until  1874. 
During  all  this  time  he  worked  very  hard,  making  every  change  pay,  and  carefully 
saving  all  he  could,  so  that  in  1874  he  was  able  to  embark  in  the  pork  packing  busi- 
ness in  a  small  way  and  so  laid  the  foundation  for  his  present  immense  establish- 
ment. The  plant  stands  on  its  original  site,  but  there  have  been  many  changes,  not 
only  in  the  buildings,  but  the  methods.  As  his  business  grew,  Mr.  Kohrs  also 
grew,  eagerly  seizing  upon  any  improvement  that  would  be  profitable  for  him  to 
introduce  into  his  establishment.  For  years  he  continued  alone  and  then  took  his 
sons  into  partnership  with  him.  In  1898  W.  H.  Gehrmann  became  a  member  of 
the  firm,  which  is  now  known  as  the  Kohrs  Packing  Company.  Of  late  years 
Mr.  Gehrmann  has  relieved  Mr.  Kohrs  of  much  of  the  active  work. 

On  Christmas  Day,  1857,  ^^-  Kohrs  married  Johanna  Lohmann,  a  native  of 
Germany,  who  came  to  Scott  county  in  1855  and  like  her  husband  is  still  in  excel- 
lent health  and  in  possession  of  all  her  faculties.  Eight  children  were  born  to 
them:  Amelia,  now  Mrs.  Phillipson;  Mary;  Helen,  now  Mrs.  WiUiam  H.  Gehr- 
mann; Bertha;  Conrad,  who  died  in  1908,  aged  forty  years;  and  Henry,  John 
and  Frank  who  are  members  of  the  firm. 

While  a  good  republican,  Mr.  Kohrs'  time  has  been  so  occupied  with  business 
cares  that  he  has  had  but  little  leisure  to  give  to  politics,  but  in  the  '80s  he  served 
his  ward  as  a  member  of  the  council  and  was  chairman  of  the  committee  on  streets. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Turner  and  Shooting  Clubs.  Although  in  his  eightieth 
year,  Mr.  Kohrs  spends  several  hours  each  day  at  his  business,  and  is  hale  and 
hearty,  enjoying  the  companionship  of  his  wife  and  children  and  the  esteem  his 
success  has  won  for  him. 

Aside  from  his  material  prosperity,  Mr.  Kohrs  is  worthy  of  all  confidence  and 
friendship  he  has  evoked,  for  he  possesses  those  sterling  traits  of  character  that 
make  for  the  most  desirable  citizenship  and  which  all  captains  of  industry  do  not 
possess.  As  a,  business  man  he  has  prospered,  but  it  is  as  the  good  citizen,  the 
kind  and  loving  husband  and  father  that  he  will  best  be  remembered.  His  children 
have  been  carefully  reared  by  himself  and  wife  to  be  a  credit  to  any  community, 
and  thus  in  another  way  he  has  served  his  adopted  country  by  giving  it  honorable 
citizens,  carefully  trained  to  recognize  the  law  and  its  restrictions. 


WILLIAM  H.  ROCK. 


The  strong  traits  of  character  predominant  in  the  German  race  have  been 
conspicuous  in  winning  for  William  H.  Rock  the  substantial  position  he  holds 
among  the  farmers  of  Aliens  Grove  township.  There  he  engaged  m  farming 
for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  until  1908,  when  he  retired  from  active 
life  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Dixon.  He  was  born  in  Waldeck,  Germany, 
December  2,  1853,  a  son  of  Louis  and  Fredericka  (Bick)  Rock.  They  spent 
their  entire  lives  in  the  country  of  their  birth  and  were  the  parents  of  seven 
sons  and  two  daughters.     Three  of  the  former  came  to  this  country:  WiUiam 


780  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

H.,  the  subject;  and  F.  H.  and  C.  H.,  who  settled  first  in  Qinton  county,  Iowa, 
and  later  moved  to  Woodbury,  county,  Iowa. 

William  H.  Rock  attended  the  public  schools  of  his  fatherland  until  he  was 
seventeen  years  of  age,  when  he  decided  to  come  to  America.    After  crossing 
the  Atlantic  he  made  his  way  immediately  to  Davenport,  arriving  here  some 
time  in  the  early  part  of  1870.     He  had  little  difficulty  in  finding  work  as  a 
farm  hand,  receiving  a  small  wage  in  compensation  for  his  labor.    Until  he  was 
twenty-six  years  of  age  he  worked  for  others  and  then  bought  a  tract  of  one 
liundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Berlin  township,  Clinton  county.    Upon  that  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  for  a  number  of  years,  finally  selling  it  in  order  that  he  might 
buy  the  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Aliens  Grove  township  which  was  for 
so  many  years  his  honie.    It  is  situated  about  two  miles  south  of  the  village  of 
Dixon  and  is  a  fine  arable  tract.     He  improved  it  greatly  during  the  years  it 
was  his  home  and  from  the  cultivation  of  its  soil  derived  a  large  profit.     As 
the  years  brought  him  success  he  invested  heavily  in  land  elsewhere,  purchasing 
one  hundred  and  sixty-nine  acres  in  Liberty  township  adjoining  the  corporate 
boundaries  of  Dixon,  and  five  hundred  and  fifty-five  acres  in  Oldham  county, 
Texas.    As  these  landholdings  represent  his  own  efforts  he  felt  that  he  was  weii 
justified  in  relinquishing  the  heavier  cares  of  life  and  enjoying  a  respite  from 
his  toil. 

In  1882  Mr.  Rock  wedded  Miss  Louise  Rock,  who  was  born  in  Scott  county. 
November  i,  i860,  a  daughter  of  Christian  and  Wilhelmina  Rock.  They  were 
both  natives  of  Waldeck,  Germany,  and  had  come  to  this  county  sometime  in 
the  '50s.  They  are  now  residing  in  Aliens  Grove  township.  Four  children  have 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rock:  Minnie,  now  the  wife  of  Louis  Wunder,  of 
Hickory  Grove  township;  and  Herbert  B.,  Hugo  and  Hellmuth,  who  are  liv- 
ing upon  their  father's  farm  in  Aliens  Grove  township.  The  eldest  of  the  sons 
is  married. 

When  Mr.  Rock  became  a  citizen  of  this  country  he  chose  the  democratic 
party  as  his  guide  in  political  matters  and  to  its  support  has  since  given  his  un- 
qualified allegiance.  He  was  active  in  the  affairs  of  Aliens  Grove  township,  al- 
though never  an  office  seeker,  having  for  six  years  efficiently  fulfilled  the  duties 
of  assessor  and  for  seven  years  having  served  the  people  as  trustee.  When  the 
Dixon  Savings  Bank  was  organized  a  few  years  ago  Mr.  Rock  became  the  vice 
president,  a  position  he  still  holds.  His  activity  in  promoting  this  enterprise  is 
but  another  indication  of  the  progressive  spirit  which  has  been  conspicuous 
throughout  his  life. 


AUGUST  HAASE. 


The  Haase  family  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  Davenport  and  August  Haase,  a 
native  of  Hanover,  Germany,  was  the  eldest  of  the  name  to  settle  in  the  town 
which  was  the  beginning  of  the  present  thriving  city  on  the  Mississippi.  He 
was  born  in  181 6  and  received  his  education  in  Germany,  where  he  learned  his 
trade,  that  of  a  miller.     In  middle  life  he  was  seized  with  the  desire  to  try  his 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  781 

fortunes  in  the  wonderful  America,  about  which  so  many  of  his  associates  were 
speculating.  Upon  arriving  here  he  first  took  up  his  residence  in  Wisconsin  but 
later  came  to  Davenport,  making  the  joui'ney  in  a  unique  and  primitive  fashion, 
by  building  a  flatboat  and  floating  down  the  Mississippi  river,  reaching  Daven- 
port in  the  spring  of  1869.  In  course  of  time  he  established  himself  in  a 
profitable  business,  opening  a  restaurant  with  a  saloon  and  billiard  hall  in 
connection.  He  had  a  family  of  six  children,  of  whom  Carl,  the  eldest,  was 
lost  at  sea  in  1875.  The  others  were  Agnes,  Clara,  Gustav,  and  William  and 
Sophia,  twins. 

Gustav  Haase  was  born  in  Germany  and  had  already  received  his  education 
when  his  father  brought  the  family  to  America.  For  a  time  he  gave  his  as- 
sistance to  his  father  and  then  went  into  the  wholesale  liquor  business  on  his 
own  account.  After  the  tragic  death  of  his  brother  Carl,  who  had  had  an  in- 
terest in  the  firm,  the  younger  brother  William  became  a  partner.  William  had 
previously  been  in  the  dry-goods  business.  The  brothers  were  but  twenty-three 
and  twenty-one  years  of  age  at  that  time,  the  youngest  wholesale  liquor  dealers 
in  Iowa.  Gustav  was  married  March  30,  1878,  to  Miss  Lea  Tanner,  and  Wil- 
liam, March  24,  1880,  wedded  Miss  Agnes  Clug,  two  children,  Inez  and  Claire, 
having  been  born  of  their  union.  Both  brothers  are  Lutheran  in  their  religious 
conviction  and  both  hold  membership  in  the  Turners  Society. 

Carl  Frederick  Haase  was  born  in  Germany,  in  which  country  he  received 
his  education  and  spent  his  earlier  years.  Upon  coming  to  America  he  as- 
sisted his  father  and  engaged  in  various  pursuits,  finally  entering  into  part- 
nership with  his  brother  Gustav  in  the  wholesale  liquor  business.  His  wife 
was  before  her  marriage  Miss  Augusta  Albers  and  they  were  the  parents  of  two 
children.  In  making  a  trip  to  Germany  in  May,  1875,  in  company  with  his  wife 
and  children,  their  steamer,  the  Schiller,  was  lost  ofif  the  English  coast,  and 
they,  together  with  a  number  of  other  Davenport  people,  met  their  death.  Mr. 
Haase's  body  was  recovered  and  buried  on  an  island  near  the  scene  of  the 
disaster. 


THEODORE  BRUS. 


One  by  one  the  sturdy  men  who  came  to  Iowa  when  the  state  was  first 
opened  for  the  colonization  by  homesteaders  and  did  much  to  promote  its  de- 
velopment are  dropping  from  the  ranks  of  its  citizens.  Among  those  who  have 
passed  away  is  Theodore  Brus  of  Blue  Grass  township.  A  native  of  Holland, 
he  was  born  January  28,  1839,  and  is  a  son  of  Theodore  Brus,  who  decided  to 
come  to  this  country  in  1846.  Accompanied  by  his  brother  and  sons  he  crossed 
the  Atlantic  and  landed  at  New  Orleans,  whence  he  proceeded  up  the  Missis- 
sippi river  to  St.  Louis.  There  the  little  party  spent  one  winter,  continuing 
their  journey  with  the  opening  of  spring  navigation  until  they  reached  Scott 
county,  Iowa.  In  1848  the  father  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land,  w^iere  he  took  up  his  residence  and  made  his  home  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  i860. 


782  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Theodore  Brus  of  this  review  participated  in  the  work  of  clearing  and  break- 
ing the  land  when  his  father  secured  it  and  through  the  years  of  his  active  life 
devoted  himself  to  the  operation  of  the  old  homestead,  for  at  the  death  of  his 
father  he  purchased  the  interests  his  brothers  and  sisters  had  in  the  estate.  He 
was  successful  beyond  the  average  and  enjoyed  the  satisfaction  of  knowing 
that  his  work,  hard  as  it  might  have  been  at  times,  especially  in  early  years, 
has  contributed  its  full  share  to  the  prosperity  and  development  of  this  region. 
After  a  useful  and  well  spent  life,  Mr.  Brus  passed  away,  October  7,  1903. 

On  the  24th  of  May,  1870,  Mr.  Brus  married  Miss  Catherine  Pohlmann,  a 
daughter  of  Bernard  Pohlmann,  of  Davenport.  Five  of  the  children  born  of 
their  union  are  living  with  their  mother  upon  the  old  home  place:  Theodore, 
Agnes,  Barney  and  Henry,  twins,  and  Rudolph.  Two  daughters,  Elizabeth  and 
Mary,  have  passed  away,  the  former  in  1906,  the  latter  in  1907.  Hermann  wedded 
Mary  Gammon  and  lives  in  Scott  county.  Theodore,  the  oldest  son,  has  served 
six  years  as  a  school  director  and  he  holds  stock  in  the  Blue  Grass  Savings  Bank. 
In  short  he  is  a  young  man  who  is  making  the  best  of  the  many  opportunities 
which  have  been  presented  tO'  him. 

Mr.  Brus  was  a  democrat  in  his  political  affiliations  and  served  for  a  time 
as  road  supervisor.  He  was  not  an  aspirant  for  official  preferment,  however, 
although  as  a  good  citizen  he  exerted  his  influence  in  the  behalf  of  the  common 
weal. 


JESSE  L.  ARMIL. 


Jesse  L.  Armil,  a  retired  farmer  making  his  home  in  Davenport,  while  not  a 
native  of  this  state,  came  here  in  early  childhood  before  the  land  in  this  locality 
had  been  touched  by  the  plow  or  harrow.  Surrounded  by  the  primitive  condi- 
tions of  pioneer  life,  he  witnessed  the  great  and  beneficial  change  which  the 
unremitting  toil  of  man  gradually  brought  about. 

Mr.  Armil  was  born  on  the  6th  of  May,  1833,  in  Westmoreland  county, 
Pennsylvania,  and  was  only  four  years  of  age  when  brought  to  Iowa  by  his 
parents,  John  and  Susan  (Septer)  Armil,  reaching  Scott  county  on  the  19th  of 
April,  1837.  The  family  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  what  is  now  Davenport  and 
there  the  father  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  with  good  success,  so  that  he 
was  able  to  invest  heavily  in  the  rich  farm  land  of  this  locality.  His  wife  died 
in  1855,  but  he  survived  until  1887. 

Jesse  L.  Armil  received  his  education  in  the  Catholic  schools  of  this  county 
and  during  his  boyhood  assisted  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm.  Later 
he  engaged  in  dairying  on  a  farm  adjoining  that  of  his  father.  He  retired  in 
1905,  removing  to  No.  628  West  Locust  street,  which  is  a  part  of  the  farm  en- 
tered by  his  father. 

On  the  19th  of  January,  1857,  Mr.  Armil  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Joanna  Barrett,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Eliza  Barrett,  and  to  them  have  been 
born  three  children.  Frances  is  now  the  widow  of  C.  F.  Sivertsen,  a  son  of 
Christian  Sivertsen.  He  was  a  millwright  by  trade  and  was  twenty-two  years 
of  age  when  he  came  to  Scott  county,  making  his  home  here  until  his  death. 


JESSE   E.   ARillE 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  785 

which  occurred  on  the  15th  of  December,  1906.  Robert  married  Miss  Anna 
Mundt  and  to  them  have  been  born  seven  children :  Bessie,  Ed,  Earl,  Ruth,  Paul_, 
Robert  and  Marie.  He  belongs  to  both  the  Elks  and  the  Masonic  fraternities 
and  is  now  engaged  in  the  dairy  business,  having  succeeded  his  father,  who  for 
twenty-four  years  devoted  considerable  attention  to  that  industry.  Warner 
married  Miss  Frances  McGee,  by  whom  he  had  two  children,  Jesse  and  Frances. 
After  her  death  he  married  Miss  Cora  Smiley.  He,  too,  is  a  Mason  and  also 
belongs  to  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

Mr.  Armil  still  owns  a  good  farm  of  seventy  acres,  now  within  the  city  limits 
of  Davenport.  He  is  an  honored  member  of  the  Pioneers  Society  of  Scott  county 
and  is  held  in  high  regard  by  all  who  know  him.  He  has  always  been  interested 
in  public  affairs  and  has  done  his  part  toward  the  development  and  upbuilding  of 
the  city. 


MRS.  ELIZABETH  ADELAIDE  JAMES. 

In  Le  Claire,  where  she  has  long  made  her  home,  Mrs.  James  receives  the 
respect  and  veneration  which  should  ever  be  accorded  those  who  have  passed 
to  a  far  point  on  life's  journey.  She  was  born  in  Richmond,  Indiana,  April  14, 
1836,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Peter  and  Mary  (Penry)  Beers.  Her  father  was  a 
native  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  and  her  mother  was  born  in  the  same  city  in  181 5. 
They  were  both  numbered  among  the  pioneer  residents  of  that  state.  After 
leaving  Ohio  they  removed  to  Indiana  and  for  some  years  were  residents  of 
Richmond.  In  1843,  however,  they  came  to  Iowa,  settling  at  Burlington  when  this 
state  was  yet  under  territorial  rule.  There  the  father  continued  to  reside  through- 
out the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  devoted 
many  years  to  the  work  of  tilling  the  soil.  His  political  allegiance  was  given  to 
the  republican  party  and  he  stanchly  advocated  its  principles  but  never  sought 
office  as  a  reward  for  party  fealty  and  allegiance.  He  died  at  Grand  River, 
Iowa,  in  1895,  passing  away  at  a  ripe  old  age. 

His  daughter,  Mrs.  James,  was  only  seven  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  the 
removal  of  the  family  from  Indiana  to  Iowa,  and  in  the  schools  of  Burlington 
she  acquired  her  education.  She  was  capably  trained  in  the  work  of  the  house- 
hold, so  that  she  was  well  qualified  to  take  charge  of  a  home  of  her  own  at  the 
time  of  her  marriage  to  Thomas  James,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  on  the 
14th  of  February,  1854.  He  was  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Davis)  James,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Wales,  where  they  were  born  and  reared.  The  birth 
of  Thomas  James  occurred  in  Glasbury,  Wales,  on  the  nth  of  May,  1826,  and 
in  his  youthful  days  he  was  brought  to  the  United  States.  At  the  time  of  the 
Mexican  war  he  espoused  the  cause  of  his  adopted  country  and  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Missouri  Artillery  Lighthorse  Battalion,  under  Major  Clark.  He 
served  throughout  the  entire  contest  and  was  honorably  discharged  in  1848. 
Turning  his  attention  to  farming,  he  followed  that  pursuit  for  many  years  and 
in  his  business  affairs  was  careful  and  systematic,  bringing  his  fields  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation  and  gathering  good  crops  as  the  reward  of  his  earnest 
labors.     In  all  of  his  business  dealings,  too,  he  was  thoroughly  reliable,  being 


786  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

never  known  to  take  advantage  of  the  necessities  of  his  fellowmen  in  any  trade 
transaction. 

Three  children  were  born  unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James.  The  eldest,  Florence, 
who  was  born  in  1855,  became  the  wife  of  Joseph  Barnes,  a  resident  of  Le  Claire, 
and  they  have  two  children :  Raymond  Barnes,  now  living  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa ; 
and  Rolla  Barnes,  of  Le  Claire,  who  married  Miss  Bessie  Young  and  has  two 
children,  Jewel  and  Raymond  Barnes.  Fannie  James,  born  March  29,  1858,  is 
the  wife  of  Frank  Pope  and  they  have  one  child,  Albertine  Pope.  Albertine 
James,  the  youngest  of  the  family,  born  March  6,  1865,  is  the  wife  of  Milton 
Chambers  and  they  have  two  children,  Lotta  J.  and  May  Elizabeth  Chambers, 
who  are  residing  with  their  parents  in  Le  Claire. 

The  death  of  Mr.  James  occurred  January  6,  1908,  when  he  had  reached  the 
very  venerable  age  of  eighty-two  years.  He  came  of  English  ancestry  and  ad- 
hered to  the  religious  faith  of  the  family,  holding  membership  in  the  Episcopal 
church.  His  life  was  at  all  times  guided  by  its  principles  and  its  teachings 
and  he  was  ever  an  upright,  honorable  man.  In  his  political  views  he  was  a 
democrat  but  never  aspired  to  ofifice,  preferring  to  concentrate  his  energies  upon 
his  business  affairs  that  he  might  provide  a  comfortable  living  for  his  family, 
keeping  them  from  want  and  supplying  them  with  those  opportunities  and  ad- 
vantages which  go  to  make  life  worth  living.  Wherever  known  he  was  hon- 
ored and  esteemed  and  most  of  all  where  he  was  best  known. 


CHARLES  LERCHEN. 


Charles  Lerchen,  deceased,  who  throughout  life  enjoyed  a  large  acquaint- 
ance among  the  German  residents  of  Davenport  and  was  beloved  and  esteemed 
wherever  he  was  known,  by  reason  of  a  cheerful  disposition  and  an  honorable 
life,  was  born  in  Saxony,  Germany,  but  lived  in  this  country  from  early  man- 
hood, for  like  many  another  son  of  the  fatherland,  he  was  attracted  to  the 
United  States  by  the  story  of  the  opportunities  for  advancement  said  to  lie 
here,  although  at  the  time  he  crossed  the  Atlantic,  before  the  end  of  the  first 
half  of  the  last  century,  the  full  possibilities  of  this  land  were  unknown.  For 
a  time  after  coming  to  America  Mr.  Lerchen  lived  in  Wheeling,  West  Vir- 
ginia, and  then  removed  to  Detroit,  Michigan,  which,  because  of  its  position 
upon  the  lake,  was  farther  developed  than  the  country  surrounding  it. 

In  1850  he  came  to  Davenport  and  on  Second  street  opened  a  leather  and 
harness  shop,  for  he  had  learned  the  saddler's  trade  in  the  land  of  his  birth.  He 
was  thus  engaged  in  business  for  some  time  and  then,  when  the  fever  of  western 
colonization  began  to  take  possession  of  men's  minds,  he  went  to  Denver,  Col- 
orado, being  not  only  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  that  city  but  also  one  of  the 
first  to  embark  in  mercantile  pursuits  there.  Toward  the  close  of  his  life,  how- 
ever, he  returned  to  Davenport,  where  he  resided  until  his  death.  A  man  of 
great  energy  and  activity,  he  found  the  opportunities  he  sought  in  this  country, 
was  successful  beyond  the  average,  and  also  enjoyed  the  respect  of  the  many 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  787 

persons,  who,  coming  in  contact  with  him  in  business  or  socially,  found  him  a 
man  who  was  ever  genial,  courteous  and  honorable. 

While  he  was  living  in  Germany  Mr.  Lerchen  wedded  Miss  Amelia  Wey- 
man,  who  passed  from  this  life  May  21,  1900,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
two  years.  Like  her  husband  she  was  well  and  favorably  known  in  the  German 
circles  of  Davenport,  particularly  in  those  societies  that  aim  to  keep  alive  the 
spirit  of  the  fatherland.  In  the  Turnverein  and  Mannerchor  she  is  remembered 
with  especial  fondness  for  the  many  acts  of  kindness  and  unselfishness  she  per- 
formed and  for  the  flags  she  made  for  the  societies.  Eleven  children  were  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lerchen,  six  of  whom  are  still  living:  Carl,  Mrs.  Amelia 
Schlagel,  WilHam,  Mrs.  Lydia  Meyer,  Fannie  and  PauHne.  Miss  Fannie  Ler- 
chen, like  her  parents,  brothers  and  sisters,  is  well  known  in  Davenport,  which 
has  been  her  home  for  so  many  years  and  where  she  has  a  circle  of  friends  al- 
most coextensive  with  that  of  her  acquaintances.  Mr.  Lerchen  was  numbered 
among  the  older  and  more  prosperous  of  the  German  settlers  of  this  county,  and 
the  honorable  and  upright  record  of  his  life  is  one  of  which  fellow  citizens  and 
his  children  may  well  be  proud. 


GUS  P.  LAMP. 


Gus  P.  Lamp,  a  well  known  resident  of  Hickory  Grove  township,  is  located 
on  a  desirable  farm  on  section  32,  whose  associations  must  be  doubly  dear  to 
him  for  it  was  here  that  he  was  born  January  28,  1872.  His  parents  were  Claus 
H.  and  Katherine  (Lamp)  I -amp,  who  lived  for  a  number  of  years  in  Daven- 
port. The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  a  family  of  five  children:  Matilda,  the 
wife  of  August  Paustian,  a  resident  of  Hickory  Grove  township;  Caroline,  who 
married  George  Schlapkohl  and  lives  in  New  Liberty  township;  Julius,  located 
in  Hickory  Grove  township ;  and  Clara,  who  married  Otto  Harbeck  and  lives  in 
Davenport. 

Gus  P.  Lamp  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  spent  four 
winters  in  attendance  at  Davenport's  Business  College,  his  training  not  being 
limited  to  his  own  particular  vocation.  Since  he  began  his  active  business 
career  his  life  has  been  devoted  to  agricultural  pursuits,  the  scene  of  his  ac- 
tivities being,  as  previously  mentioned,  the  old  home  farm  of  three  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  on  sections  32  and  29,  Hickory  Grove  township.  In  addition 
to  general  farming  he  devotes  a  part  of  his  attention  to  stock  raising  with 
profitable  result.  He  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  Galloway  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, of  Waterloo,  Iowa.  An  evidence  of  his  very  provident  nature  is  the  fact 
that  he  carries  ten  thousand  dollars  life  insurance. 

Mr.  Lamp  was  married  July  2,  1896,  to  Miss  Regina  Magnus,  of  Davenport. 
She  was  born  June  2,  1873,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Emil  Magnus.  They  have 
three  children :  Louis  C.  E.,  Dewey  D.  and  Malinda  Luella. 

Mr.  Lamp  is  very  happy  in  his  fraternal  relations,  holding  membership  in 
two  organizations  in  Walcott,  lodge  No.  1644  of  the  Eagles,  and  camp  No. 
7749  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.     Although  comparatively  a  young 


788  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

man,  he  has  accumulated  a  very  considerable  amount  of  wealth.  Prudent,  re- 
sourceful, a  keen  business  man  and  yet  a  just  neighbor,  he  is  held  in  high  re- 
gard by  all  who  know  him. 


W.  I.  QUINN. 


Among  the  honored  pioneer  residents  of  Scott  county  none  is  more  worthy 
of  mention  than  W.  I.  Quinn,  a  retired  farmer,  now  living  in  Long  Grove,  where 
he  owns  two  lots  in  addition  to  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Winfield  township.  He 
was  born  in  Preble  county,  Ohio,  November  12,  1831,  a  son  of  Joseph  C.  C.  and 
Julia  Ann  (Glines)  Quinn.  The  father  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Preble 
county  and  was  there  engaged  in  farming  until  1838,  when  he  decided  to  come 
west  to  Iowa.  The  little  party  that  crossed  the  plains  from  Ohio  in  a  covered 
wagon  consisted  of  our  subject's  paternal  grandparents,  their  two  sons  and  their 
respective  families.  The  aged  grandfather  said  he  wanted  to  see  the  country  as 
they  went  along  and  as  he  could  not  do  this  when  in  the  wagon,  he  walked  for 
a  large  part  of- the  way.  He  was  not  able  to  complete  the  journey,  however, 
but  died  when  they  were  in  central  Illinois.  The  rest  of  the  party  proceeded 
on  their  way,  reaching  Scott  county,  Iowa,  October  14,  1838,  after  having  spent 
four  weeks  on  the  journey.  They  located  about  sixteen  miles  north  of  Daven- 
port, on  the  Wapsipinicon,  where  the  two  brothers  took  up  claims  of  eighty 
acres  each,  although  they  could  not  register  them  as  the  land  had  not  then  been 
opened  up  for  settlement.  However,  they  put  up  two  log  cabins,  wherein  the 
families  began  housekeeping,  and  when  the  land  came  into  market  they  entered 
their  claims  and  also  forty  acres  each  of  timber.  Joseph  C.  C.  Quinn  lived  upon 
his  eighty-acre  farm  for  about  five  years  and  then  traded  it  for  one  of  forty 
acres  farther  down  the  river,  which  was  partly  cleared  and  had  a  log  house 
upon  it,  living  there  for  seven  years.  The  family  suffered  terribly  from  the 
ague,  the  men  being  compelled  to  cease  work  two  months  every  year  on  ac- 
count of  it.  After  they  had  lived  near  the  river  for  about  twelve  years  and 
W.  I.  Quinn  felt  he  was  old  enough  to  do  for  himself,  he  told  his  father  he 
would  not  spend  another  winter  on  the  Wapsie.  Therefore  they  decided  to  give 
up  the  farm,  and,  selling  the  forty  acres  in  1850  for  three  hundred  dollars,  the 
father  located  on  the  prairie  about  two  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Long  Grove, 
where  he  entered  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land.  There  he  built  a  frame 
house,  a  log  stable  and  a  few  sheds  covered  with  hay,  hauling  the  timber  for 
these,  and  for  his  fences  and  other  purposes  from  the  banks  of  the  Wapsie. 
Mr.  Quinn  lived  there  until  1867,  when  he  sold  eighty  acres  to  Jacob  Eldredge, 
his  son,  W.  I.,  having  bought  the  other  eighty  acres  in  1852,  and  removed  to 
Linn  Grove,  whence  after  several  years  he  went  to  Jasper  county,  Iowa,  which 
remained  his  home  until  his  death. 

W.  I.  Quinn  was  about  seven  years  of  age  when  the  family  removed  from 
Ohio  to  Iowa,  and  all  the  hard  experiences  of  pioneer  days  are  well  remembered 
by  him.  He  attended  school  first  in  a  little  log  shanty  on  the  banks  of  the 
Wapsipinicon.    The  seats  were  made  of  slabs,  which  were  about  a  quarter  of  a 


Mn.  AND  MRS.  W.  1.  QUINN 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  791 

log,  placed  on  legs  which  were  stuck  in  bored  holes,  while  the  only  desk  consisted 
of  a  board  about  sixteen  inches  wide  resting  on  pins  driven  into  the  wall,  at 
which  the  pupils  took  turns  in  writing.  At  that  time  there  was  no  public  fund 
for  school  purposes,  so  each  family  boarded  the  teacher  for  a  time  and  paid 
a  certain  sum  for  each  of  its  members  who  attended.  Such  was  the  first  school 
Mr.  Quinn  attended,  but  later  he  went  to  the  school  at  Long  Grove.  Indians 
were  then  seen  in  large  numbers,  but  they  were  peaceable  and  caused  no  trouble. 

Mr.  Quinn  remained  with  his  father,  assisting  in  the  arduous  work  oi  pre- 
paring the  prairie  land  for  cultivation,  until  1852,  when  he  started  to  farm  on 
his  own  account.  He  bought  from  his  father  eighty  acres,  which  he  broke  up 
and  fenced,  and  on  which,  during  the  summer  of  1854  he  built  a  house,  into 
which  he  and  his  wife  removed  in  August  of  that  year.  It  remained  his  home 
for  almost  half  a  century  and  is  still  standing,  a  reminder  to  the  present  genera- 
tion oi  the  labors  and  courage  of  those  pioneers,  who  made  possible  the  comforts 
oi  today.  For  forty-nine  years  Mr.  Quinn  was  busily  occupied  in  farming,  and 
the  generous  returns  he  obtained  for  his  labor  and  diligence  made  possible  his 
retirement.  He  has  a  pleasant  home  in  Long  Grove,  and  here  he  enjoys  the 
comforts  which  is  meant  should  surround  a  man  in  the  evening  of  life. 

It  was  on  the  12th  of  November,  1853,  that  Mr.  Quinn  was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  M.  Calder,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Elsie  Calder,  who  came  to  Scott  county 
in  1852,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  four  children,  as  follows :  Abbie  A., 
who  married  Selah  Clapp,  of  Long  Grove ;  Elsie  Ann,  the  wife  of  Conrad  Ruch, 
of  Adair  county,  Iowa;  Benjamin  F.,  of  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa;  and  WiUiam  D., 
who  died  at  the  age  of  five.  Mrs.  Quinn  was  born  in  Meigs  county,  Ohio,  July 
10,  1834,  and  was  called  to  her  final  rest  April  14,  1908,  her  remains  being  buried 
at  Long  Grove.  She  was  a  faithful  member  of  the  Christian  church,  and  her 
long  life  was  one  of  courage  and  helpfulness,  that  made  her  death  keenly  felt 
by  all  who  shared  her  friendship. 

Mr.  Quinn  joined  the  Christian  church  in  1850  and  has  always  been  loyal  to 
its  teachings,  rearing  his  children  in  that  faith.  His  life  has  ever  been  honorable 
and  upright,  and  his  many  excellent  qualities  have  made  him  one  of  the  respected 
citizens  of  the  community.  He  has  now  reached  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years 
and  received  the  veneration  and  esteem  which  should  ever  be  accorded  to  one 
who  has  reached  the  evening  of  life,  and  whose  record  in  the  years  that  have 
come  and  gone  is  in  harmony  with  upright  principles. 


JAMES  F.  LARDNER. 


James  F.  Lardner,  who  eighteen  years  ago,  joined  his  forces  with  the  business 
interests  of  Davenport,  Rock  Island  and  Moline,  was  born  in  Chicago,  Illinois, 
February  22,  1862,  his  parents  being  William  and  Elizabeth  (Lee)  Lardner.  The 
father  was  also  a  native  of  Chicago.  On  the  mother's  side  Mr.  Lardner  is  de- 
scended from  a  family  who  settled  in  Chicago  during  the  first  years  of  its  his- 
tory and  played  no  small  part  in  its  early  life. 


792  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

James  F.  Lardner  received  his  education  in  Chicago,  attending  first  a  pri- 
vate school  and  later  entering  St.  Ignatius  College,  where  he  took  a  classical 
course.  Before  coming  to  Davenport  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Western 
Electric  Company  and  the  Central  Union  Telephone  Company  in  that  city, 
having  through  his  own  efforts  risen  high  in  the  esteem  of  these  concerns.  In- 
deed, so  pronounced  had  been  his  success  that  he  attracted  the  interest  of  the 
founders  of  the  Tri-City  Railway  Company,  who  prevailed  upon  him  to  come 
to  Davenport.  Since  his  arrival  here  he  has  been  made  general  manager, 
which  position  he  held  until  May  i,  1908.  While  he  has  given  the 
best  of  his  energies  perhaps  to  that  concern,  he  is  also  interested  in  the  Peo- 
ples Light  Company,  the  Water  Power  Company  and  in  the  Rock  Island  Plow 
Company,  of  which  latter  company  he  is  at  present  general  manager.  He  is 
a  man  of  high  principles  and  business  acumen  and  these  qualities  united  with 
a  capacity  for  industry  have  been  the  foundation  on  which  his  success  has  been 
built. 

On  the  8th  of  March,  1886,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Lardner  and 
Miss  Nora  A.  Gilmore  and  xinto  them  have  been  born  six  children :  Mabel  and 
Amy,  who  are  graduates  of  Trinity;  Rosemary,  who  is  still  a  pupil  at  Trinity; 
James,  Jr.,  who  is  a  student  at  St.  Ambrose  College;  Dorothy,  who  is  at- 
tending St.  Katherine's  Academy  and  Gilmore,  who  is  attending  the  public 
school.  Although  not  a  native  of  Davenport  Mr.  Lardner  has  won  the  respect 
of  those  who  have  come  in  contact  with  him  in  a  business  way  or  socially. 


D.  B.  MOREHOUSE. 


D.  B.  Morehouse,  who  has  been  the  deputy  collector  of  internal  revenue  in 
Davenport  for  the  past  eight  years,  was  born  in  Galena,  Illinois,  August  15,  1844. 
He  is  descended  from  a  family  that  came  originally  from  the  east  in  the  early 
days  of  the  settlement  of  the  middle  west,  for  his  paternal  grandparents,  Jona- 
than and  Loretta  Morehouse,  settled  upon  a  farm  about  fifteen  miles  from  the 
city  of  Davenport  some  time  in  the  early  years  of  the  last  century.  Their  son, 
D.  B.  Morehouse,  the  father  of  our  subject,  became  a  captain  upon  a  steam- 
boat, plying  upon  the  Mississippi  river  and  devoting  himself  to  water  naviga- 
tion until  1858,  when  he  retired  and  took  up  his  residence  permanently  in 
Galena.  There  his  death  occurred  on  a  farm  in  1869.  In  his  young  manhood 
he  wedded  Miss  Charlotte  E.  Dow  and  of  their  union  was  born  D.  B.  Morehouse. 

D.  B.  Morehouse  spent  the  period  of  his  youth  in  a  number  of  cities  so 
that  the  education  which  fitted  him  for  the  responsibilities  of  life  was  obtained 
in  various  places.  He  attended  first  the  public  schools  of  his  birthplace,  later 
going  to  St.  Louis  and  then  to  a  country  institution  of  popular  instruction.  After 
a  couple  of  terms  spent  in  Jubilee  College,  he  returned  to  Galena,  where  his  edu- 
cation was  completed.  He  then  took  up  farming  upon  the  Morehouse  homestead, 
being  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  for  some  time.  When  the  president 
issued  his  call  for  troops  to  defend  the  Union,  he  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Nine- 
teenth   Illinois   Volunteer   Infantry,    being  in  the  western   department  of   the 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  793 

army.  As  a  member  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  he  participated  in  some  of 
the  more  serious  encounters  between  the  opposing  forces  and  was  under  Gen- 
erals Sherman,  Rosecrans  and  Thomas  until  the  culmination  of  the  struggle. 
When  he  was  finally  discharged  he  returned  to  farming  in  Iowa,  to  which  he 
devoted  his  energies  for  a  considerable  time.  Later  he  removed  to  Davenport. 
After  being  engaged  in  several  different  lines  of  business,  he  entered  the  employ 
of  the  government,  being  a  member  of  the  postoffice  department  here  for  about 
thirteen  years,  and  on  leaving  that  position  he  was  appointed  deputy  collector 
of  internal  revenue.  The  duties  of  this  office  have  been  his  for  the  last  eight 
years. 

In  Scott  county,  June  12,  1873,  Mr.  Morehouse  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Ella  M.  Moorhead,  who  was  called  from  this  life  in  September,  1901. 
Three  children  had  been  born  to  the  couple.  Henry  D.  married  Miss  Anna 
Richardson  and  is  now  a  resident  of  Chicago,  Illinois.  Le  Grand  E.  makes  his 
home  in  Davenport  and  is  a  cashier  with  the  Bettendorf  Company.  Stella  is 
also  a  resident  of  this  city,  making  her-  home  with  her  father.  Mr.  Morehouse 
belongs  to  the  G.  A.  R.  Post,  No.  i,  and  served  as  commander  in  1866.  Fra- 
ternally he  enjoys  pleasant  relations  with  the  Masons  and  the  local  lodge  of  the 
Royal  Arcanum. 


JOHN  L.  MASON. 


John  L.  Mason,  resourceful,  alert  and  enterprising,  is  now  president  of  the 
Mason  Carriage  Works,  an  enterprise  established  in  1868.  Its  development 
along  well  defined  lines  of  trade  and  commerce  has  made  it  the  largest  estab- 
lishment of  this  character  in  Davenport  and  it  stands  as  a  visible  evidence  of  the 
intelligently  directed  energy  of  its  founder  and  promoter.  Mr.  Mason  was 
born  in  Bowmanville,  Ontario,  Canada,  on  the  14th  of  July,  1844,  and  is  a  son 
of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Sweet)  Mason.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Eng- 
land but  left  that  country  in  the  year  1833,  and  in  company  with  his  parents 
and  four  brothers  emigrated  to  Canada  West,  now  Ontario,  Canada.  When 
old  enough  he  learned  the  saddlery  and  harness  trade  and  for  many  years  con- 
ducted one  of  the  largest  business  enterprises  in  that  line  in  Canada. 

John  L.  Mason  first  started  to  work  at  his  father's  business,  but  later  on 
learned  the  trade  of  carriage  trimming  and  devoted  himself  to  that  undertaking. 
Desiring  to  perfect  himself  in  his  chosen  work,  in  March,  1864,  he  went  to 
New  York  and  worked  for  some  of  the  best  firms  in  that  city  and  in  Phila- 
delphia. In  November,  1865,  he  came  to  Iowa,  going  first  to  Marshalltown, 
whence  in  January,  1866,  he  removed  to  Davenport,  where  in  January,  1868, 
he  joined  Valentine  Evans  in  organizing  the  firm  of  Mason  &  Evans.  The 
business  was  conducted  under  that  partnership  relation  until  October,  1881,  when 
Mr.  Evans  returned  east,  and  Mr.  Mason  continued  the  business  under  the 
present  name  of  the  Mason  Carriage  Works.  In  January,  1897,  the  firm  was 
incorporated  under  the  laws  of  Iowa  and  his  two  sons,  Charles  F.  and  Web- 
ster L.,  became  members  of  the  company  and  have  in  a  large  measure  contributed 


794  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

to  its  success,  the  three  comprising  the  only  stockholders  of  the  corporation.  In 
1902,  seeing  the  trend  of  the  vehicle  business,  the  firm  added  automobiles  to, 
their  line,  being  among  the  very  earliest  carriage  firms  to  recognize  that  indus- 
try, and  have  built  up  a  very  successful  automobile  department  in  connection 
with  their  well  established  carriage  works.  This  department  is  in  charge  of 
the  son,  Charles  F.  Mason,  who  is  vice  president  of  the  company,  while  the  office 
and  carriage  departments  are  in  charge  of  the  younger  son,  W.  L.  Mason,  who 
is  treasurer  of  the  company. 

On  the  26th  of  September,  1866,  Mr.  Mason  was  married  to  Miss  Maria  M. 
Coleman,  of  Toronto,  Canada,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Coleman, 
who  were  natives  of  the  Isle  of  Wight,  England.  To  them  were  bom  three 
sons  and  one  daughter:  Wellesly  R.,  Charles  F.,  Webster  L.  and  Marion  E. 
One  son,  Wellesly  R.,  died  in  infancy.  Charles  F.  married  Clara  Evans  and 
they  have  one  daughter,  Elizabeth  R.  Webster  L.  wedded  Mabel  Keith  and 
they  have  two  sons,  John  K.  and  Webster  K.,  and  a  daughter,  Marion  K., 
while  another  daughter,  Ariel  K.,  died  in  February,  1909.  The  daughter,  Marion 
E.  Mason,  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Grilk,  of  Davenport,  and  to  them  has  been 
born  a  daughter,  Louise  Grilk,  and  a  son,  Charles  Grilk,  Jr.  Throughout  his 
business  career  John  L.  Mason  has  held  to  the  highest  standard  of  commercial 
ethics.  He  is  always  just  in  his  treatment  of  employes  and  reliable  in  his  deal- 
ings with  his  patrons.  He  enjoys  an  unimpeachable  record  for  commercial  in- 
tegrity and,  moreover,  has  been  accorded  that  success  which  ever  crowns  per- 
sistent and  intelligently  directed  effort.  In  matters  of  citizenship  he  is  also 
progressive  and,  while  he  has  n^ver  sought  to  figure  in  any  public  light  aside 
from  business  relations,  he  has,  nevertheless,  given  the  weight  of  his  influence 
on  the  side  of  those  measures  which  tend  to  advance  the  material,  intellectual, 
social,  political  and  moral  interests  of  the  city. 


JOHN  T.  MASON. 


One  of  the  large  tracts  of  land  in  Winfield  township  which  was  settled  at  an 
early  day  when  the  land  was  in  its  primitive  condition  and  settlers  were  just  begin- 
ning to  learn  its  value,  is  the  Mason  homestead,  which  is  now  operated  by  the 
widow  and  children  of  John  T.  Mason.  It  was  his  place  of  residence  for  almost 
half  a  century.  He  was  born  in  1798  and  in  1841  came  to  Iowa  from  Maryland, 
driving  an  ox-team  across  the  mountains  and  prairies  and  locating  in  the  city  of 
Davenport,  which  was  then  little  more  than  a  hamlet,  remaining  there  for  three 
years.  In  1844  he  settled  in  Winfield  township,  on  the  20th  of  November  of  that 
year  buying  eighty  acres  of  land.  Upon  this  he  erected  a  rude  cabin  of  logs,  broke 
the  land  and  engaged  in  farming  the  next  spring.  Three  years  later,  as  he  gained 
large  returns  from  his  labor,  he  bought  one  hundred  acres  more  and  at  the  end 
of  five  years  added  another  hundred.  He  continued  to  increase  his  landholdings 
until  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  owned  five  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  as  fine 
land  as  might  be  obtained  in  Scott  county.  The  many  improvements  with  which 
his  place  was  adorned  and  the  well  cultivated  fields  were  the  result  of  his  own 


JOHN  T.  :\rAS()X 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  797 

labors,  showing  that  he  was  a  thorough,  painstaking  and  efficient  farmer.  He  fol- 
lowed general  farming  and  also  engaged  extensively  in  stock  raising,  to  both  of 
which  industries  he  devoted  all  of  his  life.  In  early  days  he  marketed  his  produce 
in  Davenport.  A  successful  man,  he  was  also  honorable  and  upright,  a  citizen  who 
commanded  the  highest  respect  of  his  fellowmen. 

Mr.  Mason  was  twice  married.  In  1819  he  wedded  Miss  Ruth  StelHng  and 
they  had  eight  children.  .After  her  death,  in  1861,  he  wedded  Miss  Sarah  Stevens. 
She  was  a  daughter  of  John  Stevens,  who  had  come  from  Butler  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, in  1854.  He  located  in  Winfield  township,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  and 
also  followed  his  trade  of  a  blacksmith.  Of  the  second  marriage  there  were  ten 
children  born,  nine  of  whom  are  living. 

In  1819  Mr.  Mason  cast  his  first  vote  and  in  the  years  1824,  1828  and  1832 
he  cast  his  ballot  for  Andrew  Jackson.  He  was  always  active  in  public  affairs 
and  took  part  in  many  of  the  meetings  of  the  early  days  in  Scott  county.  He 
died  June  12,  1888,  and  since  his  demise  his  widow  and  children  have  carried 
on  the  farm  with  a  success  that  bespeaks  the  excellent  business  ability  and  good 
management  of  Mrs.  Mason. 


MRS.  MARY  A.  BROWNLEE. 

Mrs.  Mary  A.  Brownlee  has  been  a  resident  of  Davenport  for  fifty-five 
years.  She  is  the  widow  of  John  C.  Brownlee,  who  was  born  in  Canada,  near 
Port  Sarnia,  May  13,  1846.  His  life  record  covered  the  intervening  years  to 
the  nth  of  January,  1909,  when  he  passed  away,  honored  and  respected  by  all 
who  knew  him.  His  parents  were  William  and  Christina  Brownlee,  who  came 
from  Canada  to  Scott  county  when  their  son,  John  C,  was  but  three  years  of 
age.  They  settled  at  Long  Grove  and  the  father  purchased  a  tract  of  land  near 
there,  comprising  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  Upon  that  place  the  family 
took  up  their  abode  and  their  labors  constituted  the  source  of  development  and 
improvement  for  the  farm.  Their  first  home  was  a  log  cabin,  which  they  occu- 
pied for  a  number  of  years.  It  was  an  arduous  task  to  develop  new  land  but 
with  characteristic  energy  the  work  was  undertaken  and  William  Brownlee 
continued  to  carefully  till  the  soil  until  his  death,  which  occurred  when  his  son, 
John  C,  was  about  eight  years  of  age.  He  left  a  widow  and  eight  children, 
the  eldest  being  then  a  lad  of  but  eleven  years. 

John  C.  Brownlee  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  the  district  of  Long 
Grove.  He  attended  the  district  schools  and  also  a  business  college  at  Davenport 
and  throughout  his  entire  life  engaged  in  farming.  When  his  careful  ex- 
.penditure  and  industry  had  brought  him  sufficient  capital  to  enable  him  to  pur- 
chase a  farm  he  made  investment  in  land  and  with  characteristic  energy  began 
to  develop  it.  The  results  of  his  labors  were  soon  seen  in  carefully  cultivated 
fields  and  as  the  years  passed  on  he  gathered  rich  and  bounteous  harvests  as 
the  reward  of  his  diligence  and  care.  He  continued  to  reside  upon  his  original 
farm  until  about  1874,  when  he  purchased  a  farm  near  Davenport  and  made  it 
his  home  for  about  eight  years.    He  then  retired  and  removed  to  the  city,  spend- 


798  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

ing  his  remaining  days  in  the  enjoyment  of  well  earned  rest..  In  addition  to 
his  farming  interests  Mr.  Brownlee  was  one  of  the  stockholders  of  the  Daven- 
port Live  Stock  Company  of  New  Mexico  and  acted  as  manager  of  that  com- 
pany for  two  years. 

On  the  7th  of  December,  1865,  Mr.  Brownlee  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
A.  Roberts,  a  native  of  Derbyshire,  England,  and  a  daughter  of  Edward  and 
Jane  Roberts,  who  came  to  the  United  States  with  their  family  in  1855.  They 
landed  at  Davenport  about  the  15th  of  May,  and  the  father,  who  was  a  gardener, 
rented  land  and  later  purchased  a  small  farm  near  Davenport,  whereon  he 
engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  fruit  and  vegetables.  He  lived  a  life  of  unremitting 
diligence  and  industry  and  passed  away  in  1887,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years. 
His  wife  survived  until  1890  and  passed  away  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brownlee  were  born  six  children:  Eva  M.,  the  wife  of  Dr. 
Samuel  J.  Evans,  of  Davenport,  by  whom  she  has  four  children,  J.  La  Verne, 
Harold  J.,  Leroy  J.  and  Dorothy  Edna;  Minnie  B.,  the  wife  of  Dr.  William 
Jay,  of  Nashua,  Iowa,  by  whom  she  has  one  child,  Marion;  John  E.,  who  mar- 
ried Adelia  Helbig,  by  whom  he  has  two  children,  Helen  and  John  R.,  and  was 
at  one  time  for  a  number  of  years  connected  with  the  Citizens  Trust  &  Savings 
Bank  of  Davenport  but  is  now  cashier  of  the  Bettendorf  Bank  at  Bettendorf; 
Jennie  B.,  the  wife  of  Otis  C.  Jackson,  of  Chicago,  Illinois ;  Luella,  the  wife  of 
Frank  N.  Harn,  of  St.  Louis ;  and  Cora  E.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  ten  years. 

The  death  of  the  husband  and  father  occurred  January  11,  1909.  He  had 
in  many  ways  proven  himself  a  good  citizen  and  faithful  friend  and  a  devoted 
husband  and  father.  While  living  on  the  farm  he  served  as  justice  of  the 
peace  for  a  number  of  years  and  was  also  constable  and  school  director.  He 
held  membership  in  the  Christian  church  and  took  active  part  in  the  church 
work.  He  served  as  one  of  the  church  deacons  and  did  everything  in  his  power 
to  promote  the  growth  and  extend  the  influence  of  the  denomination  with  which 
he  was  connected.  His  life  was  at  all  times  in  harmony  with  its  principles  and 
he  lived  so  that  at  his  death  none  had  aught  for  him  but  good  words  and  kindly 
remembrance. 


H.  C.  CAST. 


When  one  rides  over  Scott  county  and  sees  its  splendidly  developed  farms, 
its  fine  country  homes,  its  substantial  and  attractive  churches  and  schools,  it 
seems  hardly  possible  that  it  is  within  the  memory  of  a  living  man  when  much 
of  this  section  was  still  in  possession  of  the  government,  having  not  yet  been 
claimed  by  the  white  race  for  purposes  of  civilization.  Yet,  when  H.  C.  Gast 
came  to  this  county  in  185 1  he  took  up  land  from  the  government,  becoming 
the  owner  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Princeton  township,  which  he 
still  owns.  He  relates  many  interesting  incidents  of  the  early  days  and  his 
memory  forms  a  connecting  link  between  the  primitive  past  and  the  progressive 
present.  For  more  than  four  score  years  he  has  traveled  life's  journey,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Pennsylvania,  June  21,  1829.    His  parents  were  George 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  799 

and  Susan  (Lamer)  Cast.  The  former,  a  native  of  Center  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  spent  his  last  days  in  Iowa,  his  death  oc- 
curring in  Le  Claire. 

H.  C.  Cast  acquired  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Pennsylvania, 
mastering  those  branches  of  learning  which  are  regarded  as  an  indispensable 
element  to  success  in  business.  During  the  periods  of  vacation  he  worked  in 
the  fields  and  throughout  his  entire  life  has  carried  on  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing. He  was  only  twenty-two  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  Scott  county,  arriv- 
ing here  in  1 85 1.  He  believed  that  he  would  have  better  business  opportunities 
in  the  new  and  growing  west  and  therefore  he  came  to  Iowa,  hoping  to  improve 
his  financial  condition  thereby.  He  found  that  land  was  to  be  had  practically 
for  the  asking  and  he  took  up  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  government  land 
in  Princeton  township,  for  which  he  paid  the  usual  price  of  a  dollar  and  a 
quarter  per  acre.  Resolutely  and  diligently  he  undertook  the  task  of  transform- 
ing the  wild  prairie  into  productive  fields  and  in  the  course  of  years  made  this 
a  good  farm,  upon  which  he  still  resides. 

In  1852  Mr.  Cast  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  Moyer,  a  daughter 
of  John  and  Polly  Moyer,  both  of  whom  were  residents  of  Le  Claire  township, 
Scott  county,  at  the  time  of  their  demise.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cast  have  been 
born  nine  children:  George  C,  a  resident  of  CHnton,  Iowa;  Henry  Milton,  of 
Butler  township,  this  county;  WiUiam  Lloyd,  of  Princeton;  Allie,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  two  years;  John,  who  died  in  infancy;  Fidelia,  who  died  when  a 
small  child;  Mary,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eleven  years;  one  who  died  in  in- 
fancy; and  Sarah  Almeda  Florence,  with  whom  Mr.  Cast  now  makes  his  home. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Cast  is  an  earnest  republican  and  was  twice  elected 
justice  of  the  peace  but  never  served  in  that  capacity,  refusing  to  qualify,  as 
he  preferred  to  devote  his  time  to  his  private  interests  rather  than  to  public 
office.  He  joined  the  Lutheran  church  when  sixteen  years  of  age  and  has 
since  been  one  of  its  faithful  members,  loyal  to  its  teachings  and  generous  in 
its  support.  His  record  is  that  of  a  man  who  has  ever  been  true  and  loyal  to 
duty  and  through  the  eighty-one  years  of  his  life  he  has  fully  earned  the  high 
regard  and  esteem  which  are  uniformly  given  him. 


M.  H.  CALDERWOOD. 

M.  H.  Calderwood,  who  has  made  his  home  at  Davenport  since  1907,  was 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Eldridge  Savings  Bank  in  1899  and  has  acted  as 
president  of  the  institution  since  1901.'  His  birth  occurred  at  Eldridge,  Scott 
county,  Iowa,  on  the  4th  of  May,  1863.  His  parents,  Henry  and  Nancy  A. 
(Carson)  Calderwood,  were  both  natives  of  Ireland,  the  former  having  been 
born  in  County  Antrim,  while  the  latter's  birth  occurred  in  County  Down.  The 
father  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States  in  1847  and  four  years  later 
took  up  his  abode  in  Le  Claire,  Scott  county,  Iowa,  when  the  district  was  but 
sparsely  settled  and  largely  undeveloped.  In  1852  he  came  to  Eldridge,  this 
county,  and,  purchasing  a  tract  of  land,   there   followed  general  agricultural 


800    ^  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

pursuits  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  active  business  career.  Owing  to  his 
well  directed  industry  and  capable  management  he  prospered  in  his  undertakings 
as  the  years  went  by  and  became  widely  recognized  as  one  of  the  successful 
and  prominent  citizens  of  his  community.  In  politics  he  was  an  unswerving 
republican  but  had  no  desire  for  the  honors  and  emoluments  of  office.  His  de- 
mise occurred  in  1900  when  he  had  attained  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-one 
years.  His  wife  was  called  to  her  final  rest  in  1887  when  sixty-four  years  of 
age.  Their  family  numbered  eight  children,  only  two  of  whom  are  now  living, 
namely:  M.  H.,  of  this  review,  who  was  the  seventh  in  order  of  birth;  and 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Charles  W.  Pelton. 

M.  H.  Calderwood  obtained  his  early  education  in  the  schools  of  Eldridge 
and  afterward  spent  one  year  in  study  at  Valparaiso,  Indiana.  On  putting  aside 
his  text-books  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  work  of  farming  and  cultivated 
the  old  home  place  for  many  years  or  until  1907,  when  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  Davenport.  The  farm  still  remains  in  his  possession,  however.  In  1899  he 
became  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Eldridge  Savings  Bank  and  was  elected 
its  vice  president,  while  E.  M.  Burmeister  was  made  president  and  H.  W. 
Bruhn,  cashier.  In  1901  Mr.  Calderwood  was  elected  president  of  the  bank  and 
in  this  official  connection  has  since  ably  directed  and  controlled  the  affairs  of 
the  institution. 

In  1887  Mr.  Calderwood  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  Brownlie, 
a  native  of  Scott  county  and  a  daughter  of  A.  W.  Brownlie,  of  Long  Grove, 
who  is  one  of  the  oldest  residents  of  this  county.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Calder- 
wood were  born  six  children,  as  follows :  Ethel ;  Blanche ;  Almeda ;  Errett 
Dwight,  deceased;  Helen;  and  Ruth.  The  wife  and  mother  died  February  5, 
1898,  and  was  buried  at  Long  Grove. 

Mr.  Calderwood  was  honored  by  election  to  the  state  legislature  on  the  repub- 
lican ticket  and  capably  served  as  a  member  of  the  twenty-ninth,  thirtieth  and 
thirty-first  general  assemblies.  The  cause  of  education  has  ever  found  in  him  a 
stalwart  champion  and  for  many  years  he  acted  as  chairman  of  the  school  board 
of  Sheridan  township.  Fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
and  the  Masonic  order,  belonging  to  Trinity  Lodge,  No.  208,  the  Chapter,  the 
Commandery  and  the  Shrine.  Both  he  and  his  wife  have  spent  their  entire  lives 
in  this  county  and  are  well  known  and  highly  esteemed  within  its  borders,  hav- 
ing ever  displayed  those  sterling  traits  of  character  which  in  every  land  and 
clime  awaken  admiration  and  regard. 


JOHN  KNOX,  M.  D. 


Among  the  prominent  professional  men  of  Princeton  who  has  ably  sustained 
the  high  reputation  made  by  his  father  is  Dr.  John  Knox.  A  native  of  Prince- 
ton, his  birth  occurred  September  30,  1852,  being  the  first  white  child  born  here. 
His  parents  were  Dr.  Samuel  and  Mary  Elizabeth  (Culberston)  Knox.  The 
former  was  born  near  Gettysburg,  Adams  county,  Pennsylvania,  October  16, 
1824,  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Margaret  (Witherow)  Knox.  He  studied  medicine 
in  the  state  of  his  birth,  but  in  1850  came  to  Princeton,  Iowa,  where  he  handled 
stock  and  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business  until  the  spring  of  1853.     Then 


riR.   -TOHX  KXOX 


DR.  SAMUEL  KNOX 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  805 

he  returned  to  Pennsylvania,  entered  the  medical  department  of  the  university 
and  was  graduated  at  the  head  of  his  class  in  1856.  Returning  to  Princeton,  he 
opened  an  office,  where  he  practiced  until  his  death  July  17,  1887.  He  was  one 
of  the  most  prominent  and  progressive  men  of  the  town,  always  being  at  the 
head  of  any  movement  calculated  to  advance  its  interests,  doing  much  both  as 
a  private  citizen  and  as  a  man  on  whom  the  public  gaze  rested,  for  he  held  all 
the  town  offices  and,  as  he  owned  eight  hundred  acres  of  land  situated  for  the 
most  part  within  its  boundaries,  he  laid  out  several  residence  districts.  In  1857 
he  opened  what  is  known  as  the  Knox  addition  to  Princeton  and  then,  having 
purchased  five  acres  of  land,  he  platted  Oak  Ridge  cemetery,  which  is  the  prin- 
cipal burying  ground  in  the  locality.  During  the  war  he  was  the  main  support 
of  many  women  and  children,  whose  husbands  and  fathers  had  fallen  on  the 
battlefield. 

A  slight  dramatic  interest  is  attached  to  the  generosity  Dr.  Samuel  Knox 
showed  toward  the  Presbyterian  church.  Not  satisfied  with  having  donated  the 
land  and  contributed  funds  toward  the  erection  of  the  first  church  here,  he  made 
a  journey  to  New  York  city  to  see  his  uncle,  the  Rev.  John  Knox.  During  the 
services  at  the  latter's  church  one  Sunday  he  rose  up  in  the  congregation,  ex- 
plaining the  circumstances  that  involved  the  little  religious  community  at  Prince- 
ton, and  from  his  listeners  raised  eight  hundred  dollars,  which  he  brought  back 
home.  That  sum  enabled  them  to  complete  the  erection  of  the  church.  During 
the  early  years  of  its  existence  he  also  furnished  the  fuel,  much  of  which  Dr. 
John  Knox  chopped.  In  recognition  of  his  invaluable  services  and  of  his  high 
character  as  a  Christian,  Dr.  Samuel  Knox  was  elected  an  elder  of  the  congre- 
gation, holding  the  office  throughout  his  life.  He  was  also  the  main  spirit  in 
starting  an  academy  here.  With  several  other  men  who  had  children  to  educate 
he  raised  the  funds  to  employ  a  professor  and  conduct  the  school  for  a  number 
of  years.  While  these  incidents  bear  witness  to  the  fact  that  he  was  always 
at  the  head  of  movements  for  the  social  betterment  of  the  town,  others  may  be 
adduced  which  show  his  interest  in  the  development  of  the  resources  of  this 
locality.  He  was  deeply  concerned  in  a  company  which  had  as  its  purpose  the 
building  of  a  gristmill.  It,  however,  burned  down  after  a  few  years'  operation 
and  Dr.  Knox  lost  about  five  thousand  dollars  on  this  investment.  Being  one 
of  the  main  promoters  to  induce  the  Sterling  &  Rock  Island  Railroad  to  build 
a  bridge  across  the  river  at  Princeton,  Dr.  Knox  lost  the  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  land  which  he  had  subscribed  to  the  undertaking  when  they 
failed  to  fulfill  their  promises.  He  was  one  of  the  most  active  and  prominent 
members  of  the  Masonic  lodge  to  which  he  belonged. 

His  wife,  Mary  Elizabeth  Culberston,  was  born  in  Franklin  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, July  22,  1833.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Captain  Culberston,  and  is 
still  Hying.  Six  children  were  born  of  her  marriage:  John,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch ;  James,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nine  years ;  Mary  E.,  the  widow  of  Wil- 
liam Meadley;  Helen,  who  died  at  the  age  of  four  and  a  half  years;  Samuel, 
who  died  when  he  was  forty  years  old;  and  Charles  McLean,  of  Butte,  Montana. 

Dr.  John  Knox  has  lived  in  Princeton  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  He  was 
a  pupil  in  the  common  schools  and  then  attended  the  academy  which  his  father 
had  started.    Later  he  entered  Monmouth  College  at  Monmouth,  Illinois,  where 


806  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

he  pursued  a  scientific  course  for  two  years  and  then  in  the  fall  of  1874  was 
enrolled  as  a  student  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  graduated 
from  that  institution  March  12,  1877,  holding  a  very  high  rank  in  a  class  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty-four.  Thereupon  he  passed  the  examination  for  the 
position  of  resident  physician  at  the  Philadelphia  Hospital,  receiving*  his  ap- 
pointment over  thirty  other  applicants.  He  entered  upon  his  duty  there  Sep- 
tember I,  1877,  and  after  serving  one  year  received  a  certificate  for  efficient  work 
Then  he  obtained  a  position  on  a  steamboat  plying  between  Philadelphia  and 
England,  but  did  not  assume  his  duties,  however,  as  his  father  had  met  with 
an  accident,  which  compelled  him  to  return  to  Iowa.  Upon  his  arrival  here  he 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  endeavoring  to  fill  his  father's  place. 

In  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  has  won  a  large  patronage,  and  his  patients  are 
unanimous  in  their  expressions  of  admiration  for  his  skill  as  a  physician  and  his 
high  character  as  a  man.  Indeed,  one  has  only  to  look  over  the  record  of  his 
life  to  obtain  palpable  evidence  of  this  fact.  For  twelve  terms  he  was  the  people's 
choice  as  mayor  of  Princeton  and  was  chairman  and  treasurer  of  the  republican 
party  organization  here  for  twelve  years.  His  land  holdings  embrace  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty-six  acres  of  fine" arable  land,  a  part  of  which  lies  within  the  boun- 
dary of  Princeton.  Here  he  lives  in  a  handsome  brick  residence  on  Main  street, 
which  his  father  erected  in  1856,  and  also  owns  a  large  brick  block  in  the  busi- 
ness district. 

A  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge  of  LeClaire,  Dr.  Knox  is  prominent  in 
its  work.  He  enjoys  conditions  that  are  a  great  improvement  upon  those  with 
which  his  father  had  to  struggle.  The  latter  was  the  first  to  own  a  top  buggy 
in  the  town,  and  on  account  of  this  possession  acquired  no  little  notoriety.  Con- 
ditions, too,  were  of  a  kind  that  enabled  him  to  effect  changes  and  improvements 
that  found  increasing  growth  through  the  years.  Such  opportunities  no  longer 
exist,  owing  in  part  to  his  work,  but  his  son.  Dr.  John  Knox,  is  none  the  less 
efficient  in  performing  the  duties  that  come  to  him.  As  a  professional  man 
there  is  no  doubt  as  to  his  skill.  As  a  friend,  adviser  and  counselor  he  has 
made  his  sympathy  felt  by  all  who  in  time  of  need  have  come  to  him.  This 
confidence  of  his  fellowmen  he  regards  as  the  highest  guerdon  of  his  life. 


MADISON  J.  SMITH. 


Madison  J.  Smith,  better  known  as  Joe  Smith,  who  in  the  eighty-second  year 
of  his  life  is  now  living  retired,  is  numbered  among  the  oldest  settlers  of  this 
district,  having  arrived  in  Scott  county  in  1835,  only  three  years  after  the  Black 
Hawk  war,  when  the  country  was  still  inhabited  by  large  bands  of  Indians  and 
the  work  of  progress  and  improvement  had  but  just  begun. 

Born  in  Greene  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  24th  of  June,  1827,  he  is  a  son 
of  Eli  H.  and  Mary  Ann  (Grandon)  Smith,  natives  of  New  Jersey  and  Greene 
county,  Pennsylvania,  respectively.  As  early  as  1835  the  father  left  his  native 
state  and,  making  his  way  down  the  Ohio  river  and  up  the  Mississippi,  landed 
at  Le  Claire  on  the  5th  of  April,  being  among  the  earliest  settlers  to  take  up 


-HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  807 

their  abode  in  this  district.  There  were  three  hundred  red  men  in  camp  at  the 
time  of  his  arrival  and  it  was  necessary  for  the  family  to  live  in  an  Indian  tent 
until  a  cabin  could  be  erected.  He  took  up  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
a  portion  of  which  is  now  in  the  possession  of  our  subject,  and  remained  thereon 
until  after  the  death  of  his  wife,  when  he  went  to  live  with  his  son  in  North 
English.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  also  operated  a  stone  quarry 
there  for  a  number  of  years.  The  father  passed  away  when  seventy-four  years 
of  age  and  was  there  buried,  while  the  mother's  death  occurred  when  she  had 
reached  the  age  of  sixty-four  years,  her  remains  being  laid  to  rest  in  Le  Claire. 
In  their  family  were  thirteen  children,  namely:  Matilda,  Mahaly,  Elizabeth, 
Susan,  Cynthia,  Jane,  Madison  J.,  Ira,  John,  Nathan,  Eli,  Martin  and  Mary. 
Of  this  number  only  five  still  survive,  as  follows :  Madison  J.,  of  this  review ; 
Ira,  residing  in  Scott  county;  Eli,  a  resident  of  Iowa  county;  Martin,  of  Mis- 
souri; and  Mary. 

Madison  J.  Smith  was  a  little  lad  of  seven  years  when  he  came  with  his 
parents  to  Iowa  and  here  shared  with  the  other  members  of  the  family  the 
privations  and  hardships  incident  to  frontier  Hfe.  As  there  were  no  schools  in 
the  district  at  that  time,  what  education  he  received  was  obtained  by  reading 
and  studying  at  night,  while  during  the  daytime  he  assisted  in  the  arduous 
and  difficult  work  of  developing  and  improving  a  new  farm.  He  continued  to 
give  his  father  the  benefit  of  his  aid  until  fifteen  years  of  age,  when  he  began 
working  on  river  boats  and  was  thus  engaged  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Mexi- 
can war. 

In  the  fall  of  1846  Mr.  Smith  enlisted  from  Rock  Island  as  a  member  of  Com- 
pany F,  Fourteenth  Illinois  Infantry,  and  was  first  stationed  at  Jefferson  Bar- 
racks for  about  three  months.  He  then  went  to  New  Orleans  and  thence  to 
Mexico,  where  he  participated  in  all  of  the  battles  from  Buena  Vista  to  Vera 
Cruz.  He  was  wounded  several  times  and  at  the  battle  of  Contreras,  when 
General  LeBega  was  captured,  he  received  a  bullet  shot  through  his  head.  He 
was  believed  to  be  dead  but  later  recovered  and  rejoined  his  regiment.  He  was 
detailed  as  second  lieutenant  in  charge  of  a  number  of  men  engaged  in  clearing 
roads,  etc.  After  a  most  creditable  military  record  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged  in  New  Orleans  in  the  fall  of  1848. 

He  returned  home  and  was  employed  on  the  river  for  a  while.  He  then  went 
to  DeKalb  county,  Illinois,  where  he  invested  in  a  small  farm  of  thirty-two  and 
a  half  acres.  He  was  there  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Jane  Brown,  on  the  28th  of 
December,  1849,  who  was  a  daughter  of  Eben  Brown.  After  residing  in  that 
county  for  about  four  years,  Mr.  Smith  sold  his  property  and  removed  to  Grundy 
county,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  raw  land 
from  the  government,  upon  which  he  erected  a  dwelling  and  to  the  development 
and  cultivation  of  which  he  directed  his  energies,  at  the  same  time  engaged  to 
some  extent  in  the  practice  of  medicine.  He  had  previously  pursued  a  medical 
course  at  Richardson  College,  St.  Charles,  Illinois,  under  the  direction  of  Dr. 
Richards,  from  which  institution  he  was  graduated  after  three  years.  He  then 
entered  the  Eclectic  Institute  of  Cincinnati^  Ohio,  from  which  he  was  also  grad- 
uated after  talking  a  course  in  medicine  and  surgery.  He  has  his  diploma  from 
both  institutions,  which  is  rather  remarkable  from  the  fact  that  he  had  enjoyed 


808  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

no  educational  advantages  whatever  in  his  early  life,  all  knowledge  being  gained 
through  his  own  efforts  entirely. 

After  residing  in  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  for  about  eight  years  Mr.  Smith 
sold  his  farm  and  went  to  Butler  county,  Iowa,  where  he  invested  in  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-eight  acres  of  partially  improved  land,  upon  which  he  made 
his  home  for  four  years,  dividing  his  time  between  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing and  the  practice  of  his  profession.  Later  he  again  sold  out  and  removed  to 
Iowa  county,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land 
and  made  his  home  for  a  time,  after  which  he  came  to  Le  Claire.  He  had  with- 
drawn from  the  active  practice  of  medicine  after  leaving  Iowa  county,  and  after 
his  arrival  in  Scott  county  was  engaged  in  operating  steamboats  and  rafts  on 
the  river  for  a  number  of  years,  continuing  to  make  his  home  in  Le  Claire  to 
the  present  time. 

In  the  fall  of  1862,  again  actuated  by  a  spirit  of  patriotism,  Mr.  Smith  enlisted 
at  Dubuque,  Iowa,  as  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war,  becoming  a  private  in  Company 
E,  Thirty-second  Iowa  Infantry.  At  Vicksburg  he  joined  General  Grant,  whose 
acquaintance  he  had  made  during  the  Mexican  war  and  at  whose  request  he  was 
selected  for  scout  duty.  Later  he  joined  General  Sherman  and  rode  ahead  of 
his  army  in  the  capacity  of  a  scout  throughout  the  entire  march  to  the  sea.  His 
term  of  service  covered  about  a  year,  after  which  he  returned  to  Scott  county 
and  has  since  lived  retired  upon  his  small  farm  in  Le  Claire  township.  He  is 
also  the  owner  of  valuable  town  property  and  as  the  result  of  former  years 
of  toil  is  now  in  possession  of  a  competency  which  makes  it  possible  for  him  to 
enjoy  all  of  the  comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life  without  further  re- 
course to  labor. 

As  the  years  passed  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  became  the  parents  of  five  chil- 
dren, namely:  Eben,  residing  in  Iowa  county;  Anna,  of  Cherokee;  William,  of 
Waterloo,  Iowa;  George,  making  his  home  in  Redwood  county,  Minnesota; 
and  Elias,  living  in  Muscatine.  The  wife  and  mother  was  called  to  her  final 
rest  in  Cherokee,  Iowa,  and  on  the  nth  of  August,  1903,  he  was  again  married, 
his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Amy  L.  Johnson,  a  daughter  of  Sylvanus  A. 
Johnson,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  county.  Mrs.  Smith  was  born  on 
the  farm  which  is  yet  her  home  on  the  25th  of  May,  i860.  Her  father  was  a 
native  of  Vermont,  where  his  birth  occurred  in  1826,  and  he  came  to  Scott 
county  in  1858,  here  passing  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  a  farmer  and 
teamster  by  occupation.  His  wife  was  a  native  of  Vincennes,  Indiana,  and  went 
to  Illinois  with  her  parents,  Henry  M.  and  Lucinda  Smith,  there,  in  1848,  giv- 
ing her  hand  in  marriage  to  Nelson  Ritch,  who  at  that  time  was  the  owner  of 
the  farm  upon  which  our  subject  now  resides.  Mr.  Ritch  passed  away  in  1853, 
and  in  1859  his  widow  became  the  wife  of  Sylvanus  Johnson,  whose  death 
occurred  on  the  5th  of  February,  1875.  She  survived  until  January  6,  1898, 
and  was  the  mother  of  four  children,  namely :  Amy  L. ;  Caroline  C. ;  Minnie, 
who  passed  away  in  infancy;  and  Winnifred.  Mrs.  Smith  has  a  half-brother, 
Henry  M.  Ritch,  and  also  a  half-sister,  Fannie  Ritch.  She  has  passed  her  en- 
tire life  on  the  farm  which  is  now  her  home,  Eli  H.  Smith,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  having  entered  it  at  an  early  date  and  later  sold  it  to  John  Williams,  who 
in  turn  sold  it  to  Nelson  Ritch,  her  mother's  first  husband. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  809 

In  politics  Mr.  Smith  gives  stalwart  support  to  the  prohibition  party  and  has 
belonged  to  many  temperance  organizations,  doing  all  in  his  power  to  further 
the  cause  of  temperance  in  the  community,  for  he  realizes  that  the  liquor  traffic 
is  one  of  the  greatest  evils  against  which  the  country  has  to  contend.  His  has 
been  a  life  of  continuous  activity,  in  which  has  been  accorded  due  recognition 
of  earnest  labor,  and  now,  in  the  evening  of  hfe,  he  can  look  back  upon  a 
past  that  has  been  fraught  with  honest  effort,  unswerving  industry  and  untiring 
energy  and  has  at  all  times  been  actuated  by  principles  that  are  in  keeping  with 
honorable  and  upright  manhood.  His  business  methods  have  ever  been  such  as 
to  inspire  confidence  and  trust  in  his  fellowmen  and  his  personal  characteristics 
have  gained  for  him  the  respect,  esteem  and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  has 
come  in  contact. 


FRANCIS  C.  GRACE. 


The  list  of  the  affluent  citizens  of  Davenport  contains  the  name  of  Francis  C. 
Grace,  one  of  the  representative  and  honored  men  of  Scott  county,  for  his  record 
as  a  soldier,  a  dentist  and  a  business  man  has  been  so'  honorable  that  he  has 
gained  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  has  been  brought  into 
contact.  He  was  born  near  Scio  in  Harrison  county,  Ohio,  August  S,  1844,  ^ 
son  of  George  and  Nancy  (Fawcett)  Grace.  The  Grace  family  was  very  promi- 
nent in  Ireland  for  many  generations  and  the  first  of  its  members  came  to 
America  in  1700.  Francis  Grace,  the  grandfather  of  Francis  C.  Grace,  came 
to  the  United  States  in  1823,  in  the  hope  of  bettering  his  financial  condition  and 
died  in  this  country  about  1836.  He  had  married  Jane  Law  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  seven  children,  who  established  their  homes  in  different  parts  of  this 
country. 

George  Grace,  the  son  of  Francis  Grace  and  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
born  in  County  Tyrone,  Ireland,  and  was  a  lad  of  nine  years  when  he  accom- 
panied his  parents  on  their  journey  to  America.  He  was  engaged  in  farming 
in  Ohio  and  in  1856  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  he  continued  to  follow 
that  occupation  and  where  his  death  occurred.  By  his  marriage  to  Nancy  Faw- 
cett there  were  born  eight  children  who  are  engaged  in  various  pursuits  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  country. 

Francis  C.  Grace,  who  was  the  second  of  the  children  bom  to  his  parents, 
attended  school  a  short  time  in  Ohio  and  after  the  family  came  to  Scott  county, 
Iowa,  he  continued  his  studies  in  the  public  schools  until  he  was  about  eighteen 
years  of  age.  At  the  same  time,  however,  he  assisted  his  father  in  operating  the 
farm,  until  1862,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Twentieth  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry, 
under  Colonel  J.  B.  Leake,  serving  first  with  the  Army  of  the  Frontier  and 
later  with  the  Army  of  the  Southwest.  He  was  discharged  at  St.  Louis  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1863,  but  the  following  May  re-enlisted  in  the  Forty-fourth  Iowa  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  which  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee.  He  remained 
at  the  front  until  honorably  discharged  from  the  service  in  October,  1864,  as 
corporal. 


810  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Mr.  Grace  then  returned  to  Scott  county  and  resumed  farm  work.  Feeling 
the  need  of  a  better  education,  he  accordingly  entered  Cornell  College  at  Mount 
Vernon,  Iowa,  and  on  leaving  that  institution  returned  to  Davenport,  where  he 
took  up  the  study  of  dentistry.  He  practiced  here  and  later  in  Chicago,  in  both 
cities  enjoying  a  large  patronage  which  was  a  visible  evidence  of  his  skill  and 
success.  Ill  health,  however,  due  to  exposure  while  he  was  in  the  army,  com- 
pelled him  to  relinquish  his  profession  in  1880  and  in  1882  he  went  to  Daytona, 
Florida,  to  recuperate  and  there  spent  the  next  eight  years.  At  the  end  of  that 
period  he  returned  to  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  resided.  Although  he  did 
not  again  engage  in  the  practice  of  dentistry,  he  was  not  idle.  For  a  number  of 
years  he  was  engaged  in  the  publishing  business,  being  associated  with  Egbert, 
Fiddler  &  Chambers  for  eighteen  years,  but  now  he  gives  his  time  entirely  to 
superintending  his  large  lumber  interests  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  for 
with  keen  business  sagacity  he  realized  the  opportunities  for  profitable  invest- 
ment offered  by  the  lumber  market,  and  availing  himself  of  them,  it  has  been 
proven  that  his  judgment  was  not  at  fault,  for  he  is  now  enjoying  an  income  that 
places  him  among  the  wealthy  men  of  Davenport. 

In  Davenport,  May  17,  1871,  Mr.  Grace  wedded  Miss  Louisa  F.  Woodward, 
a  daughter  of  B.  B.  and  Elizabeth  (Morgan)  Woodward.  A  son  and  a  daughter 
have  been  born  to  them:  George  B.,  who  married  Miss  Helen  L.  Hannay,  and 
has  three  children,  EUzabeth,  Nancy  and  William  H. ;  and  Nancy  Grace,  at 
home  with  her  parents. 

Mr.  Grace  has  never  sought  to  figure  in  public  life,  possessing  a  nature  of 
quiet  refinement  rather  than  one  that  seeks  to  be  constantly  before  the  people. 
However,  he  has  always  been  a  good  citizen  as  he  was  a  loyal  and  patriotic 
soldier,  the  memories  of  the  days  upon  the  battlefields  being  revived  frequently 
in  the  meetings  of  his  fellow  members  of  the  Grand  Army  post  at  Davenport, 
of  which  he  was  commander  several  times. 


THOMAS  GRIEVE. 


Thomas  Grieve,  a  retired  farmer  of  Davenport  and  one  of  the  early  pioneer 
settlers  of  Scott  county,  was  born  in  Scotland  on  the  1st  of  July,  1838,  his  parents 
being  John  and  Elizabeth  (Robinson)  Grieve.  In  1844  they  sailed  from  Liverpool, 
England,  and  after  an  ocean  voyage  of  ten  weeks  landed  at  New  Orleans,  Louisi- 
ana. In  company  with  three  other  families,  they  at  once  made  their  way  up  the 
Mississippi  to  Davenport,  though  that  was  the  year  in  which  the  river  was  espe- 
cially high.  After  arriving  in  this  county  they  purchased  forty  acres  of  prairie 
land  near  Long  Grove  and  for  about  two  years  the  family  lived  in  a  sod  house 
which  the  father  had  erected.  Later  he  built  a  more  substantial  residence,  im- 
proved his  land,  put  up  fences  and  also  added  to  his  landed  holdings  by  additional 
purchase  from  time  to  time  until  he  owned  three  hundred  and  forty  acres.  In 
connection  with  his  agricultural  interests  he  also  worked  at  the  blacksmith's  trade 
to  some  extent,  doing  odd  jobs  for  the  neighbors.  The  largest  plow  ever  made  in 
Scott  county  was  the  work  of  his  hands.    It  was  used  for  breaking  prairie  and 


THOMAS  CiltlEVE 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  813 

would  cut  a  furrow  thirty-six  inches  wide,  seven  yoke  of  oxen  being  required  to 
pull  it.  For  many  years  his  mother  had  charge  of  the  postofifice  at  Long  Grove' 
which  she  conducted  at  her  own  home  with  the  assistance  of  her  son  Thomas,  who 
was  a  blacksmith.  She  lived  to  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-one  years  and  was  a 
great  favorite  with  the  old  settlers. 

John  Grieve  was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Christian  church  at  Long  Grove 
and  exemplified  its  teachings  in  his  daily  life.  He  passed  away  in  i860,  at  the 
age  of  about  sixty-five  years,  and  thus  the  community  lost  one  of  its  most  re- 
spected and  valued  citizens.  The  demise  of  his  wife  occurred  in  1864  when  she 
had  attained  the  age  of  sixty-five  years.  Their  children  were  seven  in  number, 
as  follows :  Jennie,  who  is  deceased,  as  is  also  her  husband,  Andrew  L.  Thompson; 
John,  who  is  a  resident  of  Cahfornia ;  Mrs.  Ellen  McNutt,  who  has  likewise  passed 
away;  Thomas,  of  this  review;  WiUiam,  who  makes  his  home  in  Sioux  City; 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  William  Johnson,  of  Rock  Island,  Illinois ;  and  James,  who 
lives  in  Clay  county,  Iowa. 

Thomas  Grieve,  who  was  a  little  lad  of  six  years  when  he  came  to  this  county 
with  his  parents,  obtained  his  education  in  an  old  log  schoolhouse  at  Long  Grove 
and  then  assisted  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm  until  the  latter's  death. 
He  remained  on  the  old  family  homestead  until  the  time  of  his  retirement,  devot- 
ing his  attention  to  its  further  cultivation  and  improvement  throughout  his  entire 
business  career.  For  two  years  he  received  a  premium  at  the  Scott  county  fair 
for  the  best  conducted  farm  in  the  county.  After  putting  aside  the  active  work  of 
the  fields  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  lived  retired  in  the 
enjoyment  of  well  earned  ease. 

On  the  30th  of  June,  1870,  Mr.  Grieve  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mar- 
garet Lang,  a  native  of  Long  Grove,  Iowa,  and  a  daughter  of  John  and  Margaret 
(Young)  Lang,  who  lived  to  celebrate  their  sixtieth  wedding  anniversary.  At 
that  time  the  following  article  appeared  in  the  Davenport  paper :  "Surrounded  by 
their  seven  children  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Lang,  of  141 1  LeClaire  street,  on  Tues- 
day evening  quietly  celebrated  their  sixtieth  wedding  anniversary.  Supper  was 
served  at  seven  o'clock  and  the  only  persons  at  the  table  except  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lang  and  their  children  were  Galvin  Lang,  of  Brooklyn,  Iowa,  a  brother  of  Mr. 
Lang,  and  Thomas  Grieve,  of  Davenport,  a  son-in-law.  It  is  a  curious  fact  that 
on  March  6th  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Galvin  Lang  celebrated  their  golden  wedding  anni- 
versary at  Brooklyn,  Iowa,  and  there  is  just  ten  years'  difference  in  the  age  of  the 
brothers,  John  being  the  elder.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lang  were  born  in  Scotland  in 
the  year  1824,  Mr.  Lang's  birth  occurring  on  the  15th  of  April,  while  his  wife's 
natal  day  was  February  27th.  They  were  married  in  Scotland  in  1846  and  the 
following  year  emigrated  to  America,  locating  in  Pennsylvania,  where  Mr.  Lang 
followed  the  carpenter's  trade  for  four  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period, 
in  185 1,  he  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  settling  on  a  farm  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
east  of  Eldridge.  In  1886,  having  accumulated  a  handsome  competence  through 
the  careful  conduct  of  his  agricultural  interests,  he  left  the  farm  and  has  since 
lived  retired  in  Davenport.  Unto  him  and  his  wife  were  born  ten  children,  three 
of  whom  have  passed  away.  Those  who  still  survive  are  as  follows :  Mrs.  Thomas 
Grieve  and  Mrs.  Agnes  Brownlie,  who  live  in  Davenport;  Mrs.  William  Hall, 
Mrs.  John  Howe,  Mrs.  R.  J.  Breckenridge  and  J.  B.  Lang,  all  of  whom  reside 


814  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

in  Brooklyn,  Iowa;  and  Galvin  J.  Lang,  of  Des  Moines.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John 
Lang  have  twenty-six  grandchildren  and  four  great-grandchildren."  This  worthy 
couple  have  since  been  called  to  their  final  rest,  Mr.  Lang  passing  away  on  the 
1st  of  July,  1909,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years,  while  his  wife  died  on  the  22d 
of  November  following.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grieve  became  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren, the  record  of  whom  is  as  follows.  Margaret,  the  first  born,  died  at  the  age 
of  three  years.  John,  who  makes  his  home  in  Washington,  wedded  Miss  Nellie 
Hailing,  by  whom  he  has  two  children,  Wallace  and  Bruce.  Jennie,  who  gave 
her  hand  in  marriage  to  Alexander  Shadbolt,  of  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  is  the  mother 
of  one  child,  Mark;  Edward  T.,  living  in  Brooklyn,  Iowa,  married  Miss  Zella 
Frizzell. 

Mr.  Grieve  is  a  faithful  member  of  the  Christian  church  in  Davenport  and 
formerly  belonged  to  the  church  of  that  denomination  at  Long  Grove,  serving  as 
one  of  its  deacons  for  a  number  of  years.  The  period  of  his  residence  in  Scott 
county  covers  two-thirds  of  a  century  and  he  has  been  an  interested  witness  of  the 
transformation  that  has  been  wrought  as  pioneer  conditions  have  given  way  be- 
fore the  onward  march  of  civilization.  He  is  now  in  the  seventy-second  year  of 
his  age  and  that  his  life  has  ever  been  upright  and  honorable  is  indicated  by  the 
fact  that  the  associates  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  are  still  numbered  among  his 
stanch  friends  and  admirers. 


U.  N.  ROBERTS. 


When  nature  takes  its  course  and  man  arrives  at  old  age  and  then  passes  from 
the  scene  of  earthly  activities,  sorrow  is  often  felt,  but  not  the  intense  regret 
which  comes  when  the  young  man  whose  career  of  usefulness  has  scarcely  begun, 
is  taken.  In  the  midst  of  a  career  in  which  he  was  using  wisely  and  intelligently 
the  talents  with  which  nature  endowed  him,  U.  N.  Roberts  was  called  from 
this  life  and  only  the  memory  of  his  noble  manhood,  his  upright  citizenship  and 
his  splendid  business  and  executive  abilities  tempered  the  poignant  grief  that 
was  everywhere  felt  by  those  who  had  met  him  through  commercial  or  social  re- 
lations. In  the  little  rock-ribbed  country  of  Wales  his  birth  occurred,  the  place 
of  his  nativity  being  the  town  of  Ruabon,  while  his  natal  day  was  October  30, 
1841.  Eight  years  passed  and  in  1849  he  accompanied  his  parents  as  they  crossed 
the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world  and  established  their  home  in  Neenah,  Wisconsin. 
Ten  days  later  the  family  were  appalled  by  the  death  of  the  husband  and  father 
and  upon  the  widowed  mother  devolved  the  care,  support  and  protection  of 
her  children.  Struggles  and  trials  confronted  the  family  and  the  financial  con- 
dition made  it  imperative  that  the  sons  should  aid  in  their  own  support  as  soon 
as  possible.  Therefore  at  a  tender  age  U.  N.  Roberts  sought  employment  and 
the  spelndid  establishment  of  which  he  was  the  head  became  the  measure  of 
his  ability  and  enterprise,  for  his  success  was  attributable  entirely  to  his  own 
labors. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1866,  when  in  his  twenty-fifth  year,  Mr.  Roberts  came 
to  Davenport,  intent  upon  establishing  himself  in  some  business  which  he  under- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  815 

stood  and  therefore  which  would  constitute  for  him  the  avenue  that  he  might 
travel  toward  the  goal  of  success.  He  had  already  had  experience  in  the  manu- 
facture of  sash  and  doors  while  in  Wisconsin  and  with  the  resolve  that  his  labor 
should  directly  benefit  himself  he  rented  a  room  on  Perry  street  and  on  the 
2Sth  of  April,  1866,  there  embarked  in  business  on  his  own  account,  with  a 
total  capital  of  but  six  hundred  and  seventy-two  dollars.  He  at  once  began 
the  manufacture  of  sash,  doors  and  blinds  and  though  the  enterprise  was  started 
on  a  small  scale,  the  business  gradually  developed  until  it  became  one  of  the 
mammoth  productive  industries  of  the  city.  He  carefully  solved  each  business 
problem  as  it  came  to  him,  drawing  from  his  previous  experiences  for  the  right 
answer  to  the  question  and  also  making  demand  upon  his  initiative  spirit  that  he 
might  formulate  and  execute  new  plans.  He  had  already  established  a  growing 
business  when  in  1869  disaster  in  the  shape  of  a  fire  stared  him  in  the  face.  His 
entire  plant  was  destroyed  but  by  determined  effort  and  renewed  perseverance  be 
was  again  soon  established  in  business  and  at  his  demise  left  an  enterprise  with 
extensive  trade  connections  and  founded  upon  an  unassailable  reputation  for 
commercial  integrity  and  probity.  The  impetus  which  he  gave  to  the  undertaking 
has  been  manifest  throughout  all  the  ensuing  years.  At  his  death  the  business 
was  continued  under  the  name  of  U.  N.  Roberts  &  Company  and  has  since  been 
incorporated  under  the  style  of  the  U.  N.  Roberts  Company,  with  a  paid  up 
capital  of  three  hundred  thousand  dollars.  The  plant  is  now  very  extensive  and 
the  scope  of  the  business  has  been  extended  to  include  doors,  sash,  blinds,  inte- 
rior finish,  art  and  prismatic  glass.  In  all  matters  of  material  concern  affecting 
the  prosperity  of  Davenport,  the  city  of  his  adoption  and  pride,  Mr.  Roberts 
took  deep  interest.  He  was  especially  concerned  in  the  effort  to  secure  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Davenport  &  Northwestern  Railroad  to  the  city  and  his  efforts 
in  this  as  well  as  in  other  lines  were  crowned  with  success. 

The  spirit  of  commercialism  was  by  no  means  the  dominant  element  in  the 
life  of  Mr.  Roberts,  who  believed  with  Lincoln  "There  is  something  better  than 
making  a  living — ^making  a  life."  He  was  never  neglectful  of  those  interests 
which  tend  to  the  betterment  and  uplifting  of  the  individual  and  the  community 
at  large.  From  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  Davenport  he  was  a  liberal  supporter 
of  the  Congregational  church  and  aided  that  organization  very  materially  during 
the  period  of  its  financial  struggle.  About  four  years  prior  to  his  demise  he 
transferred  his  relation  to  the  Presbyterian  church  and  became  one  of  the  most 
highly  valued  adherents  of  that  organization,  serving  as  a  member  of  its  board 
of  trustees  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  always  in  attendance  at  church 
services  on  Sunday  and  the  midweek  meetings  and  by  financial  support  and 
influence  did  everything  in  his  power  to  promote  the  growth  and  extend  the 
cause  of  the  church.  For  years  he  was  also  one  of  the  liberal  members  of  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  and  before  his  death  had  made  generous 
plans  for  assisting  that  organization  in  its  efforts  to  erect  for  itself  a  building. 
He  was  president  of  that  organization  and  in  no  phase  of  Davenport's  life  was 
his  loss  more  keenly  felt.  Charitable  in  spirit,  he  gave  freely  to  many  ben- 
evolences and  was  ever  ready  to  extend  a  helping  hand  to  those  in  need  of  as- 
sistance. 


816  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

On  the  17th  of  June,  1868,  Mr.  Roberts  was  married  to  Miss  Julia  A.  Rora- 
back,  the  second  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Rhoda  Roraback,  of  South  Bend,  In- 
diana, the  marriage  ceremony  being  performed  by  Rev.  Thomas  P.  Campbell. 
Unto  them  were  born  two  children.  To  his  family  he  was  most  devoted,  count- 
ing no  personal  effort  or  sacrifice  on  his  part  too  great  if  it  would  promote  the 
happiness  or  enhance  the  welfare  of  the  members  of  his  own  household.  He 
passed  away  September  7,  1877,  after  an  illness  of  about  a  month.  His  memory 
is  perpetuated  in  the, splendid  industrial  establishment  which  he  founded,  but 
more  than  that,  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  knew  him.  All  were  glad  to  call 
him  friend  because  of  the  warmth  of  his  nature  and  the  fact  that  he  stood  for 
that  which  is  highest  and  noblest  in  human  affairs.  At  the  time  of  his  demise 
one  of  the  city  papers  said  of  him :  "A  good  man  and  a  pubUc-spirited  citizen  has 
fallen.  In  such  a  death  Davenport  suffers  a  real  and  serious  loss.  Mr.  Roberts 
was  emphatically  a  growing  man.  Already,  young  as  he  was,  he  filled  a  wide 
place  in  our  city.  Had  his  life  been  spared  a  few  years  longer,  the  real  strength 
and  nobility  of  his  character  would  assuredly  have  won  for  him  a  still  higher 
place  in  the  city  and  in  public  life." 


JOHN  ADOLPH  OTTO. 

On  the  2d  of  October,  1909,  there  occurred  an  event  which  caused  general 
mourning  in  Blue  Grass  township — the  death  of  John  Adolph  Otto.  In  him 
were  embodied  the  virtues  of  the  early  pioneers — ^the  steadfast  purpose,  rugged 
integrity  and  moral  zeal — virtues  to  which  the  splendid  civilization  of  Scott 
county  is  indebted  for  its  wonderful  development  and  progress. 

Mr.  Otto,  who  was  born  in  Pommern,  Germany,  January  11,  1832,  came  with 
his  parents,  Adolph  and  Sophie  Otto,  and  the  other  members  of  the  family,  to 
the  new  world  in  1847.  They  were  fourteen  weeks  and  three  days  on  the  water, 
landing  at  Boston,  Massachusetts,  where  John  Otto  and  his  brother  Bernard 
remained  for  two  years,  but  the  parents  continued  their  journey  westward. 
They  lived  in  Davenport  one  year,  subsequent  to  which  time  the  father  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  land  from  the  government  and  this  tract  is  still  in  pos- 
session of  the  family,  being  now  owned  by  Louis  Otto,  a  son  of  Bernard  Otto. 
The  father  after  coming  into  possession  of  this  land  set  to  work  in  earnest  to 
improve  and  develop  the  place.  He  made  his  home  throughout  his  remaining 
years  on  the  farm  where  his  son  August  now  lives. 

John  Adolph  Otto  was  a  youth  of  fifteen  years  when  he  accompanied  his 
parents  on  their  emigration  to  America  and  on  his  arrival  he  sought  immediate 
employment,  so  that  all  the  education  he  acquired  was  in  the  schools  of  his  na- 
tive country.  As  above  stated,  he  remained  in  Boston  for  two  years  after  com- 
ing to  the  new  world  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  joined  his  father  in  Scott 
county.  Upon  his  arrival  in  this  county  he  at  once  took  up  farming  and  this 
continued  to  be  his  occupation  until  his  death.  He  started,  as  do  most  settlers, 
in  a  humble  way,  but  he  possessed  that  tenacity  of  purpose  that  led  him  upward 
to  success,  and  when  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest,  on  the  2d  of  October,  1909, 


UR.  AND  MRS.  JOFTX  ADOLPII  OTTO 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  819 

he  owned  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Scott  county  and  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Muscatine  county,  Iowa. 

After  reaching  years  of  maturity  Mr.  Otto  sought  a  companion  and  helpmate 
in  the  person  of  Miss  Wilhelmina  Schnore,  who  was  likewise  born  in  Germany 
but  at  the  time  of  their  marriage  was  residing  in  Scott  county.  With  the  mother 
two  sons  and  three  daughters  survive  the  father's  death :  Matilda,  living  in  Du- 
rant;  Carl,  also  of  that  city;  Albertina,  the  wife  of  Davie  Ruwe,  also  of  Du- 
rant;  Wilhelmina,  the  wife  of  Charles  Rohlk,  a  resident  of  Durant;  and  August. 

The  last  named  was  reared  under  the  parental  roof,  continuing  to  assist  his 
father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm  until  the  latter's  death.  He  is  now  oper- 
ating the  farm  on  his  own  account  and  is  a  most  enterprising  and  prosperous 
young  farmer,  whose  business  methods  are  such  as  commend  him  to  the  admira- 
tion and  respect  of  the  community.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Louisa  Kronen- 
berg,  a  daughter  of  Henry  Kronenberg,  who  made  his  home  in  Blue  Grass  town- 
ship but  is  now  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Otto  have  one  daughter,  Wilma,  who 
was  born  December  ii,  1907. 

The  Otto  family  has  always  been  numbered  among  those  of  worth  and 
prominence  in  Blue  Grass  township.  John  Otto  was  identified  with  its  agri- 
cultural interests  for  almost  six  decades  and  his  son  is  still  continuing  along  that 
line,  fully  sustaining  the  reputation  that  was  always  borne  by  his  honored 
father. 


JAMES  C.  MURRAY. 


Among  the  many  citizens  of  Davenport,  the  active  years  of  whose  life  have 
been  devoted  to  agricultural  pursuits  is  James  C.  Murray,  who  owns  one  hun- 
dred acres  of  fine  land  in  Davenport  township,  about  two  and  a  half  miles 
from  the  Orphans'  Home,  on  the  Orphans'  Home  Road.  He  was  born  January 
13,  1845,  ^nd  is  a  son  of  George  and  Esther  (Croyle)  Murray.  The  father  was 
born  in  Scotland  and  was  the  first  of  his  family  to  come  to  this  country.  He 
settled  and  lived  for  a  time  in  Pennsylvania,  and  then  in  1855  came  to  Scott 
county,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  for  many  years.  Later,  having  gained 
a  success  from  his  vocation  he  retired  from  active  Hfe,  taking  up  his  residence 
in  the  city. 

James  C.  Murray  was  about  ten  years  of  age  when  his  father  moved  to  Iowa, 
but  nevertheless  his  education  has  been  derived  entirely  from  the  schools  of 
Scott  county.  While  it  was  meager  compared  to  that  given  to  pupils  today,  it 
amply  fitted  him,  when  it  was  united  to  the  practical  training  received  at  home, 
for  the  responsibilities  of  life  and  for  the  attainment  of  success.  When  he  started 
out  for  himself  in  the  world  of  work  and  men,  he  continued  in  the  vocation  to 
which  he  had  been  reared,  and  added  stock-raising  to  the  general  cultivation 
of  the  soil.  Chicago  and  Davenport  were  his  principal  markets,  and  his  stock, 
always  well  kept,  ever  commanded  large  prices.  About  twenty  years  ago  he 
rented  his  land,  some  of  the  finest  and  most  arable  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Davenport,  and  took  up  his  residence  in  the  city.    He  has  a  comfortable  home  at 


820  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

1517  Le  Claire  street,  where  he  enjoys  a  well  deserved  rest  from  the  hard  toil 
of  life. 

At  the  opening  of  the  year  of  1880  Mr.  Murray  was  united  in  the  bonds  of 
wedlock  to  Miss  Susie  K.  Kober,  a  daughter  of  Christian  Kober.  One  son. 
Christian,  was  born  to  them;  but  passed  away  in  early  life.  Although  success- 
ful in  his  business,  Mr.  Murray  has  had  no  desire  to  enter  the  arena  of  public 
affairs.  He  has,  however,  joined  the  ranks  of  the  Masons,  and  is  not  infre- 
quently present  at  the  meetings  of  the  Davenport  lodge. 


ISAAC  CODY. 


Isaac  Cody,  the  father  of  "Buffalo  Bill,"  the  famous  scout,  Indian  fighter 
and  showman,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Scott  county.  He  was  bom 
and  reared  near  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  was  there  married,  but  his  wife  diea 
soon  afterward,  leaving  a  little  daughter,  Martha.  Mr.  Cody  then  went  to  Cin- 
cinnati with  the  intention  of  studying  medicine  but  about  that  time  the  territory 
of  Iowa  was  opened  for  settlement  and  he  decidecl  to  emigrate  to  what  was 
then  the  far  west.  In  the  meantime  he  had  wedded  Miss  Mary  Laycock,  of 
Cincinnati,  and  unto  them  were  born  seven  children,  namely:  Samuel,  Julia, 
William  F.,  Eliza,  Helen,  May  and  Charles. 

Mr.  Cody  followed  farming  most  of  the  time  during  his  twelve  years'  resi- 
dence in  Scott  county.  In  the  spring  of  1852  he  removed  with  his  family  to 
Weston,  Missouri,  and  as  soon  as  the  territory  of  Kansas  was  opened  for  settle- 
ment he  was  among  the  first  to  enter,  residing  there  all  through  the  period  of 
the  troubles  that  antedated  the  Civil  war.  Mr.  Cody  was  an  outspoken  free- 
state  man  and  on  one  occasion,  while  making  a  speech  in  defense  of  his  prin- 
ciples, he  was  stabbed  in  the  back  by  a  Missourian  and  was  forced  to  leave 
the  territory,  for  his  life  was  constantly  in  danger.  Therefore  he  returned  east 
to  his  native  state  of  Ohio,  where  he  made  many  speeches  in  favor  of  the  ad- 
mission of  Kansas  into  the  Union  as  a  free  state.  On  his  return  to  Kansas  he 
passed  through  Iowa  and  delivered  speeches  in  Davenport  and  Le  Claire.  He 
was  a  very  active  man  in  making  Kansas  a  part  of  the  free  territory,  although 
he  did  not  live  to  realize  his  one  great  ambition,  which  was  tO'  see  Kansas  be- 
come a  pro-white  state. 

His  son,  William  F.  Cody,  known  throughout  the  world  as  "Buffalo  Bill," 
was  bom  in  Le  Claire  township,  February  26,  1845,  on  what  is  at  present  known 
as  the  John  S.  Wilson  farm,  a  mile  and  a  half  northwest  of  the  town.  It  ap- 
pears that  Mrs.  Cody  had  already  selected  a  name  if  her  child  should  be  a  boy 
and  on  being  informed  that  such  was  the  case  she  immediately  announced  that 
his  name  should  be  William  Frederick.  The  family  lived  in  Scott  county  until 
1852  and  there  were  in  addition  to  the  parents  six  children,  as  follows :  Martha, 
Julia,  William,  Eliza,  Helen  and  May.  Samuel,  the  eldest  son,  had  been  killed 
while  riding  an  unbroken  colt  at  Walnut  Grove,  where  the  family  had  been 
living  for  a  year.  W.  F.  Cody  at  that  time  was  a  tall,  dark-haired  boy,  seven 
years  old,  and  was  very  fond  of  horses.    Already  he  could  manage  a  team  as 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  821 

well  as  any  ordinary  man  and,  in  fact,  he  drove  one  of  his  father's  teams  on 
the  trip  to  western  Missouri,  which  was  in  the  year  1852.  In  the  year  1857 
his  father  died,  leaving  him,  at  the  tender  age  of  twelve  years,  the  sole  pro- 
tector and  support  of  the  family.  After  the  father's  death  he  struck  out 
for  the  plains  and  engaged  in  herding  cattle,  driving  stage,  acting  as  a  pony 
express  rider  and  doing  other  such  wofk  as  was  incident  to  a  life  in  that  sec- 
tion of  the  country.  After  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  he  became  one  of 
the  famous  "red-legged  scouts,"  a  company  commanded  by  Captain  Tuff.  He 
served  for  two  years  and  then- joined  the  Seventh  Kansas,  known  as  Jenni- 
son's  Jayhawkers,  with  which  he  served  until  the  war  closed.  After  the  war 
he  returned  to  the  plains  and  was  a  scout  for  Generals  Sheridan,  Miles,  E.  A. 
Carr  and  others,  while  subsequently  he  became  associated  with  Ned  Buntlin 
in  the  show  business,  which  he  has  followed  continuously  and  at  this  writing, 
in  1910,  is  still  under  the  canvas.  His  mother,  Mrs.  Cody,  died  November  22, 
1863,  at  her  home  in  Kansas.  Said  one  who  knew  her  more  than  a  half  century 
ago:  "She  was  quite  a  literary  woman,  a  lady  in  every  sense  of  the  term;  a 
great  admirer  of  Queen  Victoria  and  proud  she  would  have  been  could  she 
have  lived  to  know  that  her  son,  William  Frederick,  was  the  only  American 
ever  granted  special  favors  by  the  queen  of  England." 


CHARLES  T.  KINDT. 


Charles  T.  Kindt,  one  of  the  most    progressive    and    prominent    theatrical 
managers  of  the  west,  his  business  enterprise  and  discrimination  being  evidenced 
in  his  successful  control  of  over  fifty  theaters  which  he  owns  and  many  others 
which  he  represents,  was  born  in  Sandusky,  Ohio,  May  28,  1862.     His  father, 
Louis  Kindt,  a  native  of  Germany,  was  born  January  i,  1826.  ,  The  grandfather 
held  a  high  official  position  in  the  province  of  Baden  and,  greatly  interested  in 
the  political  situation  of  the  country,  became  connected  with  the  revolution  of  1848 
as  one  of  the  leaders  in  the  movement  that  sought  greater  liberty  for  the  people. 
He  was  a  man  of  wide  influence,  who  died  shortly  after  his  capture  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-two  years.    His  son,  Louis  Kindt,  then  sailed  for  the  new 
world,  hoping  here  to  enjoy  the  liberty  that  was  denied  him  in  his  native  country. 
The  vessel  in  which  he  sailed  was  wrecked  on  the  voyage  and  he  spent  three 
days  floating  on  a  raft,  after  which  he  was  picked  up  off  the  banks  of  New- 
foundland and  landed  on  American  shores.     At  length  he  settled  at  Pottsdam, 
Pennsylvania.     He  was  a  man  of  liberal  education,  having  studied  at  Heidel- 
berg University,  his  taste  and  talent  for  art  leading  him  to  pursue  a  course  along 
that  line.     He  first  engaged  in  teaching  in  Pottsdam  but  after  a  brief  period 
turned  his  attention  to  his  chosen  profession  and  became    one    of    the    most 
famous  scenic  artists  in  the  entire  country.    He  passed  by  successive  and  logical 
steps  into  the  theatrical  business  as  a  promoter  of  theatrical  interests  in  vari- 
ous cities.     He  now  lives  in  Kenosha,  Wisconsin,  and  while  he  has  practically 
retired  from  active  business  still  paints  for  his  own  amusement  and  recreation 
and  is  accounted  a  connoisseur  of  art,  while  his  ability  in  production  has  placed 


822  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

him  among  the  eminent  representatives  of  his  line.  Among  his  most  famous 
productions  are  the  Battle  of  Lookout  Mountain  and  the  Battle  of  Gettysburg, 
painted  by  him  for  exhibit  as  cycloramas.  In  the  centennial  year  1876  he  was 
chosen  as  the  artist  for  and  had  charge  of  the  pageant  at  Davenport. 

In  his  younger  days  Charles  T.  Kindt  traveled  from  place  to  place  with  his 
father  but  his  education  was  not  neglected,  as  he  attended  school  in  various 
cities,  becoming  a  high  school  student  in  Chicago.  He  afterward  took  up  the 
business  of  wood  engraving  and  followed  it  until  the  process  of  photo-engraving 
was  discovered,  when  he  realized  that  there  was  then  no  future  for  him  as  a 
carver  of  wood.  Accordingly  he  turned  his  attention  to  his  father's  profession 
of  scenic  painting  and  in  1887  came  to  Davenport  to  paint  the  scenery  for  the 
new  Turner  Hall.  Favorably  impressed  with  the  city  and  its  people,  he  remained 
here  and  has  never  regretted  his  choice.  He  assumed  the  management  of  the 
theater  in  Turner  Hall  and  extended  the  scope  of  his  efforts,  becoming  a  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  Chamberlin,  Harrington  &  Kindt,  forming  what  is  now  known 
as  the  I.  &  I.  circuit  of  theaters,  owning  and  conducting  over  fifty  theaters 
and  representing  several  hundreds  of  others.  To  Mr.  Kindt  and  his  associates 
is  due  the  excellent  class  of  amusements  given  to  the  public  through  the  avenue 
of  the  theaters  which  they  own  and  the  theatrical  business  is  so  ably  managed  that 
success  has  followed  as  the  immediate  result  of  their  labors.  Mr.  Kindt  is  also 
largely  interested  in  advertising  and  is  the  president  of  the  Western  Theatrical 
Managers  Association,  having  three  times  been  elected  to  the  ofifice.  In  1882 
Mr.  Kindt  was  married  to  Miss  Nellie  Stoddard,  a  native  of  Kenosha,  Wis- 
consin, and  they  have  three  children:  Caroline,  now  the  wife  of  S.  B.  Fields; 
Charles  Roy,  associated  with  his  father  in  business ;  and  Julia  Helen.  Mr.  Kindt 
is  a  member  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  the  Turners  and 
a  large  number  of  professional  societies.  He  is  genial  and  popular  not  only 
with  his  fellow  townsmen  but  with  theatrical  people  and  all  with  whom  busi- 
ness relations  bring  him  in  contact.  Catering  to  the  human  need  for  amuse- 
ment through  the  avenue  of  the  theater,  he  is  giving  to  the  public  entertain- 
ment that  is  of  a  recreative  and  most  interesting  character  and  through  the 
medium  of  the  circuit  which  has  been  established  attractions  are  secured  for 
various  towns  which  otherwise  would  not  have  the  opportunity  to  hear  first- 
class  entertainments. 


VERNER  E.  HAYWARD. 

Verner  E.  Hayward  is  a  college  man  and  a  most  successful  and  prominent 
representative  of  the  business  circles  of  Davenport,  where  he  is  widely  known 
as  secretary,  treasurer  and  general  manager  of  the  Davenport  Ladder  Company. 
He  was  born  in  Garner,  Iowa,  November  15,  1882,  a  son  of  the  Hon.  W.  C. 
Hayward,  secretary  of  state.  He  was  only  three  years  of  age  when  the  family 
came  to  this  city  and  the  public  schools  afforded  him  his  preliminary  educational 
opportunities.  Following  his  graduation  from  the  high  school  with  the  class  of 
1900  he  continued  his  studies  in  the  Iowa  State  College  at  Ames  and  in  Cornell 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  823 

College  at  Mount  Vernon,  Iowa.  He  then  entered  the  field  of  manufacture  and 
is  now  associated  with  one  of  the  city's  most  important  productive  industries 
as  the  secretary,  treasurer  and  general  manager  of  the  Davenport  Ladder  Com- 
pany, of  which  W.  C.  Hayward  is  the  president.  This  concern  conducts  a 
very  extensive  business  and  although  a  young  man,  not  yet  having  completed 
three  decades,  Mr.  Hayward  manages  the  enterprise  with  marked  capability, 
discretion  and  force.  He  possesses  in  large  measure  that  quality  which  for  want 
of  a  better  term  has  been  called  commercial  sense — a  ready  recognition  of  op- 
portunities, combined  with  an  intelligent  use  thereof. 

In  September,  1904,  Mr.  Hayward  was  married  to  Miss  Kate  Ford,  a  native 
of  Manchester,  Iowa,  and  they  have  one  son,  William  Ford,  born  August  8, 
1907.  Mr.  Hayward  belongs  to  Davenport  Lodge,  No.  37,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. ; 
Davenport  Chapter,  No.  16,  R.  A.  M. ;  St.  Simon  of  Cyrene  Commandery,  No. 
9,  K.  T. ;  the  Davenport  Commercial  Club ;  and  other  local  organizations. 


PETER  SOENKE. 


Peter  Soenke,  now  deceased,  was  numbered  among  those  representative 
American  citizens  who  claim  Germany  as  the  place  of  their  nativity  but  who 
in  America  find  opportunity  for  advancement  and  progress  along  business  lines. 
Born  in  Schleswig-Holstein  on  the  19th  of  February,  1834,  he  was  a  son  of 
Hans  and  Christina  Soenke,  both  natives  of  that  province,  the  former  born  un 
the  loth  of  August,  1803,  and  the  latter  on  the  14th  of  August,  1802.  In  1853 
the  family  came  to  America,  landing  at  New  Orleans,  from  which  place  they 
made  their  way  northward  to  Iowa,  locating  in  Scott  county.  The  father  car- 
ried on  agricultural  pursuits  in  Blue  Grass  township  in  the  capacity  of  renter 
for  a  number  of  years,  after  which  he  purchased  a  farm  upon  which  he  con- 
tinued to  reside  until  his  demise,  which  occurred  on  the  5th  of  August,  1884. 

Peter  Soenke  acquired  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  country  and 
remained  a  resident  of  the  fatherland  until  the  removal  of  the  family  to  the 
United  States,  when  he  was  about  nineteen  years  of  age.  After  his  arrival  in 
Scott  county  he  assisted  his  father  in  his  agricultural  pursuits  until  1859,  when 
he  went  to  California  and  spent  nearly  six  years  prospecting  for  gold.  In  the 
meantime  he  located  a  claim  which  he  later  sold,  and  after  returning  to  Scott 
county  in  1865  purchased  a  farm  in  Blue  Grass  township  which  had  previously 
been  owned  by  his  father  and  which  is  now  in  the  possession  of  Peter  F.  Soenke. 
There  he  continued  to  carry  on  general  farming  for  a  number  of  years,  and 
in  this  line  of  activity  became  very  successful,  at  the  time  of  his  death  owning 
a  valuable  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Scott  county  and  a  tract  of 
similar  size  in  Muscatine  county,  all  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He  was 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company  of  German  House- 
holders and  at  the  time  of  his  demise  was  one  of  the  trustees  of  that  company. 

On  the  17th  of  December,  1867,  Mr.  Soenke  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Catherine  Rohwer,  a  daughter  of  Jurgen  Rohwer,  a  native  of  Schleswig-Hol- 
stein, Germany,  and  unto  this  union  were  bom  nine  children,  namely:  Hans 


824  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

William,  who  married  Clara  Schlichting  and  is  a  prosperous  agriculturist  of  Blue 
Grass  township,  where  he  owns  two  farms  and  is  -also  a  stockholder  in  the 
Blue  Grass  Savings  Bank;  Peter  F.  Soenke,  born  on  the  29th  of  March,  1873, 
who  married  Emma  F.  lUian,  a  daughter  of  WilHam  F.  lUian,  of  Scott  county, 
and  who  is  now  the  owner  of  the  original  Soenke  farm,  where  he  makes  bis 
home,  being  also  a  stockholder  in  the  Blue  Grass  Savings  Bank,  a  part  owner 
of  a  creamery  in  Clay  county,  Iowa,  and  a  member  of  the  Knights,  of  Pythias 
lodge  at  Walcott;  George  F.,  who  married  Olga  Schuett,  a  daughter  of  Theo- 
dore Schuett,  of  Scott  county,  and  owns  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
acres  just  south  of  Walcott;  Carl  H.,  who  married  Agnes  Gollinghorst  and  is 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  in  Muscatine  county;  Ernest  E.,  who  married 
Hertha  Haller  and  resides  in  Davenport;  Fred  H.,  who  makes  his  home  with 
his  mother  on  what  is  known  as  Locust  street  road  near  Davenport;  Anna  C, 
the  wife  of  Louis  Puck,  of  Davenport  township ;  Emma  C,  who  wedded  Albert 
Illian,  of  Blue  Grass;  and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Soenke  was  a  member  of  Scott  Lodge,  No. 
■^T,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Davenport,  while  politically  his  views  were  in  accord  with 
the  principles  of  the  democratic  party.  He  was  at  one  time  township  trustee 
of  Blue  Grass  township  and  for  several  years  served  as  school  director,  the 
cause  of  education  finding  in  him  a  warm  champion.  He  passed  to  his  final  rest 
on  the  loth  of  February,  1892,  and  with  his  death  Blue  Grass  township  lost 
one  of  its  representative  and  valued  citizens  who  had  ever  been  thoroughly  iden- 
tified with  its  interests  and  who,  during  the  period  of  his  residence  within  its 
borders,  had  gained  an  extensive  circle  of  warm  friends  who  entertained  for  him 
the  highest  regard  and  esteem  because  of  his  many  excellent  traits  of  character. 


GEORGE  W.  CURTIS. 


The  simple  weight  of  his  character  and  ability  has  carried  George  W.  Cur- 
tis into  important  relations  with  the  public  life  and  interests  of  Long  Grove, 
where  he  is  now  engaged  in  business  as  a  member  of  the  H.  W.  Meier  Auto- 
mobile Company.  He  was  formerly  for  many  years  a  leading  merchant  of  the 
town  and  the  methods  which  he  followed  might  well  serve  as  an  example  to 
those  who  wish  to  win  honorable  success. 

He  was  born  in  Davenport,  March  30,  i860.  His  father  died  when  the  son 
was  very  young,  and  he  was  adopted  by  Abraham  Curtis,  one  of  the  very  early 
settlers  of  the  county,  who  arrived  here  in  1852.  He  was  then  a  man  of  thirty- 
five  years,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Rensselaer  county.  New  York,  Febru- 
ary ID,  1817.  His  parents  were  Daniel  and  Mehitable  (Masters)  Curtis.  The 
former  died  in  the  Empire  state,  but  the  latter  came  to  Scott  county,  where  she 
passed  away  in  1889.  Abraham  Curtis  acquired  his  education  in  his  native 
county,  attending  the  district  schools  and  after  putting  aside  his  text-books  he 
gave  his  undivided  attention  to  farming  until  he  came  to  the  middle  west  with 
his  wife  in  1852.  With  Scott  county  as  his  destination,  he  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  government  land  near  the  present  town  of  Donahue  in 


ABRAHAi\[  CURTTS 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  827 

Hickory  Grove  township  at  four  dollars  per  acre.  This  was  wild  prairie,  but 
he  at  once  began  to  break  the  sod  and  soon  the  farm  was  under  cultivation, 
while  from  year  to  year  he  added  to  the  improvements  upon  the  place,  con- 
verting it  into  one  of  the  well  developed  properties  of  the  region.  He  resided 
thereon  until  the  spring  of  1881,  when  he  retired  from  active  farm  Ufe  and 
removed  to  Davenport.  While  residing  on  the  old  homestead  he  had  purchased 
other  land  from  time  to  time  until  he  was  the  owner  of  about  five  hundred 
acres  in  Scott  county  and  also  had  four  hundred  acres  in  Illinois.  His  capital 
was  thus  placed  in  the  safest  of  all  investments — real  estate — and  as  the  years 
went  by  he  met  with  substantial  prosperity  which  came  as  the  direct  reward  of 
his  earnest,  persistent  labor.  He  took  a  keen  interest  in  the  Methodist  church 
and  its  growth,  but  was  not  a  member.  His  wife  and  family  also  attended  that 
church.  Mr.  Curtis  passed  away  November  12,  1902,  and  his  remains  were  in- 
terred in  Pine  Hill  cemetery  at  Davenport.  His  wife,  who  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington county,  New  York,  April  i,  1819,  died  on  the  9th  of  April,  1893,  and 
she,  too,  was  laid  to  rest  at  Pine  Hill.  They  were  married  in  1851,  and  having 
no  children  of  their  own,  they  reared  three  adopted  children :  Abbie,  the  wife 
of  Dr.  J.  R.  Dosh,  of  Stuart,  Iowa;  Anna  I.,  the  wife  of  Lester  Adams,  of 
Eagle  Bridge,  New  York;  and  George  W. 

The  last  named  pursued  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Hickory 
Grove  township,  Cornell  College,  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  the  Davenport  Busi- 
ness College.  He  remained  with  his  foster  parents  in  Davenport  until  January, 
1884,  when  he  removed  to  Long  Grove  and  formed  a  partnership  with  M.  M. 
Rice.  They  purchased  a  store  and  stock  of  general  merchandise  from  O.  W. 
Richardson  &  Company  and  continued  together  in  business  for  two  years,  when 
Mr.  Curtis  purchased  his  partner's  interest  and  continued  alone  until  1901.  In 
the  conduct  of  his  mercantile  enterprise  he  met  with  substantial  success,  con- 
ducting a  profitable  business  until  he  sold  the  stock  to  Marriott  &  George.  He 
still  owns  the  building,  however.  While  still  engaged  in  general  merchandising 
he  established  the  Star  Creamery  of  Long  Grove  in  1890,  but  also  leased  that 
property  at  the  time  he  rented  his  store.  He  then  lived  retired  until  1909,  but 
indolence  and  idleness  are  utterly  foreign  to  his  nature  and  preferring  to  re- 
main an  active  factor  in  business  circles  he  formed  a  partnership  with  H.  W. 
Meier  and  G.  B.  Maxwell,  under  the  firm  name  of  the  H.  W.  Meier  Automobile 
Company.  They  handle  some  of  the  best  makes  of  motor  cars  and  are  suc- 
cessful in  the  past  year  in  filling  many  orders.  In  addition  to  his  interests  in 
this  line,  Mr.  Curtis  is  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  valuable 
land  in  Hickory  Grove  township  and  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Stockman's  Savings 
Bank  at  Long  Grove. 

On  the  25th  of  September,  1885,  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Curtis  and 
Miss  Minnie  Martindale,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mary  Ann  Martindale,  of 
whom  mention  is  made  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Curtis 
have  been  born  seven  children,  as  follows :  Raymond  A.,  who  is  acting  as  cash- 
ier in  the  Stockman's  Savings  Bank  at  Long  Grove;  Bessie  M.,  who  is  attend- 
ing college  at  Eureka,  Illinois;  LeRoy  M.,  Edith  M.,  Harold  T.,  Margaret  E. 
and  Robert,  all  still  under  the  parental  roof. 


828  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

The  family  are  members  of  the  Christian  church  at  Long  Grove,  in  which 
Mr.  Curtis  is  serving  as  elder.  He  has  also  acted  as  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday  school  and  at  the  present  time  his  son  is  filling  that  position.  Mr.  Curtis 
has  been  a  member  of  this  church  for  twenty-four  years  and  has  taken  a  most 
active  and  helpful  part  in  its  work  and  contributes  generously  to  its  support. 
He  was  treasurer  of  Long  Grove  for  more  than  fifteen  years.  He  and  his  chil- 
dren have  always  been  prominent  in  musical  circles  here,  all  possessing  good 
musical  ability,  well  developed,  and  Raymond  Curtis  is  now  acting  as  organist 
of  the  Christian  church.  Fraternally  Mr.  Curtis  is  associated  with  the  Wood- 
men of  the  World  at  Long  Grove,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of 
the  Court  of  Honor.  In  both  these  organizations  he  has  held  office,  and  for 
seventeen  years  he  filled  the  position  of  postmaster  of  Long  Grove,  being  first 
appointed  during  the  administration  of  President  Arthur  and  continuing  in  the 
position  by  reappointment  until  he  resigned  because  of  the  pressure  of  other 
business  interests.  He  has  been  a  directing  force  in  much  that  has  contributed 
to  the  city's  commercial  progress,  and  his  name  is  linked  with  many  of  the 
movements  and  measures  that  have  been  of  marked  value  in  promoting  the 
growth  of  the  town  along  other  commendable  lines.  His  life  work  has  always 
conformed  to  a  high  standard  of  upright  and  honorable  manhood  and  his  gen- 
uine personal  worth  is  acknowledged  by  all  who  know  him. 


J.  W.  GILCHRIST. 


A  native  of  Scotland  but  a  resident  of  this  country  since  a  lad  of  fourteen 
years,  J.  W.  Gilchrist  has  become  in  Davenport — the  city  of  his  adoption — one 
of  its  most  highly  honored  and  respected  citizens.  He  is  identified  with  that 
important  branch  of  industry — the  coal  and  lumber  business.  The  date  of  his 
birth  is  September  28,  1857,  and  his  parents  are  H.  M.  and  Mary  (Weir)  Gil- 
christ. His  father,  who  preceded  him  in  the  coal  and  lumber  business,  was  a 
man  of  means,  who  left  Caledonia,  Scotland,  in  1871  and  shortly  after  landing 
in  America  located  in  Rapids  City,  Illinois.  The  town  of  Gilchrist  in  Mercer 
county,  Illinois,  was  laid  out  by  him  and  received  his  name  becoming  a  place 
of  considerable  importance  in  the  coal  industry. 

J.  W.  Gilchrist  had  already  received  a  good  education  in  Scotland  when  he 
came  to  this  country.  He  was  so  situated  that  he  was  able  to  acquaint  himself 
with  all  the  details  of  his  father's  business  and  as  soon  as  he  had  attained  to 
sufficient  age  he  became  associated  with  that  gentleman.  Their  success  has 
been  good  and  as  a  matter  of  history  needs  no  comment. 

Mr.  Gilchrist  was  married  in  1877  to  Miss  Caroline  Schaechter,  and  to  them 
have  been  born  nine  children.  Hugh,  who  married  Miss  Elizabeth  McQuirk  and 
has  a  daughter,  Marjorie,  assists  his  father  in  the  lumber  and  coal  business. 
Mary  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Crowe  and  resides  in  Los  Angeles.  John  W.,  Jr., 
also  assists  his  father  in  the  business.  Grace  is  the  wife  of  John  Ploehm.  Ar- 
chibald is  a  student  at  Purdue  University.  Jean,  Charles,  Caroline  and  Helen 
are  all  at  school,  Caroline  being  enrolled  at  St.  Katherine's  school. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  829 

The  Gilchrist  home  is  among  the  most  attractive  in  the  city.  This  was  pur- 
chased upon  the  removal  of  the  family  of  Davenport  in  1899  and  it  was  origin- 
ally the  old  Fulton  home.  It  has  been  rebuilt  and  remodeled  and  is  both  hand- 
some and  picturesque,  commanding  as  it  does  a  fine  view  of  the  river. 

Mr.  Gilchrist  attends  the  Presbyterian  church  and  in  his  fraternal  relations 
he  is  a  Mason.  Resolute,  keen  and  upright,  exhibiting  in  his  Hfe  many  of  those 
traits  characteristic  of  his  Scotch  ancestry,  he  constitutes  in  himself  a  valuable 
factor  in  the  life  of  Davenport,  both  in  its  social  and  economic  relations. 


A.  H.  STOLTENBERG. 


A.  H.  Stoltenberg,  who,  free  from  ostentation  and  display,  is  nevertheless 
by  the  consensus  of  public  opinion  accorded  prominence  in  financial  circles  of 
Iowa  and  has  come  to  be  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  representatives  of 
banking  interests  in  this  state,  was  born  in  Blue  Grass  township,  this  county, 
on  the  14th  of  September,  1863.  His  father,  Heinrich  Stoltenberg,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Holstein,  Germany,  and  a  shipwright  by  trade.'  He  sailed  between  Liver- 
pool and  New  York  for  several  years  before  finally  taking  up  his  abode  in  Blue 
Grass  township  with  the  other  members  of  his  father's  family.  Turning  his 
attention  to  general  agricultural  pursuits,  he  became  prosperous  in  his  farming 
operations  and  was  well  known  as  one  of  the  reliable  and  enterprising  citizens 
of  his  community.  He  died  April  28,  1893.  His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Trina  Lamp,  was  a  native  of  Germany  and  a  member  of  one  of  the 
oldest  families  of  this  county,  represented  here  since  1846.  She  survived  her 
husband  for  several  years  and  passed  away  December  4,  1899. 

Reared  on  his  father's  farm,  A.  H.  Stoltenberg  pursued  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  the  county  and  afterward  took  charge  of  the  old  home- 
stead, which  he  continued  to  cultivate  for  fifteen  years,  bringing  the  fields 
under  a  high  state  of  development  and  carrying  on  his  work  along  the  most 
progressive  lines.  In  1900  he  removed  to  Davenport  and  became  interested  in  a 
number  of  business  ventures.  His  sound  judgment  and  keen  discernment  made 
his  cooperation  a  valued  factor  in  successful  management.  He  is  now  largely 
interested  in  banking,  being  connected,  with  a  number  of  banks  in  Davenport  as 
a  stockholder.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Lake  Park  (Iowa)  Bank 
and  the  State  Bank  of  Harris,  Iowa. 

Interested  as  all  American  citizens  should  be,  in  the  political  situation  of 
the  country,  he  has  thoroughly  informed  himself  concerning  the  questions  and 
issues  of  the  day  and  gives  stalwart  support  to  the  republican  party.  He  has 
no  desire  for  office,  but  during  his  absence  in  California  was  nominated  for  the 
legislature,  the  party  recognizing  that  he  would  be  a  strong  candidate  and  feel- 
ing moreover  that  his  sound  business  judgment  and  public-spirited  citizenship 
would  constitute  important  elements  in  the  adoption  of  wise  legislative  measures. 
He  served  through  the  thirtieth,  thirty-first  and  thirty-second  general  assemblies 
and  an  extraordinary  session  of  the  thirty-second,  representing  the  thirty-fourth 
district.     Each  question  that  came  up  for  settlement  received  his  earnest  and 


830  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

thoughful  consideration  and  such  is  the  regard  entertained  for  his  political  wis- 
dom and  sagacity  that  his  support  of  a  measure  also  secured  the  endorsement 
of  others.  He  has  held  a  number  of  minor  offices  and  yet  he  is  by  no  means  a 
politician,  for  his  preference  is  to  remain  free  from  entangling  alliances  with 
political  activity. 

In  1886  Mr.  Stoltenberg  was  married  to  Miss  Magdeline  Weise,  a  native  of 
Scott  county  and  a  daughter  of  Peter  Weise,  one  of  the  old  settlers  here.  They 
now  have  one  child,  Clara.  Mr.  Stoltenberg  is  prominent  in  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, having  attained  the  thirty-second  degree  of  the  Scottish  Rite,  while  he 
has  also  crossed  the  sands  of  the  desert  with  the  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine. 
He  seeks  no  notoriety  but  belongs  to  that  class  of  solid,  subtantial  citizens  whose 
genuine  worth  all  recognize.  He  represents  one  of  the  old  families  of  the  county, 
is  deeply  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  community  and  his  endorsement  of 
public  measures  usually  secures  them  other  followers. 


JAMES  GRELL. 


James  Grell,  who  is  now  practically  living  retired  on  his  farm  in  Aliens 
Grove  township,  formerly  led  a  very  active,  busy  and  useful  life  and  well  de- 
serves the  rest  which  he  now  enjoys.  He  was  born  in  Kiel,  Holstein,  Germany, 
March  10,  1839,  a  son  of  Frederick  and  Margaret  (Reinhardt)  Grell,  who  spent 
their  entire  lives  in  the  fatherland.  The  father  served  seven  years  in  the  German 
army  and  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  being  overseer  of  a  large  estate.  His 
family  numbered  five  ^ons  and  five  daughters,  but  only  four  came  to  the  United 
States,  these  being :  John,  who  is  now  deceased ;  James,  of  this  review ;  Claus, 
who  makes  his  home  in  Nebraska;  and  Katherine,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Henry  Steen  and  has  departed  this  life. 

James  Grell  spent  the  period  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  his  parents'  home 
and  when  fifteen  years  of  age  began  learning  the  wagonmaker's  trade,  which  he 
followed  until  he  attained  the  age  of  twenty-three  years.  Possessing  strong 
and  persevering  characteristics,  developed  by  his  earlier  environment,  which, 
coupled  with  the  Hvelier  impulses  of  the  Teutonic  blood  of  his  ancestors,  made 
him  at  that  time  seek  wider  fields  in  which  to  give  scope  to  his  ambition  and 
industry,  and  he  accordingly  emigrated  to  the  new  world.  His  brother  John 
had  preceded  him  to  America  and  was  located  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  Scott 
county.  This  fact  led  James  Grell  to  this  county,  and  he  here  worked  at  his 
trade  for  seventeen  years  on  the  farm  which  he  now  owns.  In  the  meantime 
he  had  purchased  small  tracts  of  timber  land  and  in  addition  to  working  at  his 
trade  of  wagonmaker,  he  cleared  and  developed  his  land,  putting  it  in  condition 
for  cultivation.  When  he  had  a  sufficient  amount  ready  to  plant  he  abandoned 
his  trade  and  gave  his  full  time  to  the  care  of  his  fields.  As  he  prospered  he 
kept  adding  to  his  original  purchase  until  he  now  owns  a  half  section  of  good 
farming  property,  located  on  section  27,  Aliens  Grove  township,  and  in  addition 
he  owns  one  hundred  acres  of  timber  land.  He  has  also  given  some  of  his  land 
to  his  sons,  for  at  one  time  he  was  the  owner  of  six  hundred  acres.    Mr.  Grell 


.ta:\]Ks  grell 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  833 

made  all  of  the  improvements  on  his  place,  the  family  occupying  a  comfortable 
home,  while  the  outbuildings  and  bams  are  all  arranged  with  a  view  to  conven- 
ience. For  many  years  he  was  busily  engaged  in  carrying  on  his  work,  but  he  is 
now  practically  living  retired,  merely  giving  supervision  to  his  interests,  while 
the  actual  labor  is  performed  by  others. 

Mr.  Grell  was  married  in  1862,  just  before  starting  on  his  trip  to  the  new 
world,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Margaret  Bliimer,  who  was  born  near 
Kiel,  Holstein,  Germany,  January  14,  1839.  She  was  a  daughter  of  David 
Blumer,  who  was  born  in  Switzerland.  The  young  couple  reached  their  destina- 
tion, Scott  county,  in  June,  1862,  and  here  reared  a  family  numbering  four  sons 
and  four  daughters.  Edward,  the  eldest,  is  at  home.  Julius  is  a  resident  of 
Hickory  Grove  township,  Scott  county,  and  is  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this,  work. 
Gus  is  also  mentioned  in  this  volume.  Dora  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Blanchard 
and  they  make  their  home  in  Oklahoma.  Emma  is  the  wife  of  Herman  Thede, 
a  resident  of  Hickory  Grove  township.  Minnie  is  the  wife  of  Claus  Engelhart 
and  they  make  their  home  with  Mr.  Grell.  Mr.  Engelhart  served  eight  years 
in  the  regular  army  in  Company  E,  Seventeenth  United  States  Infantry.  This 
service  included  the  Spanish-American  war  in  Cuba  and  thirteen  months  in  the 
Philippines,  where  he  acted  as  sergeant  of  his  company.  He  participated  in 
thirteen  engagements  during  his  eight  years'  service.  Chris,  the  next  member 
of  the  Grell  family,  resides  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  and  Jennie,  the  youngest, 
is  the  wife  of  John  Hoffman,  of  Winfield  township,  Scott  county.  The  wife 
and  mother  departed  this  life  on  the  ist  of  May,  1889,  when  about  fifty  years 
of  age. 

Mr.  Grell  is  a  democrat  in  his  political  affiliations,  and  for  a  quarter  of  a 
century  served  as  justice  of  the  peace,  his  efficiency  in  office  being  indicated 
by  his  long  term  of  service.  For  a  similar  period  he  also  acted  as  trustee  of 
his  tOAvnship.  He  has  always  taken  a  deep  interest  in  political  affairs,  and  is 
willing  to  lend  his  aid  and  cooperation  to  everything  that  tends  to  advance  the 
public  welfare.  Though  born  across  the  water,  he  is  thoroughly  American  in 
thought  and  feeling,  and  is  patriotic  and  sincere  in  his  love  for  the  stars  and 
stripes.  His  career  is  identified  with  the  history  of  Scott  county,  where  he  has 
acquired  a  competence  and  where  he  is  an  honored  and  respected  citizen. 


ALONZO  WILLIAM  CANTWELL,  M.  D. 

Few  men  have  had  firmer  hold  on  the  affection  of  their  fellow  townsmen 
than  Dr.  Alonzo  William  Cantwell  and  the  record  of  his  life  therefore  cannot 
fail  to  prove  of  interest  to  many  of  our  readers.  He  was  born  April  25,  1841, 
in  Mansfield,  Ohio.  His  parents  were  James  and  Sarah  (Ferguson)  Cantwell, 
also  natives  of  the  Buckeye  state.  The  father  was  a  well-to-do  contractor, 
farmer  and  mill  operator,  closely  associated  with  the  business  activity  and  sub- 
stantial development  of  the  section  in  which  he  lived.  He  served  with  credit  as 
a  soldier  of  the  Mexican  war  and  when  the  Civil  war  broke  out  he  recruited  a 
company  and  went  to  the  front  as  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  Fourth  Ohio  Infan- 


834  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

try.  Six  months  later  he  recruited  the  Eighty-second  Ohio  Infantry,  of  which  he 
was  commissioned  colonel,  serving  with  that  rank  until  killed  at  the  second 
battle  of  Bull  Run  on  the  29th  of  August,  1862.  Had  he  survived  that  fatal 
day  he  would  have  been  made  brigadier  general. 

Dr.  Cantwell  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Mansfield,  being  gradu- 
ated from  the  high  school  with  the  class  of  1858.  He  devoted  the  succeeding 
year  to  the  grocery  business  but  did  not  find  it  a  congenial  pursuit  and  retired 
at  the  end  of  that  time.  In  i860  the  family  removed  to  Kenton,  Ohio,  and  Dr. 
Cantwell  assisted  his  father  in  looking  after  his  various  interests.  Thus  his 
time  was  busily  occupied,  for  his  father  was  the  owner  of  farming  property, 
mills  and  much  live  stock.  In  1862,  in  spite  of  his  father's  opposition,  he  de- 
termined to  join  the  army  and  was  commissioned  first  lieutenant.  On  the  day 
that  he  had  arranged  to  report  for  duty  with  twenty-five  men  his  father  was 
killed.  Dr.  Cantwell  was  compelled  to  proceed  with  his  men  but  Governor  Tod 
assisted  him  in  having  his  resignation  accepted  and  he  returned  home  to  settle 
up  his  father's  estate.  The  next  three  years  were  devoted  to  that  task  and 
in  1865  he  went  to  Chillicothe,  Missouri,  where  he  engaged  in  the  hardware 
business.  After  a  short  time,  however,  he  accepted  a  position  as  traveling  sales- 
man with  a  wholesale  hardware  house  and  in  1866  he  went  to  McMinnville, 
Tennessee,  where  he  joined  a  cousin  in  the  hardware  business  for  six  months. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  returned  home.  Commercial  pursuits  were 
not  entirely  congenial  to  him  and  therefore  he  determined  upon  a  professional 
career,  deciding  to  study  medicine.  In  preparation  for  the  practice  he  pursued 
a  course  in  the  State  University  of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor,  and  was  graduated 
in  March,  1869.  The  same  year  he  came  Davenport  and  entered  the  office  of 
Dr.  A.  T.  Maxwell,  an  old  friend  of  his  father's  with  whom  he  remained  for 
three  and  a  half  years. 

In  1872  Dr.  Cantwell  was  married  to  Miss  Martha  Dalzell,  who  was  bom  in 
Philadelphia,  November  12,  1839,  a  daughter  of  John  Dalzell,  who  was  bom  in 
Ireland  and  came  to  the  United  States  in  1817.  He  settled  in  Pittsburg  and  in 
1818  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Miskally,  of  Philadelphia.  In  1842  he  re- 
moved to  Iowa,  locating  north  of  Davenport.  While  living  on  the  farm  he  be- 
came a  man  of  affairs  in  this  city.  He  was  prominent  in  banking  circles, 
acquired  considerable  property  and  erected  many  houses  and  stores  in  Daven- 
port. His  business  enterprise  and  activity  contributed  largely  to  the  substantial 
growth  and  upbuilding  of  the  city.  Mrs.  Cantwell  was  the  youngest  child 
and  her  life  record  continued  to  the  19th  of  January,  1904,  when  she  was  called 
to  her  final  rest. 

In  the  year  of  his  marriage  Dr.  Cantwell  began  practice  alone  and  in  1873 
he  was  appointed  city  and  county  physician,  which  position  he  filled  for  five 
years.  In  1872  he  rendered  valuable  service  in  the  smallpox  epidemic,  taking 
charge  of  a  pest  house,  for  which  act  of  bravery  the  city  voted  him  one  hundred 
dollars.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  board  of  health  for  many  years  and 
for  a  long  period  was  president  of  the  board  of  pension  examiners.  He  was 
also  a  member  of  the  different  medical  societies  and  served  as  president  of  the 
Scott  County  Medical  Society  and  treasurer  of  the  Illinois  Central  District 
Medical  Society  for  twenty  years.     He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Iowa 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  835 

Public  Health  Association  and  for  the  first  ten  years  acted  as  its  president.  He 
was  a  stanch  apostle  of  everything  pertaining  to  public  health  and  did  all  he 
could  to  check  the  ravages  of  disease,  not  only  through  private  practice  but 
in  disseminating  knowledge  that  would  constitute  a  source  of  prevention. 

Dr.  Cantwell  was  also  one  of  Davenport's  most  eminent  representatives  of 
Masonry.  He  took  high  degrees  in  both  the  York  and  Scottish  Rites  and  acted 
as  presiding  officer  in  all  the  dififerent  Masonic  bodies.  He  stood  not  only  in 
the  front  rank  of  his  profession  but  was  also  a  respected  citizen  and  honored 
man,  his  fellow  townsmen  entertaining  for  him  the  highest  esteem  because  of 
the  character  and  value  of  his  public  work  and  his  unfaltering  fidelity  to  high 
and  honorable  principles. 


IRA  L.  GIFFORD. 


Ira  L.  Gifford,  now  living  retired  in  Davenport,  was  born  in  this  city,  April 
2,  i860.  His  father,  Ira  M.  Gifford,  was  a  native  of  the  Empire  state,  his 
birth  occurring  in  Schlaghticoke,  near  Valley  Falls,  New  York.  He  was  a  farmer 
in  the  east,  and,  following  his  removal  to  Iowa  about  1855,  he  came  to  Daven- 
port and  invested  extensively  in  lands  in  this  state,  improving  his  opportunities 
to  purchase  at  a  low  figure,  for  with  keen  foresight  he  realized  that  with  the 
settlement  of  the  state  the  land  must  eventually  rise  in  value.  As  the  years 
passed  on  the  wisdom  of  his  judgment  was  proven,  and  he  won  a  place  among 
the  men  of  afifiuence  because  of  his  previous  wise  investments.  Later  he  en- 
gaged in  the  banking  business  and  became  one  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  this 
section  of  the  state.  For  a  great  many  years  he  was  president  of  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank  of  Davenport,  being  connected  with  Austin  Corbin  in  its  manage- 
ment. It  was  chartered  in  1863  and  was  the  first  national  bank  of  the  city.  He 
carefully  formulated  his  plans,  was  determined  in  their  execution  and  as  the 
years  passed  by  he  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  upon  the  public  life  of 
the  community,  especially  in  financial  circles.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers 
of  what  is  now  the  Davenport  Savings  Bank,  of  which  he  was  a  stockholder 
and  director  for  many  years.  During  the  Civil  war  he  was  appointed  by  Gov- 
ernor Kirkwood  as  inspector  of  the  commissary  department  of  the  Iowa  troops 
with  the  rank  of  lieutenant  colonel.  In  1858  he  also  served  as  clerk  of  the  county 
courts  and  was  a  republican  in  politics. 

Ira  M.  Gifford  was  married  to  Miss  Helen  J.  Lowrey  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  two  children,  Waite  and  Ira  L.  The  death  of  the  father  occurred 
August  12,  1885,  and  in  his  passing  Davenport  lost  one  of  its  representative 
and  honored  citizens.  His  widow  long  survived  him  and  was  called  to  her 
final  rest  January  31,  1907.    Both  were  interred  in  a  Davenport  cemetery. 

Ira  L.  Gififord  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Davenport 
and  in  early  manhood  secured  employment  in  a  hardware  store,  where  he  re- 
mained for  about  seven  years.  During  the  succeeding  decade  he  was  in  business 
on  his  own  account  and  on  the  expiration  of  that  period  removed  to  Chicago, 
where  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  government,  receiving  appointment  as  revenue 


836  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

stamp  agent  in  the  treasury  department  from  Lyman  J.  Gage.  After  a  few  years 
he  was  transferred  to  the  position  of  assistant  cashier  of  the  postoffice.  He  re- 
mained in  Chicago  for  twelve  years,  when  impaired  health  caused  him  to  with- 
draw from  business  circles,  and  he  has  since  lived  retired  in  Davenport. 

On  the  14th  of  September,  1887,  Mr.  Gifford  wedded  Miss  Ella  Webb,  a 
daughter  of  C.  T.  and  Charlotte  (Lansing)  Webb,  who  had  come  from  Albany, 
New  York.  Their  three  children,  Cornelia  L.,  Juliet  S.  and  Ira  L.,  are  in 
school. 

The  family  are  communicants  of  the  Episcopal  church  and  Mr.  Gififord  is 
a  Mason,  belonging  to  Trinity  Lodge,  No.  208,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  also  to  the 
chapter,  commandery  and  Mystic  Shrine.  Respected  and  honored  in  business 
and  official  relations,  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  representative  citizens  of 
Davenport,  inasmuch  as  he  is  ever  a  stalwart  champion  of  those  projects  and  move- 
ments which  contribute  to  the  material,  intellectual,  social  and  moral  welfare  of 
the  community. 


MRS.  EMMA  BAKER. 


One  of  the  attractive  farms  of  Davenport  township  is  the  one  of  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy  acres  which  Mrs.  Emma  Baker  operates  with  the  assistance  of 
her  sons  and  which  represents  the  good  management  and  foresight  of  its  owner. 
She  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Charlotte  (Lodge)  Draper  and  was  born  in  Naun- 
ton,  Gloucestershire,  England,  September  21,  1846.  Her  father,  whose  birth 
occurred  1814,  and  her  mother,  who  was  born  181 1,  came  to  the  United  States 
about  the  middle  of  the  last  century.  They  made  their  way  to  Iowa  almost 
immediately  after  landing,  settling  first  in  Pleasant  Valley  and  then  removing 
to  the  vicinity  of  Dayenport,  where  they  secured  a  tract  of  farm  land  which 
remained  their  home  until  the  death  of  the  father  in  1878.  The  mother  survived 
until  1899. 

Mrs.  Emma  Baker  attended  the  public  schools  of  Davenport  township,  re- 
ceiving a  good  education.  On  the  21st  of  February,  1866,  she  gave  her  hand 
in  marriage  to  John  Baker,  who  was  the  oldest  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas 
Baker.  He  was  born  in  England  in  1843  and  was  about  thirteen  years  of  age 
when  his  parents  came  to  America.  After  settling  in  Iowa,  he  bought  twenty 
acres  of  land,  on  which  his  widow  now  lives,  and  started  to  raise  sugar  cane. 
He  was  successful  in  this  occupation,  besides  making  a  reputation  for  himself 
through  the  manufacture  of  molasses,  for  he  produced  from  amber  cane  more 
of  this  food  product  than  any  of  his  neighbors.  Mr.  Baker,  who  was  highly 
regarded  by  his  fellowmen,  died  October  8,  1886. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baker  became  the  parents  of  nine  children.  Alice  married 
Truman  Granville.  They  live  at  Omaha  and  have  two  sons,  Stuart  and  Arthur. 
Nellie  became  the  wife  of  Charles  Hoover.  Oliver  lives  in  Nebraska.  Frank 
lives  in  Davenport  township,  and  Rose  resides  in  Davenport.  Florence  became 
the  wife  of  Harry  Bills  and  they  have  two  daughters,  Virginia  and  Mabel. 
Bessie  makes  her  home  in  Davenport.    William  and  John  are  with  their  mother. 


JOHN  BAKER 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  839 

They  operate  the  farm,  which  consists  now  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  acres, 
for  after  the  death  of  her  husband  Mrs.  Baker  believed  it  a  prudent  thing  to 
purchase  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land.  She  has  had  no  reason  to  regret 
her  investment,  for  the  land  is  rich,  and,  being  tilled  carefully  and  in  accord- 
ance with  scientific  methods,  is  producing  rich  returns  for  her  thought  and  the 
labor  of  her  sons.  While  she  has  displayed  fine  business  ability  she  has  also 
reared  her  family  well  and  inculcated  into  them  noble  qualities  of  character. 


HENRY  SCHUMACHER,  M.  D. 

Among  the  worthy   representatives  of   the  medical  profession   in   Walcott 
who  are  meeting  with  success  in  their  chosen  life  work  is  numbered  Dr.  Henry 
Schumacher,  who  has  also  been  closely  identified  with  the  public  interests  of 
this  city  during  the  period  covering  his  residence  here.    A  native  of  Illinois,  he 
was  born  in  Moline  on  the  23d  of  April,  1856,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  A.  and 
Helena  M.  (Heyer)  Schumacher.     The  father,  who  was  born  in  Eutin,  Germany, 
on  the  24th  of  February,  1818,  came  to  America  in  1849,  at  once  going  to  Cali- 
fornia with  a  party  of  gold  seekers.    In  1852  he  went  to  Illinois,  locating  in  Moline, 
where  he   was   engaged   in   the  butchering  business   until   1869.      In    1853,   in 
Moline,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Helena  M.  Heyer,  who  was  also  a 
native  of  Germany,  her  birth  occurring  in  Pretz  on  the  30th  of  August,  1817. 
For  nine  years  Dr.  Henry  Schumacher  of  this  review  was  a  pupil  in  the 
public  schools  of  Moline,  and  then  accompanied  his  father  on  a  visit  to  Ger- 
many, where,  for  two  years,  he  attended  school  in  Eutin.    Upon  his  return  from 
Germany  he  entered  Griswold  College  in  1871,  remaining  there  until  1873,  and 
then  went  west,  where  for  six  years  he  was  engaged  in  prospecting  and  mining. 
The  year   1879  witnessed  his  return  home,  after  which  he  became  a  student 
at  the  Iowa  State  University,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  the  spring  of  1882. 
In  the  meantime  he  had  pursued  a  medical  course  and  during  the  scholastic 
year  1881-82  had  served  as  interne  at  Mercy  Hospital,  thus  receiving  excellent 
practical  training.     After  completing  his  college  course  he  returned  to  Moline 
and  there  took  charge  of  the  smallpox  cases  for  the  county.     He  remained  in 
that  place  for  only  two  months,  however,  and  then  went  to  Durant,  where  he 
followed  his  profession  for  nineteen  years.    On  the  24th  of  December,  1899,  he 
came  to  Walcott  and  has  since  made  this  place  his  home,  continuing  in  the 
practice  of  medicine  to  the  present  time.     Since  opening  up  an  office  here  he 
has  gained  a  very  large  and  representative  patronage  which  is  constantly  in- 
-  creasing  in  volume  and  importance,  and  he  is  now  numbered  among  the  well 
known  and  prominent  practitioners  of  this  county.     He  is  not  only  thoroughly 
conscientious  in  the  discharge  of  his  various  duties,  fully  recognizing  the  obli- 
gations that  rest  upon  him  in  connection  with  his  chosen  calling,  but  keeps  in 
close  touch  with  the  work  of  advancement  and  progress  which  is  constantly  be- 
ing carried  on  in  the  medical  world,  being  a  member  of  the  American  Medical 
Association,  the  Iowa  State  Medical  Society,  the  Scott  County  Medical  Society, 
the  Tri  City  Medical  Society  and  the  Muscatine  County  Society  of  Physicians 


840  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

&  Surgeons.  He  has  ever  remained  an  earnest  student,  continually  broadening 
his  knowledge  by  extensive  reading  and  research,  and  everything  that  tends  to 
solve  the  mystery  which  we  call  life  is  of  intense  interest  to  him. 

Dr.  Schumacher  has  been  twice  married.  In  1883  he  wedded  Miss  Laura 
Krabbenhoeft,  who  only  lived  for  three  months,  however,  and  in  1884  he  chose 
as  his  second  wife  Miss  Rosa  Steiifen.  This  marriage  has  been  blessed  with  two 
children,  namely:  Henry  Walter,-  attending  school  in  Moline;  and  Helena  M., 
a  resident  of  Durant.  Dr.  Schumacher  is  well  known  in  fraternal  circles,  hold- 
ing membership  in  Doric  Lodge,  No.  319,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  MoHne;  Zarepath 
Consistory  of  Davenport;  Knights  of  Pythias  lodge.  No.  312,  of  Walcott; 
Walcott  lodge.  No.  3479,  M.  W.  A.;  the  Royal  Neighbors;  and  the  Fraternal 
Order  of  Eagles.     In  all  of  these  organizations  he  is  active  and  prominent. 

Although  he  has  attained  a  high  place  in  his  profession  in  this  community, 
Dr.  Schumacher  is  almost  equally  well  known  because  of  his  deep  and  helpful 
interest  in  public  affairs.  Stalwart  in  his  allegiance  to  democratic  principles, 
during  his  residence  in  Durant  he  was  mayor  of  that  city  for  two  terms,  also 
served  as  coroner  of  Cedar  county  for  two  terms  and  likewise  was  pension  ex- 
aminer under  President  Cleveland.  His  fellow  citizens  in  Walcott  have  also 
recognized  his  ability  and  worth  and  have  called  him  to  important  offices  of 
honor,  electing  him  mayor  of  the  town,  in  which  office  he  served  during  the 
years  1905-6-7.  He  has  also  been  school  director  and  is  at  present  acting  as 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  in  all  instances  has  proven  himself  a  very  capable  and 
efficient  official,  thoroughly  justifying  the  faith  placed  in  him  by  his  fellow  towns- 
men. 

Dr.  Schumacher  is  the  owner  and  proprietor  of  Castle  Hall,  the  lodge  build- 
ing of  Walcott,  and  has  gained  considerable  prominence  throughout  the  locality 
as  an  enthusiastic  relic  hunter,  having  in  his  possession  some  very  interesting 
articles.  He  is  the  owner  of  a  very  valuable  museum  containing  hundreds  of 
Indian  relics  of  all  kinds,  and  also  has  a  rare  collection  of  stamps  presented  to 
him  by  a  Danish  prince,  Ferdinand  of  Gliicksburg,  of  which  he  is  justly  proud. 
He  is  likewise  the  possessor  of  a  very  fine  collection  of  coins,  containing  thousands 
of  pieces,  some  of  which  are  hundreds  of  years  old. 


ALBERT  KLINDT. 


Albert  Klindt,  proprietor  of  the  Hotel  Donahue,  at  Donahue,  Iowa,  was  bom 
in  Maysville,  this  county,  October  2,  1877,  a  son  of  Henry  and  Cecelia  (Sindt) 
Klindt.  The  father  has  long  been  known  as  one  of  the  prominent  citizens  of 
Maysville  and  Hickory  Grove  township,  being  a  man  of  public  spirit  whose  in- 
fluence was  ever  exerted  in  behalf  of  public  improvements.  Indeed,  he  was  one 
of  the  original  directors  and  organizers  of  the  Donahue  Savings  Bank  and  was 
instrumental  in  bringing  that  concern  to  a  substantial  financial  footing.  Five 
children  were  born  to  him  and  his  wife :  Meta,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  William 
Jurgens,  a  merchant  of  New  Liberty,  this  county;  Albert,  the  subject  of  this 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  841 

sketch ;  Hertha,  who  died  at  the  age  of  two  years ;  Henry,  Jr.,  of  whom  men- 
tion is  made  elsewhere  in  this  work ;  and  Grover  Qeveland,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Albert  Klindt  remained  in  Maysville  with  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  when  he  began  his  business  career.  He  received  his  early 
education  in  the  public  schools  there,  later  attending  the  free  school  in  Daven- 
port for  one  year  and  completing  his  studies  at  Duncan's  Business  College. 
When  he  sought  a  position  in  the  commercial  world  he  found  employment  first 
as  bookkeeper  with  the  Davenport  Ice  Company,  with  whom  he  remained  for 
one  year.  He  went  next  to  the  German  Savings  Bank,  of  Davenport,  holding 
a  position  in  the  mortgage  department  of  that  concern  for  two  years.  At  the 
end  of  that  period  he  entered  the  employ  of  Armour  &  Company  as  stock  clerk 
at  Freeport,  Illinois,  and  at  the  end  of  three  months  was  transferred  to  Gales- 
burg,  that  state,  where  he  held  the  position  of  cashier.  Shortly  afterward, 
however,  he  resigned  that  position  although  he  again  entered  their  employ  as  a 
traveling  man,  going  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  at  the  time  of  the  world's  fair  there. 
When  his  work  there  was  accomplished  he  was  sent  to  Shreveport,  Louisiana, 
but  owing  to  ill  health  he  was  compelled  to  leave  that  section  of  the  country, 
thereupon  he  returned  to  Scott  county  and  took  up  his  residence  with  his  parents. 
On  the  ist  of  January,  1906,  he  assumed  the  management  of  the  Donahue  Ho- 
tel, which  his  father  owned  and  which  he  has  since  operated  with  success. 
In  connection  with  the  hotel,  he  has  a  saloon  and  dance  hall,  the  latter  being 
a  popular  resort  in  Aliens  Grove  township.  Mr.  Klindt  has  other  business  in- 
terests, for  he  succeeded  his  father  as  director  of  the  German  Savings  Bank  here 
and  is  also  an  extensive  shipper  of  poultry.  He  possesses  unquestioned  ability 
and  has  won  a  deserved  success  from  his  operations. 

On  the  22d  of  October,  1905,  Mr.  Klindt  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Kuhrt,  who  was  bom  in  Buffalo  township,  this  county,  August  12,  1881.  Her 
parents,  Herman  and  Emma  (Bruhn)  Kuhrt,  were  natives  of  Holstein,  Ger- 
many, and  upon  coming  to  America  settled  in  Buffalo  township,  which  is  still 
their  home.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Klindt  have  been  bom  two  sons :  Roland,  and 
Henry,  who  is  the  third  to  bear  that  family  name.  One  of  the  younger  business 
men  of  his  township,  Mr.  Klindt  is  also  one  of  the  more  progressive,  and  in 
recognition  of  his  success  enjoys  the  respect  of  those  who  know  him. 


F.  ESBIN   SMITH. 


F.  Esbin  Smith,  superintendent  of  the  Bettendorf  Axle  Company  and  a  young 
man  of  more  than  usual  ability,  was  born  in  Lima,  Ohio,  April  2,  1880,  a  son 
of  Frank  C.  and  Jennie  (Fox)  Smith,  also  natives  of  that  state.  As  the  father 
was  made  general  foreman  of  the  Fort  Wayne  car  shops  and  continued  in  that 
position  many  years,  the  family  removed  to  Fort  Wayne  when  F.  Esbin  Smith 
was  a  boy.  No  longer  filling  that  position,  the  elder  Mr.  Smith  now  resides  in 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  is  connected  with  the  New  York  Central  lines. 

After  taking  a  public-school  course,  F.  Esbin  Smith  entered  the  employ  of 
S.  F.  Bowser  &  Company,  of  Fort  Wayne,  as  an  apprentice  machinist  and  later 


842  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

as  special  apprentice  in  the  car  department  of  the  Pennsylvania  road.  After 
learning  his  trade  the  young  man  remained  with  the  Pennsylvania  people  work- 
ing up  to  assistant  general  car  inspector  of  the  northwest  system  in  which  posi- 
tion he  had  charge  of  the  inspection  of  all  new  passenger  and  freight  cars 
built  at  car  manufacturing  companies.  However,  he  was  very  ambitious,  and  in 
1906  he  secured  a  position  of  chief  inspector  of  the  Bettendorf  Steel  Car  Com- 
pany, and  located  in  Davenport.  Early  in  1908  he  became  assistant  shop  super- 
intendent of  the  Bettendorf  Axle  Company  and  in  1909  was  promoted  to  super- 
intendent. 

In  December,  1907,  Mr.  Smith  married  EHzabeth  Graper,  a  member  of  a 
cultured  Kentucky  family.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  have  a  pleasant  home  here 
where  their  many  friends  are  sure  of  being  suitably  entertained. 

So  many  of  the  rnen  in  charge  of  various  departments  in  Davenport  are 
still  young  in  years,  although  thoroughly  experienced.  It  appears  to  be  the 
desire  of  the  heads  of  the  various  institutions  to  secure  young  men,  believing 
that  their  energy,  enthusiasm  and  new  ideas  will  inject  fresh  blood  and  work  out 
for  ultimate  good.  There  are  few  men  of  his  age  who  have  accomplished  more 
in  their  appointed  lines  than  Mr.  Smith,  who  not  only  is  fulfilling  every  expecta- 
tion of  his  company  but  has  won  the  friendship  of  his  men  and  obtained  from 
them  the  best  results. 

During  1910  the  Bettendorf  Company  did  some  extensive  building,  among 
which  is  the  new  erecting  shop,  a  building  having  three  hundred  and  sixty  thousand 
square  feet  floor  area.  This  building  and  the  steel  materials  therein  was  super- 
intended by  Mr.  Smith  and  stands  as  the  largest  single  building  in  the  world 
and  is  one  of  the  sightseeing  points  of  Davenport. 


JOHN  H.  HAMANN. 


A  valuable  farming  property  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Sheridan 
township  is  the  result  of  what  John  H.  Hamann  has  accomplished  since  coming 
to  America,  for  he  possesses  the  industry,  thrift  and  preseverance  so  charac- 
teristic of  the  German  race.  He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  September 
18,  1834,  a  son  of  Henry  and  Dorothy  Hamann.  The  father  served  in  the  army 
and  followed  the  occupation  of  farming  as  a  life  work.  He  passed  away  in 
Germany  but  his  wife,  who  emigrated  to  the  United  States  about  1863,  died 
in  this  country  in  1886. 

From  the  reports  which  came  to  John  H.  Hamann  in  his  early  manhood,  he 
was  convinced  that  America  offered  better  opportunities  to  the  ambitious  young 
man  than  did  his  own  country,  and  accordingly,  after  he  had  completed  his 
studies  and  was  ready  to  start  out  in  the  business  world,  he  set  sail  for  the 
United  States,  the  year  1857  witnessing  his  arrival  in  New  York.  From  that 
place  he  at  once  made  his  way  to  Scott  county,  where  for  five  years  he  was 
employed  at  farm  labor.  He  then  established  a  home  of  his  own  by  his  mar- 
riage, after  which  he  located  in  Davenport  and  engaged  in  teaming  for  five 
years.     However,  farming  seemed  to  appeal  to  him  and  accordingly  he  rented 


o 
5 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  845 

a  tract  of  land  in  Sheridan  township,  which  he  cultivated  for  six  years.  Dur- 
ing these  years  he  had  been  successful,  each  year  gathering  good  crops,  which 
brought  to  him  a  sum  of  money  that  enabled  him  to  purchase  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  which  constitutes  a  portion  of  his  present  acreage.  Locating  on  his 
newly  acquired  possessions,  he  at  once  began  to  further  improve  and  develop 
the  place  and  now  has  a  fine  country  residence,  surrounded  with  substantial  barns 
and  outbuildings.  He  has  since  added  one  hundred  acres  and  now  has  a  farm 
comprising  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  all  of  which  is  in  a  cultivable  state.  In 
addition  to  carrying  on  general  farming  he  raises  shorthorn  cattle  and  Poland 
China  hogs,  and  he  is  today  accounted  one  of  the  leading  farmers  and  stock- 
raisers  of  Sheridan  township. 

It  was  on  the  31st  of  January,  1863,  that  Mr.  Hamann  was  married  to  Miss 
Anna  Neilsen,  who  came  to  the  United  States  from  Germany  in  1862,  making 
the  trip  alone.  She  was  born  in  Schleswig,  Bredstedt,  Germany,  on  the  28th  of 
May,  1837,  a  daughter  of  Dietrich  and  Cathrina  (Tackmann)  Neilsen.  By  her 
marriage  Mrs.  Hamann  has  become  the  mother  of  two  sons  and  two  daughters. 
Rosie  is. the  wife  of  Julius  Grell,  of  Aliens  Grove  township,  and  they  have  a 
daughter  and  son,  Margaret  and  Carl.  August,  the  second  member  of  the  family, 
wedded  Minnie  Leptien  and  they  reside  on  his  father's  farm.  They  have  four 
children:  Leona,  August,  Luther  and  Elma.  Augustus  and  Bertha  are  still  with 
their  parents. 

Mr.  Hamann  gives  stalwart  support  to  the  democratic  party  and  on  that 
ticket  was  elected  township  trustee,  which  office  he  filled  very  acceptably  for  six 
years.  He  has  also  been  road  supervisor  and  school  director.  He  is  methodical 
and  systematic  in  his  work,  as  is  apparent  in  the  conduct  of  his  farm,  all  fields 
being  platted  and  arranged  so  that  the  best  results  may  be  obtained  from  the 
labor  expended.  The  outbuildings  and  barns  are  also  arranged  with  a  view  to 
convenience  and  a  glance  at  his  attractive  and  well  kept  place,  which  is  located 
within  three  miles  of  Eldridge,  is  in  itself  a  lesson  in  thrift  and  industry. 


JOSEPH  D.  BARNES. 


Joseph  D.  Barnes  has  for  sixty-six  years  been  a  resident  of  Scott  county, 
nearly  that  entire  period  being  passed  in  Le  Claire.  There  are  interesting  chap- 
ters in  his  life  record,  not  the  least  of  which  is  relative  to  his  service  as  a  soldier 
of  the  Civil  war.  Moreover,  he  comes  of  an  ancestry  that  has  always  manifested 
the  greatest  loyalty  to  the  country  when  warfare  has  been  in  progress.  His 
great-grandfather,  Benjamin  Barnes,  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  became  a  sol- 
dier in  Fort  William  Henry  on  Lake  George,  New  York,  and  when  it  was  cap- 
tured by  General  Montcalm  he  was  among  the  number  who  were  made  pris- 
oners of  war.  However,  he  succeeded  in  making  his  escape  and  reached  the 
'American  lines  in  safety.  His  early  experiences  proved  an  excellent  training 
school  for  his  military  service  about  twenty  years  later,  when  he  became  a  cap- 
tain of  the  American  troops  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  participating  in  the 
battles  of  Lexington,  Bunker  Hill  and  other  engagements. 


846  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Elijah  Barnes,  a  son  of  Captain  Benjamin  Barnes,  was  a  resident  of  the 
state  of  New  York,  where  he  remained  until  the  outbreak  of  the  war  of  1812, 
when  he  enlisted  for  service  in  the  second  war  with  England  and  participated 
in  the  battle  of  Plattsburg.  He  was  afterward  ordered  to  Niagara  and  en- 
gaged in  the  battles  of  Lundy's  Lane  and  Chippewa.  His  health  failing,  he  was 
granted  a  furlough  that  he  might  return  nome.  He  started  but  had  proceeded 
only  as  far  as  Greenbush,  New  York,  when  he  was  sent  to  a  hospital  and  soon 
afterward  died  leaving  a  widow  and  six  children. 

Dennis  Barnes,  son  of  Elijah  Barnes,  was  born  in  Essex  county.  New  York, 
December  22,  1806,  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years  left  home,  going  to  New 
York  city,  where  he  shipped  on  an  outward  bound  vessel  for  the  East  Indies. 
He  followed  the  life  of  a  sailor  for  seven  years,  after  which  he  went  to  New 
Orleans  and  engaged  in  the  steamboat  business  in  the  Cincinnati  and  New  Or- 
leans trade.  To  that  business  he  devoted  his  energies  for  nine  years.  In  1836 
he  married  Emily  Danforth,  of  Cincinnati,  and  unto  them  were  bom  four 
children:  Norman  L.,  Albert  A.,  Joseph  D.  and  Laura  A.  He  was  one  of  the 
early  pioneers  of  Scott  county,  to  which  he  made  his  way  in  1842,  entering  land 
from  the  government.  In  1844  he  removed  his  family  to  his  claim,  whereon  he 
spent  much  of  his  life.  He  died,  however,  in  Davenport  at  the  Fejvery  Home  at 
the  age  of  ninety-two 'years. 

Joseph  D.  Barnes,  a  son  of  Dennis  and  Emily  Barnes,  was  born  in  the  city 
of  Cincinnati,  March  11,  1843,  ^nd  was  brought  to  Scott  county  by  his  parents 
the  following  year,  the  family  landing  at  Le  Claire  from  the  steamboat  Osprey. 
Since  that  time  Joseph  D.  Barnes  has  resided  almost  continuously  at  Le  Claire. 
At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  he  was  a  young  man  of  nineteen  years.  His 
patriotic  spirit  was  aroused  by  the  attempt  of  the  south  to  overthrow  the 
Union  and  he  enlisted  as  a  private  of  Company  K,  Twentieth  Iowa  Volunteer 
Infantry,  to  serve  for  three  years  or  during  the  war.  He  participated  in  the 
battle  of  Prairie  Grove,  Arkansas,  December  7,  1862,  and  for  meritorious  con- 
duct on  the  march  and  in  battle  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  orderly  ser- 
geant. He  also  participated  in  the  siege  and  capture  of  Vicksburg,  which  capitu- 
lated July  4,  1863,  and  in  the  siege  and  capture  of  Fort  Morgan,  Alabama, 
which  was  terminated  September  6,  1864.  He  also  aided  in  the  siege  of  Fort 
Blakely,  Alabama,  and  the  assault  thereon  on  the  9th  of  April,  1865.  This  was 
the  last  general  engagement  of  the  Civil  war  and  for  good  conduct  and  strict 
attention  to  duty  he  was  commissioned  first  lieutenant  of  his  company.  His  rec- 
ord was  a  most  creditable  one,  characterized  by  unfaltering  loyalty  to  the  fed- 
eral government.  When  the  war  closed  he  returned  home  and  for  two  years 
followed  rafting  on  the  river,  after  which  he  turned  his  attention  to  farming 
near  Port  Byron,   Illinois. 

In  the  year  1873  Mr.  Barnes  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Florence  E.  James, 
the  eldest  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  James,  of  Le  Claire.  Unto  them 
have  been  born  five  children,  namely:  Raymond  J.,  Fannie  Albertine,  Laura 
Irne,  Frank  S.  and  Rolla  T. 

In  the  year  1878  Mr.  Barnes  returned  with  his  family  to  Le  Claire,  where  he 
has  since  made  his  home  and  is  one  of  the  respected  residents  there.  He  was  at 
one  time  commander  of  the  Grand  Army  post  and  has  always  been  an  active 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  847 

worker  in  the  organization.  He  has  recently  been  commissioned  a  special  aid- 
de-camp  on  the  staff  of  S.  R.  Van  Sant,  commander-in-chief  of  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  with  the  rank  of  colonel.  He  was  a  member  of  the  town  coun- 
cil for  twelve  consecutive  years  and  a  member  of  the  board  of  education  for  six 
years.  As  a  Scott  county  pioneer  he  takes  great  interest  in  the  early  history  of 
Le  Claire  and  this  section  of  the  state  and,  being  possessed  of  a  wonderful  mem- 
ory, he  can  recall  events  and  happenings  that  have  long  since  largely  been  for- 
gotten. He  has  watched  with  interest  the  progress  and  events  that  have  oc- 
curred and  at  all  times  has  rejoiced  in  what  the  county  has  accomplished. 

Raymond  J.  Barnes,  the  eldest  son  of  Joseph  D.  and  Florence  E.  Barnes, 
was  born  near  Port  Byron,  Illinois,  November  12,  1874,  and  soon  afterward' 
the  family  removed  to  Le  Claire,  where  he  lived  with  his  parents  until  twenty 
years  of  age,  at  which  time  he  settled  in  Des  Moines.  On  the  outbreak  of  the 
Spanish-American  war  he  enlisted  with  Captain  Frank  Lyman  of  the  Twelfth 
United  States  Signal  Corps  and  served  for  eleven  months  in  Cuba.  In  the  year 
1904  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Bessie  Young,  of  Des  Moines,  and  their 
two  children  are  Jewell  May  and  Raymond  J.,  Jr.  It  will  be  seen  that  each 
successive  generation  when  the  country  has  become  involved  in  warfare  that 
the  Barnes  family  has  been  loyal  to  the  best  interests  of  the  nation  and  has 
sought  to  give  substantial  proof  of  loyalty  by  active  service  in  the  field. 


JOHN  SOLLER. 


John  Soller  is  a  prominent  contractor  and  builder  of  Davenport  and  has 
been  an  active  factor  in  promoting  the  building  interests  of  the  city,  being  ac- 
counted one  of  the  substantial  citizens  and  business  men  of  this  section  of  the 
state.  He  was  born  in  northern  Germany,  April  20,  185 1.  He  was  reared  and 
educated  in  the  land  of  his  nativity  and  came  as  a  young  man  to  the  new  world. 
He  located  first  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  there  learned  the  carpenter's  trade, 
which  he  followed  in  that  city  for  about  eleven  years.  He  then  took  up  his 
abode  in  Davenport  and  here  engaged  in  contracting  and  building  on  his  own 
account.  He  has  erected  many  prominent  business  and  residence  structures  in 
this  city  and  has  attained  a  reputation  which  has  placed  him  in  a  position  second 
to  none  in  his  particular  field  of  activity. 

Mr.  Soller  was  married  April  9,  1875,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss 
Jennie  Hagemeyer,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Christina  (Petersen)  Hagemeyer, 
of  Cincinnati,  where  the  father  is  a  manufacturer  of  cigars.  One  son  and  three 
daughters  grace  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Soller:  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Rev. 
Frank  Hertzler,  by  whom  she  has  three  children.  Merle,  Esther  and  Miriam; 
Alice  and  Florence,  both  at  home;  and  John,  Jr.,  who  wedded  Miss  Margaret 
Mahan,  by  whom  he  has  a  son,  John. 

Mr.  Soller  is  a  republican  in  his  political  faith  and  at  one  time  served  as 
president  of  the  board  of  supervisors.  He  has  attained  high  rank  in  Masonry, 
belonging  to  the  blue  lodge,  chapter,  commandery  and  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  is 
likewise  identified  with  the  United  Workmen  and  the  Elks,  while  in  religion 


848  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

he  is  a  member  of  the  German  Methodist  church.  He  has  won  distinction  in 
the  business  world  through  sound  and  conservative  methods,  while  in  social  circles 
he  is  also  popular,  for  he  possesses  a  genial,  kindly  nature  that  always  wins 
warm  and  admiring  friends.  His  home,  a  beautiful  residence  on  Kirkwood 
boulevard,  is  a  most  hospitable  one  and  here  the  family  take  great  delight  in 
entertaining  their  many  friends  and  acquaintances. 


MRS.  HARRIET  A.  SCHAEFFER. 

Mrs.  Harriet  A.  Schaeifer,  well  known  in  Davenport,  where  she  has  many 
friends,  has  long  been  a  resident  of  Scott  county  and  is  able  to  speak  with  au- 
thority corjcerning  many  events  which  have  left  their  impress  upon  the  history 
of  this  section  of  the  state.  She  has  lived  to  witness  remarkable  changes  here, 
for  modern  progress  has  wrought  a  transformation  in  this  section  of  the  country 
no  less  marked  than  in  other  parts  of  the  Union. 

Mrs.  Schaeffer  is  the  widow  of  Francis  J.  Schaeifer,  who  was  born  in  Alsace- 
Lorraine,  France,  May  12,  1819.  He  acquired  his  education  there  and  at  the 
age  of  seventeen  years  came  to  the  United  States.  He  had  older  brothers  in 
Kentucky,  and  that  fact  influenced  him  to  first  make  his  way  to  the  Blue  Grass 
state,  where  he  continued  until  1849,  when,  attracted  by  the  discovery  of  gold 
in  California,  he  crossed  the  plains  to  the  Pacific  coast.  He  did  not  seek  his 
fortune  in  the  mines,  however,  but  engaged  in  business  as  proprietor  of  stores 
in  San  Francisco  and  Marysville.  He  continued  a  resident  of  that  state  until 
during  the  Civil  war,  when  he  disposed  of  his  interests  there  and  came  to  Daven- 
port. Soon  afterward  he  purchased  a  farm  in  Rockingham  township,  upon 
which  he  and  his  wife  took  up  their  abode  and  which  Mrs.  Schaeifer  still  owns, 
the  property  embracing  forty-five  acres.  As  the  years  passed  by  he  diligently 
and  persistently  carried  on  the  work  of  the  fields  until  they  returned  to  him 
rich  and  bounteous  harvests  and  his  farm  became  one  of  the  well  improved 
properties  of  that  portion  of  the  state.  He  took  active  part  in  politics  while  a 
resident  of  Rockingham  township,  was  a  recognized  leader  in  the  ranks  of  the 
democratic  party  and  held  the  oiifices  of  trustee,  assessor  and  school  director.  He 
was  instrumental  in  establishing  the  Fairmount  school  and  did  everything  in  his 
power  to  promote  the  caiise  of  public  education. 

It  was  on  the  5th  of  July,  1862,  at  Sag  Harbor,  Long  Island,  that  Mr. 
Schaeifer  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Harriet  A.  Rogers,  who  was  born  at 
Branford,  Connecticut,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Sallie  (Franklin)  Rogers. 
Her  father  was  a  farmer  and  the  Rogers  at  one  time  owned  nearly  all  of  the 
land  in  their  native  township.  Her  mother  was  born  at  Black  Isle,  a  part  of 
Rhode  Island,  and  is  a  representative  of  a  very  old  and  prominent  eastern  family 
to  which  Benjamin  Franklin  also  belonged,  Mrs.  Rogers  being  his  niece.  Mr. 
Rogers  served  as  a  ^oldier  through  the  war  of  1812. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schaeifer  was  born  one  daughter,  Harriet  Frances,  who 
became  the  wife  of  Morris  R.  Williams,  who  is  a  member  of  one  of  the  old 


FRANCIS   J.   SCHAEFFEl; 


R.   ]).    LEO.\Ai;i» 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  853 

families  of  Scott  county  and  now  lives  at  Cordova,  Illinois.  They  have  three 
children:  Leonard,  Rolland  and  Margaret. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Schaeffer  occurred  November  i,  1905.  He  had  removed 
to  Davenport  in  1901  and  spent  his  remaining  days  in  the  enjoyment  of  rest 
which  he  had  truly  earned  and  richly  deserved.  His  life  was  ever  a.  busy  and 
useful  one,  and  not  only  did  he  win  success  in  business,  but  also  gained  that 
honorable  name  which  is  rather  to  be  chosen  than  great  riches. 

Mrs.  Schaeffer's  sister,  Mrs.  Leonard,  lives  with  her.  She  is  the  widow  of 
Rolland  D.  Leonard,  who  was  born  in  New  York  in  1826,  but  lived  for  many 
years  in  Scott  county.  He  was  the  first  county  auditor  of  Scott  county  and  held 
the  office  of  county  clerk  at  the  time  the  position  of  auditor  was  created.  He 
was  then  appointed  to  the  latter  office  and  later  was  elected,  serving  in  all  three 
terms.  He  also  served  as  assistant  treasurer  of  Scott  county  and  was  one  of 
the  leaders  of  the  repubhcan  party  in  this  section  of  the  state.  In  December, 
1864,  he  wedded  Miss  Niobe  Rogers  and  soon  afterward  they  became  residents 
of  this  county,  where  Mr.  Leonard  passed  away  January  9,  1904,  aged  seventy- 
eight  years.  His  uncle  and  foster  father,  Rolland  Day,  was  at  one  time  a  United 
States  senator  from  New  York  state. 


WILLIAM  F.  HAHN. 


William  F.  Hahn,  who  is  now  living  retired  in  Davenport,  was  for  a  long 
period  profitably  engaged  in  the  drug  business  in  Lowden,  Iowa,  and  during 
the  years  of  his  residence  in  that  city  was  a  prominent  factor  in  public  affairs. 
Rare  ability,  geniality  and  breadth  of  sympathy  were  salient  features  iii  his 
success  and  united  with  a  wise  utilization  of  opportunities  and  an  unswerving 
adherence  to  honorable  principles,  gained  for  him  the  prosperity  he  now  enjoys 
in  the  evening  of  life  and  the  respect  of  his  associates. 

William  F.  Hahn  was  born  in  Lensahnerhof,  Holstein,  Germany,  October  i, 
1835,  and  received  a  good  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  land, 
where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He  heard  the  call  of  the  new  world,  however,  and 
as  it  proved  irresistible  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  on  the  4th  of  August,  1854, 
landed  in  New  York.  He  first  went  to  Baltimore,  remaining  there  a  couple  of 
years,  and  then,  in  February,  1856,  came  westward.  On  reaching  Rock  Island, 
Illinois,  he  crossed  the  river  on  the  ice  to  Davenport,  and  continued  his  journey- 
to  Dewitt,  Qinton  county,  Iowa.  There  he  secured  a  position  as  clerk  for 
Judge  McNeil,  of  the  county  court,  and  proved  a  valuable  man  in  that  capacity, 
for  he  had  been  well  educated  in  his  native  land  and  had  not  been  in  the  United 
States  very  long  before  he  was  proficient  in  the  use  of  English.  He  remained 
with  Judge  McNeil  for  two  years,  after  which  he  was  elected  township  asses- 
sor. He  also  served  as  deputy  county  recorder  and  treasurer  of  Clinton  county 
for  a  number  of  years.  Later  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  and  then 
went  to  Cedar  county,  Iowa,  where  he  took  up  the  study  of  pharmacy  and  later 
opened  a  drug  store  at  Lowden,  which  he  conducted  with  great  success  for  twenty- 
seven  years,  becoming  one  of  the  prosperous  business  men  of  that  county.    He 


854  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

also  occupied  a  prominent  position  in  local  affairs.  He  was  appointed  postmaster 
of  Lowden,  but  after  three  years  he  resigned,  and  at  the  same  time  served  as 
county  supervisor,  in  which  capacity  he  served  two  terms.  Later  he  was  chair- 
man of  the  county  board,  was  elected  mayor  of  the  city,  and  was  a  member  of 
the  school  board  eighteen  years.  He  also  had  the  powers  of  notary  public.  In 
every  capacity  he  exercised  his  prerogatives  with  discretion  and  for  the  welfare 
of  the  community,  and  it  was  a  cause  of,  general  regret  when  he  felt  that  ill 
health  necessitated  his  resignation  arid  retirement  from  active  life.  He  has 
since  made  his  home  in  Davenport,  where  he  has  mg.de  a  host  of  friends,  who 
are  drawn  to  him  by  bis  genial  personality,  his  broadmindedness  and  his  liberal 
culture. 

On  the  sth  of  April,  1862,  Mr.  Hahn  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Marie 
Therese  Petersen.  She  was  bom  in  Hoptrup,  Schleswig,  Germany,  not  far  from 
Mr.  Hahn's  birthplace,  and  is  a  daughter  of  a  minister  of  the  Lutheran  church. 
In  1854  she  and  her  parents  came  to  Iowa  and  the  Petersen  family  became 
prominent  in  those  early  days.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hahn  have  had  three  children: 
Marie  Louise  Henriette  died  at  the  age  of  eleven  months ;  Herman  August  William 
wedded  Miss  Bertha  Andresen,  and  they  have  three  sons,  Herbert  William, 
Walter  Ludwig  and  Robert  Herman;  EmiHe  Marie  Mathilde  became  the  wife 
of  Charles  H.  Hubbell,  and  they  have  two  children,  Edward  Lawrence  and  Dor- 
othy Marie.  A  brother  of  Mr.  Hahn's,  Augustus,  served  in  the  Civil  war  under 
the  name  of  Haun  and  was  killed  in  battle  at  Pittsburg  Landing. 

Mr.  Hahn  has  now  passed  the  seventy-fourth  milestone  on  life's  journey, 
and  as  he  looks  back  over  the  past  he  has  no  reason  to  regret  that  he  hearkened 
to  the  insistent  voice  of  the  new  world.  His  has  been  a  life  of  singular  activity, 
which  has  been  directed  toward  promoting  the  public  welfare  as  well  as  his  own 
interests,  yet  he  has  derived  a  large  measure  of  prosperity  from  his  undertak- 
ings. A  man  of  broad  education,  he  has  enlarged  the  scope  of  his  culture  through 
extensive  travel,  so  that  association  with  him  means  expansion  and  elevation, 
and  a  large  circle  of  friends  are  the  better  for  his  influence  among  them. 


E.  E.  COOK. 


E.  E.  Cook  needs  no  introduction  to  the  readers  of  this  volume  for  he  is  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  old  and  prominent  families  of  Scott  county  and 
even  before  the  admission  of  the  state  into  the  Union  the  name  has  figured  con- 
spicuously in  connection  with  the  legal  history  of  this  district.  Choosing  as  his 
life  work  the  profession  which  had  engaged  the  attention  of  his  father,  he  has 
made  steady  progress  as  one  of  its  representatives  and  is  today  widely  recognized 
as  a  learned  and  able  lawyer  of  Davenport. 

E.  E.  Cook  was  born  in  Scott  county,  August  13,  1843.  His  father,  John 
P.  Cook,  was  a  native  of  Oneida  county.  New  York,  born  in  August,  1817. 
At  the  age  of  nineteen  years  he  came  to  Scott  county  with  his  father  and  they 
settled  on  what  was  known  as  the  Cook  farm,  comprising  the  western  portion 
of  the  city.     In  a  year  or  two  he  prepared  for  the  practice  of  law  by  entering 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  855 

the  office  of  his  brother  Ebenezer  Cook,,  of  Davenport,  and  later  he  removed  to 
Tipton,  Iowa,  where  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1842.  The  same  year  he 
married  Miss  EHza  A.  Rowe,  of  Pleasant  Valley,  Scott  county,  and  they  main- 
tained their  home  in  Tipton  until  1851,  when  the  returned  to  Davenport,  where 
John  P.  Cook  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  until  his  death.  During  his  resi- 
dence here  he  was  elected  to  congress  and  represented  his  district  in  the  thirty- 
third  session  of  the  national  law-making  body.  His  early  political  allegiance 
was  given  to  the  whig  party  and  on  its  dissolution  he  joined  the  ranks  of  the 
democratic  party,  with  which  he  labored  earnestly  through  his  remaining  days. 
He  was  long  recognized  as  one  of  the  eminent  members  of  the  Davenport  bar, 
gaining  distinction  in  the  days  when  Iowa  was  a  territory.  During  the  pioneer 
epoch  James  Grant,  G.  C.  R.  Mitchell  and  John  P.  Cook  had  practically  a  monopoly 
of  the  law  business  in  Scott  and  adjoining  counties.  Mr.  Cook  was  very  alert, 
determined,  energetic  and  resourceful,  qualities  which  were  manifest  in  his 
relation  to  public  interests  as  well  as  in  his  chosen  life  work.  He  was  a  iluent 
speaker,  strong  and  able  in  debate  and  logical  in  argument  and  his  energy  and 
ability  carried  his  firm  to  the  highest  pinnacle  of  legal  fame  in  this  section  of  the 
state.  A  few  months  prior  to  his  death  his  brother  Hon.  Ebenezer  Cook  passed 
away.  They  were  very  devoted  and  the  loss  of  the  brother  came  as  an  almost 
unsupportable  blow  to  John  P.  Cook,  who  survived  for  only  a  brief  period  and 
died  on  the  17th  of  April,  1872. 

E.  E.  Cook  pursued  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Washington,  D.  C,  Roch- 
ester, Albany  and  Geneva,  New  York,  and  in  Griswold  College  in  Davenport, 
becoming  the  first  student  in  the  collegiate  department  of  that  institution.  With 
the  lasting  example  of  his  father  before  him  to  inspire  and  encourage  him  and 
to  serve  as  a  standard  for  professional  labor,  E.  E.  Cook  entered  upon  prepara- 
tion for  the  bar  and  was  graduated  from  the  Albany  law  School  in  May,  1863. 
He  was  then  admitted  to  practice  by  the  supreme  court  of  New  York  and,  re- 
turning to  Davenport,  was  admitted  at  the  May  term  of  the  district  court  in  the 
same  year.  He  then  entered  his  father's  office  and  on  the  ist  of  January,  1865, 
became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Cook  &  Drury.  On  the  ist  of  January,  1871, 
changes  in  the  partnership  led  to  the  adoption  of  the  firm  name  of  Cook  & 
Bruning,  which  connection  continued  until  the  death  of  John  P.  Cook.  In  May, 
1872,  the  son  E.  E.  Cook  entered  into  partnership  with  Judge  J.  S.  Richman  as 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  Cook,  Richman  &  Bruning  and  following  the  retirement 
of  Mr.  Bruning,  in  December,  1875,  the  firm  became  Cook  &  Richman  and  so 
continued  until  May  i,  1880,  when  the  firm  of  Cook  &  Dodge  was  formed.  On 
the  1st  of  June,  1909,  William  Dodge  retired  from  the  firm  and  removed  to 
Salt  Lake  City,  and  the  name  was  changed  to  Cook  &  Balluflf,  the  members  be- 
ing E.  E.  Cook,  R.  B.  Cook  and  Walter  M.  Balluff.  The  zeal  with  which  the 
firm  have  devoted  their  energies  to  the  profession,  the  careful  regard  evinced 
for  the  interests  of  clients  and  an  assiduous  and  unrelaxing  attention  to  all  the 
details  of  their  cases  have  brought  them  a  large  business  and  made  them  very 
successful  in  its  conduct. 

Mr.  Cook  has  always  given  stalwart  support  to  the  democratic  party  and  is 
a  valued  advisor  in  party  councils,  but  has  steadily  refused  to  become  a  can- 
didate for  office  although  various  positions  have  been  profifered  him.     Aside 


856  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

from  his  profession  his  interest  centers  in  his  home  and  on  the  20th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1866,  he  married  Ellen  K.  Dodge.  They  have  two  sons:  R.  B.,  now  a  prac- 
ticing lawyer;  and  George  C,  who  for  a  time  was  a  teacher  of  English  litera- 
ture in  the  L-eland  Standford  University  of  California. 

Such  is  the  life  record  of  one  who  now  occupies  an  enviable  position  in 
professional  circles  in  Davenport.  Few  lawyers  have  made  a  more  lasting  im- 
pression upon  the  bar  of  the  state,  both  for  legal  ability  of  a  high  order  and  for 
the  individuality  of  a  personal  character  which  impresses  itself  upon  a  com- 
munity. Of  a  family  conspicuous  for  strong  intellects,  indomitable  courage  and 
energy,  he  entered  upon  his  career  as  a  lawyer  and  such  has  been  his  natural 
qualifications  that  he  has  overcome  all  obstacles  and  written  his  name  upon  the 
keystone  of  the  legal  arch. 


HERMANN  H.  STEFFEN. 

Hermann  H.  Steffen  needs  no  introduction  to  the  readers  of  this  volume,  for 
he  is  one  of  the  best  known  citizens  of  Davenport,  his  connection  with  hotel 
interests  bringing  him  a  wide  acquaintance  and  also  gaining  for  him  the  sub- 
stantial success  which  enables  him  to  live  retired.  He  was  one  of  the  early  Ger- 
man residents  here,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Holstein,  Germany,  July  21, 
1831.  His  parents,  Peter  E.  and  Whipke  Steffen,  both  spent  their  entire  lives 
in  that  country.  Peter  E.  Steffen  was  a  goldsmith  by  trade  and  to  that  occupa- 
tion turned  for  the  success  which  would  enable  him  to  provide  a  comfortable 
living  for  his  family.  One  of  the  uncles  of  Hermann  H.  Steffen  was  colonel  of 
a  regiment  under  Napoleon  and  participated  in  the  memo'rable  Prussian  cam- 
paigns. 

In  the  schools  of  his  native  country  Hermann  H.  Steffen  acquired  his  educa- 
tion and  soon  after  his  school  days  were  over  he  sought  and  secured  a  position 
as  cabin  boy,  leaving  Hamburg  on  a  vessel  that  carried  a  load  of  merchandise  to- 
the  West  Indies,  landing  at  St.  Thomas.  From  there  he  went  to  the  isle  of 
Santo  Domingo,  where  they  took  on  board  a  cargo  of  tobacco,  mahogany  and 
rare  woods,  which  they  carried  back  to  Germany.  They  made  their  next  trip  with 
a  load  of  tin  and  merchandise,  sailing  from  Liverpool  to  St.  Thomas,  where  they 
were  compelled  to  remain  for  a  long  time  on  account  of  the  war  between  Holstein 
and  Denmark,  from  1848  until  1850.  Later  they  went  to  Haiti,  where  the  ship 
was  sold.  The  new  owners  wished  Mr.  Steffen  to  return  to  Germany  as  one  of 
the  ship's  crew,  but  he  did  not  care  to  do  so.  There  was  a  United  States  ship  in 
port  at  the  time  and  he  obtained  a  position  on  her  as  steward.  The  vessel  was 
bound  for  New  York  with  a  load  of  sugar.  While  crossing  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
they  encountered  a  terrific  tornado  and  were  compelled  to  throw  a  part  of  their 
cargo  overboard  but  finally  managed  to  reach  New  York.  This  was  in  1849. 
Mr.  Steffen  remained  for  a  time  in  that  city  and  in  1851  sailed  on  an  American 
ship  out  of  Baltimore  for  Valparaiso,  Chile.  The  trip  consumed  about  ninety- 
four  days  and  a  hard  storm  was  encountered  while  they  were  rounding  Cape 
Horn,  so  that  they  lost  a  part  of  their  sails.    Some  of  the  crew  ran  away  at  Val- 


HEEMANN  H.    STEFFEN 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  859 

paraiso,  but  Mr.  Steffen  went  with  the  ship  to  Ecuador,  where  there  was  a  revo- 
lution in  progress.  The  boat  was  then  purchased  by  the  government  for  war 
purposes.  Mr.  Steffen  was  paid  off  there  and  later  he  shipped  as  an  able  seaman 
on  board  another  vessel,  commanded  by  a  German  captain,  for  California,  his 
wages  being  one  dollar  per  month.  The  vessel's  cargo  was  flour,  and  after 
sailing  for  forty-eight  days  they  passed  through  the  Golden  Gate  in  the  spring 
of  1852. 

Mr.  Steffen  had  intended  to  quit  the  sea  and  locate  in  California,  but  the  coun- 
try was  so  dry  and  hot  that  he  concluded  that  he  could  not  do  well  there.  He  met 
a  sailor  friend  in  San  Francisco  and  they  decided  to  return  east.  They  left  on 
the  same  boat  that  brought  him  to  California  and  landed  at  Valparaiso,  whence 
they  shipped  on  a  German  bark  that  took  them  to  Bolivar,  Peru.  There  they 
took  on  a  load  of  saltpeter  and  went  around  Cape  Horn  to  Hamburg,  Germany. 
From  the  fatherland  Mr.  Steffen  sailed  for  New  York  and  then,  making  his  way 
into  the  interior  of  the  country,  arrived  at  Davenport,  December  3,  1855.  He  se- 
cured work  on  a  steamboat  here  under  Captain  Clark  and  when  the  war  broke  out 
went  on  the  government  boat  Metropolitan  in  1862.  They  proceeded  down  the 
Mississippi  river  to  Cairo  and  took  Pope's  division  from  that  place  to  Fort  Pillow. 
They  landed  at  Shiloh  with  twenty-one  steamboat  loads  of  reenforcements  three 
days  after  the  battle  was  fought.  In  1864  Mr.  Steffen  was  drafted  for  service  and 
became  a  member  of  Company  B,  Tenth  Iowa  Infantry.  He  went  with  Sher- 
man on  the  march  to  the  sea  and  was  honorably  discharged  at  Washington  in 
June,  1865,  following  the  close  of  the  war.  Returning  to  Davenport,  he  then 
opened  a  cafe  on  Brady  street,  which  he  conducted  for  thirteen  years,  after  which 
he  became  proprietor  of  the  St.  Louis  Hotel  on  Second  street  and  thus  re- 
mained in  business  for  about  four  years,  or  until  he  retired. 

In  December,  1855,  Mr.  Steffen  was  married  to  Miss  Henrietta  Tiedemann, 
a  daughter  of  Christian  and  Anna  Tiedmann,  and  they  have  five  children :  Emil, 
of  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  who  married  Hattie  Tracy  and  had  five  sons — Harry, 
Roy,  Claud,  Ralph  and  James,  the  last  named  being  deceased ;  Harry,  of  Daven- 
port, who  wedded  Mary  Denkmann  and  has  three  children — Herbert,  Florence 
and  Mary;  Mary  the  wife  of  Frank  Meier,  of  Davenport,  by  whom  she  has  five 
sons — ^Walter,  Arno,  Robert,  Frank  and  Victor;  Theresa,  the  wife  of  John 
Krouse,  of  Davenport;  and  Arabelle,  who  died  when  seven  years  of  age. 

Mr;  Steffen  is  a  member  of  the  Old  German  Pioneers,  a  society  formed 
among  the  citizens  of  German  birth  who  have  long  been  residents  of  Davenport. 
He  is  also  connected  with  the  Turners  and  the  German  Shooting  Society.  He 
lives  with  his  wife  in  a  fine  residence  which  they  own  on  West  Third  street.  They 
celebrated  their  golden  wedding  in  December,  1905,  on  which  occasion  all  of  their 
children  and  grandchildren  were  present.  Mr.  Steffen  relates  many  interesting 
incidents  of  his  different  voyages,  in  which  he  gained  intimate  knowledge  of  var- 
ious lands,  their  people  and  customs.  While  on  his  first  trip  to  America  he  was 
told  by  the  captain  to  climb  up  the  rigging  and  see  if  he  could  see  land.  He  did 
so  but  reported  that  he  could  not  see  anything  but  a  black  cloud.  He  was  told 
to  come  down  and  look  through  a  spy  glass  which  the  captain  had  and  then  saw 
that  his  cloud  was  the  Isle  of  San  Salvador,  which  was  his  first  sight  of  America. 
It  was  this  same  isle  on  which  Columbus  landed  when  the  new  world  was  dis- 


860  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

covered.  His  life  has  been  one  of  varied  experiences  such  as  do  not  come  to  the 
man  who  confines  his  attention  to  industrial  or  commercial  pursuits,  and  his 
conversation  is  enriched  with  many  amusing  and  interesting  anecdotes.  He  now 
well  deserves  the  rest  which  he  is  enjoying  and  in  Davenport  he  has  a  large  circle 
of  warm  friends,  not  only  among  the  people  of  his  own  nationality  but  among  all 
the  different  classes  of  Davenport's  citizenship. 


JUERGEN  SCHMIDT. 


Juergen  Schmidt,  a  retired  farmer  of  Sheridan  township,  is  the  owner  of 
eighty  acres  of  fine  farm  land  in  Scott  county,  upon  which  he  now  resides.  It  is 
situated  about  a  mile  and  a  half  south  of  Eldridge  and  constitutes  a  good  farm, 
being  well  developed  through  the  energy  and  business  ability  of  the  owner. 
The  name  indicates  his  German  ancestry.  He  was  born  in  Holstein,  January 
24,  1833,  and  is  a  son  of  Claus  and  Anna  Schmidt.  The  father  was  a  farmer  in 
Germany  and  there  died. 

Juergen  Schmidt  remained  in  his  native  country  until  nineteen  years  of  age, 
when  in  1852  he  came  to  the  United  States,  landing  at  New  York,  after  a  voyage 
of  seven  weeks.  He  was  accompanied  by  his  mother,  his  two  brothers,  Hans 
and  Agert,  the  latter  now  deceased,  and  two  sisters,  Anna  and  Kathrina,  who 
have  also  passed  away.  The  family  started  westward  from  New  York,  making 
their  way  by  rail  to  Chicago,  and  thence  by  wagon  and  boat  to  Davenport.  After 
reaching  their  destination  Mr.  Schmidt  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  of 
partially  improved  land  in  Sheridan  township  in  partnership  with  his  two  broth- 
ers, and  lived  thereon  for  two  years.  He  then  left  that  place  but  his  brother 
Hans  rernained  upon  the  property.  It  was  at  that  time  that  Juergen  Schmidt 
took  up  his  abode  upon  his  present  farm.  He  and  his  brother  Agert  purchased 
at  that  time  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  of  which  each  took  half.  Upon  his 
place  Juergen  Schmidt  has  since  lived  and  he  has  made  all  of  the  improvements, 
adding  a  modern  dwelling,  good  barns  and  other  necessary  outbuildings  for  the 
shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  His  fields  are  well  tilled  in  the  production  of  the 
cereals  best  adapted  to  climatic  conditions  and  everything  about  the  place  is  in- 
dicative of  the  care  and  labor  bestowed  upon  it  by  the  owner. 

Mr.  Schmidt  was  married  in  September,  1885,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being 
Miss  Matilda  Ronge.  Their  union  was  blessed  with  five  children,  four  daughters 
and  a  son,  namely :  Emma,  a  resident  of  Davenport ;  August,  of  Pipestone,  Min- 
nesota; Alvina,  also  of  Davenport;  Dorothy,  at  home;  and  Elsie,  also  under  the 
parental  roof.  The  wife  and  mother  departed  this  life  April  8,  1901,  at  the  com- 
paratively early  age  of  thirty-five  years.     She  is  buried  at  Pine  Hill  cemetery. 

Mr.  Schmidt  has  served  as  road  supervisor  for  one  year  but  has  never  been 
an  office  seeker,  preferring  to  give  his  time  and  attention  to  his  business  af- 
fairs. He  belongs  to  the  German  Pioneer  Society  of  Scott  county,  having  made 
his  home  within  the  borders  of  the  county  for  fifty-eight  years,  during  which 
period  he  has  witnessed  notable  changes  as  the  wild  land  has  been  transformed 
into  beautiful  and  attractive  farms,  while  the  work  of  advancement  has  been 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  ' 861 

carried  just  as  steadily  forward  in  the  cities.  The  success  that  he  has  won  has 
come  as  a  direct  reward  of  his  own  labor  and  effort  and  indicates  what  may  be 
accomplished  when  one  is  willing  to  work.  He  has  gained  the  respect  and 
friendship  of  many  and  especially  of  those  who  have  long  been  associated  with 
him  and  have  had  the  opportunity  to  witness  the  honorable  course  that  he  has 
pursued  during  the  long  years  of  his  residence  here. 


ANNE  MARY  SHULER,  M.  D. 

While  women  are  today  found  in  every  department  of  business  life,  especially 
where  intellect  dominates,  the  field  of  medicine  was  among  the  first  profes- 
sions into  which  she  made  her  way.  For  this  woman  is  particularly  qualified 
because  of  the  ready  sympathy  and  almost  intuitive  perception  which  are  hers. 
These  qualities  combined  with  that  knowledge  which  is  gained  from  text-books 
and  the  skill  which  is  won  through  experience  have  brought  her  notable  success 
and  prominence.  Among  the  practitioners  of  Davenport  is  numbered  Dr.  Anne 
M.  Shuler,  who  has  offices  in  the  Lane  building.  She  was  born  in  1880,  in  Rapids 
City,  Illinois,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Charles  and  Jane  (Gilchrist)  Shuler.  Her 
early  education  was  acquired  in  the  schools  of  Gilchrist,  Illinois,  to  which  place 
she  was  brought  at  the  age  of  three  years,  and  she  completed  her  course  in  Dav- 
enport at  St.  Katharine's  Hall,  where  she  was  graduated  in  1899  with  class  hon- 
ors. She  afterward  pursued  a  commercial  course  in  Davenport  but,  attracted 
toward  a  professional  life,  she  entered  the  Woman's  Medical  College  of  Penn- 
sylvania at  Philadelphia  and  was  graduated  therefrom  in  1904.  She  afterward 
became  an  interne  in  the  Women's  and  Children's  Hospital  at  San  Francisco, 
California,  and  greatly  broadened  her  knowledge  through  the  varied  experience 
of  hospital  practice.  Returning  to  Davenport  in  1906  she  opened  her  office 
in  the  Lane  building  and  is  now  enjoying  a  large  and  growing  practice.  She  is 
a  member  of  the  Scott  County  Medical  Society,  the  Iowa  State  Medical  Asso- 
ciation and  the  American  Medical  Association  and  is  medical  examiner  for  the 
Maccabees  and  the  Tribe  of  Ben  Hur.  She  makes  her  home  with  her  father  at 
No.  1516  East  River  street  and  is  well  known  professionally  in  this  city. 


P.  W.  RECK. 


The  record  of  P.  W.  Reck  is  that  of  a  strenuous  life— the  record  of  a  strong 
individuality,  suire  of  itself,  stable  in  purpose,  quick  in  perception,  swift  in  de- 
cision, energetic  and  persistent  in  action.  All  these  find  proof  in  the  fact  that 
in  twenty-three  years  he  has  worked  his  way  up  from  the  position  of  an  ap- 
prentice through  all  the  intermediate  stages  until  he  was  made  general  super- 
intendent of  the  mammoth  plant  of  the  Bettendorf  Axle  Company  in  1902.  A 
native  of  Mendota,  Illinois,  he  was  born  July  15,  1866.  His  father,  William 
Reck,    was    born    in    Westerhousen    am    Rhein,    Germany,    but    came    to    the 


862  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

United  States  in  his  childhood,  his  parents  settling  in  Illinois,  where  he  grew 
to  manhood  and  engaged  in  farming.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Eich,  a  native  of  Cologne,  Germany,  who  was  also  quit^  young  when  her 
parents  came  to  the  new  world  and  settled  in  Illinois. 

P.  W.  Reck  attended  the  schools  of  Mendota  and  also  worked  upon  his  fath- 
er's farm  until  nineteen  years  of  age,  when  he  started  in  business  life  for  him- 
self. Having  a  strong  predilection  for  mechanics,  he  secured  a  situation  with 
the  Bettendorf  Axle  Company,  of  Davenport,  and  has  since  been  connected  with 
this  important  corporation.  As  an  apprentice  he  made  steady  progress  and  in 
twenty-three  years  has  made  continuous  advancement  in  connection  with  the 
business,  having  been  appointed  superintendent  in  1902  of  an  enterprise  which 
is  known  not  only  throughout  this  country  but  throughout  the  world.  Mr. 
Reck  was  also  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Bettendorf  Savings  Bank  and  became 
its  first  president. 

It  was  in  March,  1888,  that  Mr.  Reck  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Minnie 
E.  Eike,  a  native  of  Guttenberg,  Iowa.  Her  parents  were  old  and  respected  set- 
tlers of  that  section  of  the  state  and  she  holds  the  distinction  of  having  been 
the  first  white  child  baptized  in  the  Guttenberg  Catholic  church.  Two  sons 
have  been  born  unto  them,  Edgar  William  and  Leroy  M.  Mr.  Reck  holds  mem- 
bership with  the  Commercial  Club  and  the  Auto  Club,  of  Davenport,  and  the 
Western  Railway  Club  of  Chicago  and  enjoys  pleasant  fraternal  relations  with 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  A  man  of  genial  and  pleasing  person- 
ality, he  also  •  possesses  distinct  executive  ability  with  a  power  to  guide  and 
control  others,  so  that  he  has  been  a  most  competent  official  in  the  responsible 
position  which  he  has  filled  for  the  past  eight  years.  Moreover  he  has  been  one 
of  the  active  promoters  of  the  town  of  Bettendorf.  He  was  one  of  its  incor- 
porators, served  on  its  first  board  of  councilmen  and  was  elected  mayor  later, 
filling  that  position  for  one  year,  when  he  resigned.  He  has  since  continuously 
served  as  councilman  with  the  exception  of  one  year.  He  was  also  instrumental 
in  having  a  fourth-class  postoffice  estabhshed  at  this  place.  For  six  weeks 
he  labored  for  that  purpose  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  Bettendorf  was  placed 
on  the  United  States  mailing  map. 


THOMAS  B.  MAW. 


Thomas  B.  Maw,  who  owns  and  cultivates  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  productive  land  in  Winfield  township  and  is  also  part  owner  of  a  tract 
of  twenty  acres  of  timber  land  on  the  Wapsie,  was  bom  in  Aliens  Grove  town- 
ship, Scott  county,  November  20,  1845,  a  son  of  Johnson  and  Julia  (Thomp- 
son) Maw.  The  father,  a  native  of  England,  was  born  in  1814,  acquired  his 
education  in  the  schools  of  that  country  and  afterward  learned  the  tailor's  trade. 
In  the  year  1834  he  sailed  for  the  United  States  and  settled  in  New  York,  where 
he  spent  two  years.  About  1841  he  came  to  the  middle  west  and  established  his 
iiome  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  Scott  county,  Iowa.  This  was  several  years  be- 
fore the  state  was  admitted  to  the  Union  and  even  the  counties  bordering  the 


THOMAS  B.   MAW 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  865 

Mississippi  were  but  sparsely  settled,  the  work  of  improvement  and  cultivation 
being  scarcely  begun.  Wild  game  was  quite  plentiful  and  the  prairies  were 
covered  with  their  native  grasses.  Mr.  Maw  entered  raw  land  from  the  govern- 
ment, for  which  he  paid  the  usual  price  of  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre  He 
began  with  about  eighty  acres  and  as  the  years  passed  he  added  to  his  original 
holdings  from  time  to  time  until  he  was  the  owner  of  more  than  three  hundred 
acres  at  his  demise.  He  was  diligent  and  persevering  in  business  and  the  careful 
manner  m  which  he  cultivated  his  farm  made  it  a  valuable  and  productive  prop- 
erty. He  also  took  an  active  part  in  community  affairs  and  held  most  of  the 
township  offices,  also  serving  as  as  school  director  and  trustee.  He  was  elected 
on  the  democratic  ticket  and  always  remained  a  stanch  advocate  of  the  de- 
mocracy. He  was  also  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Grange  and  did  everything 
in  his  power  to  advance  agricultural  interests  in  this  part  of  the  state. 

Johnson  Maw  died  in  1899,  while  his  wife  passed  away  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
five  years.  She  was  born  in  Virginia  and  came  with  her  parents  to  Scott  county, 
Iowa,  about  1840,  the  journey  being  made  with  ox-teams  across  the  country  from 
the  Old  Dominion.  The  Thompson  family  also  established  their  home  in  Al- 
iens Grove  township  and  in  this  locality  Mrs.  Maw  continued  to  reside  until 
called  to  her  final  rest.  By  her  marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  ten  children, 
namely :  EHzabeth,  the  wife  of  John  Riley,  of  Aliens  Grove  township ;  Thomas  B., 
of  this  review ;  John  E.,  Who  makes  his  home  in  Nebraska ;  George,  a  resident  of 
Davenport;  Hannah,  the  wife  of  R.  K.  Brownlee,  of  Long  Grove,  this  county; 
Frederick,  a  resident  of  Idaho;  Linnie,  who  became  the  wife  of  a  Mr.  Fuller  and 
is  now  deceased ;  Nellie,  of  Long  Grove ;  Stephen,  who  lives  in  Nebraska ;  and 
Morgan,  of  Davenport. 

Thomas  B.  Maw  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  this  county  and  his  memory  goes 
back  to  the  time  when  the  homes  were  widely  scattered,  when  the  land  was  largely 
uncultivated  and  when  there  were  few  of  the  advantages  known  to  the  older  east. 
In  his  childhood  he  attended  the  district  schools  of  Aliens  Grove  township  and 
there  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  for  about  ten  years  assisting  in  the  erection  of 
many  houses  and  buildings  in  Scott  county  and  especially  in  Aliens  Grove  town- 
ship. At  length  he  abandoned  that  trade  to  resume  the  occupation  of  farming  and 
for  a  few  years  rented  land  from  his  father,  during  which  period  he  carefully 
saved  his  earnings  until  his  capital  was  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  purchase  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  Winfield  township.  It  was  an  improved  tract,  upon  which  he 
made  his  home  for  twelve  years,  when  he  sold  out  and  bought  his  present  farm, 
which  he  purchased  from  John  Little,  who  had  bought  it  from  the  government. 
Upon  this  place  Mr.  Maw  has  remained  continuously  since  and  has  made  nearly 
all  of  the  improvements  which  constitute  this  one  of  the  attractive  farms  of  the 
district.  The  fields  are  carefully  tilled  and  return  him  good  crops,  while  upon 
this  place  he  keeps  good  grades  of  stock. 

On  the  i6th  of  March,  1882,  Mr.  Maw  was  married  to  Miss  Jane  Whistler, 
a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Betsey  Whistler,  of  Aliens  Grove  township.  Mrs. 
Maw  was  born  in  Buffalo,  Scott  county,  and  is  fifty-five  years  of  age.  By  her 
marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  two  children :  Ruby,  who  married  George  Clapp 
and  has  one  child,  Zella ;  and  OUie  E.,  who  was  killed  by  a  horse  in  1908,  when 
eighteen  years  of  age.    Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clapp  reside  with  her  parents. 


866  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Mr.  Maw  has  served  as  school  director  of  Winfield  township  and  has  ever 
been  interested  in  the  cause  of  education,  reaHzing  how  valuable  is  intellectual 
training  as  a  preparation  for  life's  practical  and  responsible  duties.  For  sixty-five 
years  he  has  witnessed  the  growth  and  development  of  the  county  as  it  has  thrown 
off  the  evidences  of  pioneer  life  and  taken  on  all  the  conditions  which  indicate 
modern  progress.  He  has  seen  the  wild  land  transformed  into  rich  fields,  the 
pioneer  homes  replaced  by  commodious  and  substantial  residences,  while  villages 
have  been  converted  into  enterprising  towns  and  cities.  At  all  times  he  has  been 
interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  community  and  rejoices  in  what  has  been  accom- 
plished. He  is  now  practically  living  retired,  leaving  the  active  work  of  the  farm 
to  his  son-in-law  but  retaining  the  ownership  of  the  property  he  derives  therefrom 
a  substantial  annual  income. 


HENRY  GOETTSCH. 


Among  the  native  sons  of  Scott  county  who  are  seeking  their  fortunes  in  the 
tilling  of  the  soil  is  Henry  Goettsch,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Davenport  on  the 
8th  of  March,  1858.  His  parents  are  Jochim  and  Bertha  Goettsch,  both  natives 
of  Germany,  where  the  former  was  born  on  the  19th  of  October,  1838.  He  came 
to  the  United  States  when  about  eight  years  of  age  with  his  parents,  who  landed 
at  New  Orleans  and  made  their  way  direct  to  Scott  county,  within  the  borders 
of  which  their  remaining  days  were  passed.  The  father  was  for  many  years  en- 
gaged in  the  occupation  of  farming  and  today  owns  a  valuable  property  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Cleona  township,  although  he  is  now  living  retired 
and  resides  in  Davenport  with  his  wife.  He  is  the  father  of  four  children,  of 
whom  our  subject  is  the  eldest,  the  others  being:  Theodore,  a  resident  of  Durant; 
Laura,  the  wife  of  Frank  Peterson ;  and  Clara,  who  lives  with  her  parents. 

Henry  Goettsch  was  brought  to  Cleona  township  when  but  two  years  of  age 
and  acquired  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  that  township,  being  reared 
to  manhood  upon  his  father's  farm.  Amid  the  wholesome  scenes  and  environ- 
ment of  rural  life  he  early  acquired  habits  of  industry,  perseverance  and  integ- 
rity— habits  which  formed  an  excellent  foundation  stone  upon  which  to  build  his 
business  career — and  in  the  work  of  the  home  fields  gained  thorough  and  prac- 
tical experience  in  farming  which  proved  of  much  benefit  to  him  when  he  entered 
the  business  world  on  his  own  account.  Agricultural  pursuits  have  ever  claimed 
his  attention  and  that  he  has  been  successful  in  this  line  of  activity  is  indicated 
by  his  present  high  standing  in  agricultural  circles,  where  he  is  recognized  as  a 
substantial,  progressive  and  representative  business  man.  He  is  the  owner  of 
the  farm  upon  which  he  now  makes  his  home,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  valuable  land  which  adjoins  the  county  line  and  constitutes  the  northwest 
quarter  of  section  19.  He  also  owns  another  quarter  section  in  Farmington  town- 
ship. Cedar  county,  about  one  mile  from  his  home  place,  which  is  operated  by  a 
tenant  and  returns  good  annual  rental.  On  the  home  farm  he  carries  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  is  systematic  and  methodical  in  his  methods,  while  everything 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  867 

about  the  place  indicates  that  he  is  in  close  touch  with  the  modem  spirit  of 
progress  which  is  manifest  in  agricultural  lines. 

Mr.  Goettsch  laid  the  foundation  for  a  happy  home  Hfe  of  his  own  in  his 
marriage,  on  the  19th  of  February,  1886,  to  Miss  Caroline  Feldham,  who  was 
born  near  Racine,  Wisconsin,  on  the  25th  of  February,  1864,  and  with  her  par- 
ents came  to  Iowa  in  1865.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Martin  and  Caroline  (Mar- 
tin) Feldham,  both  natives  of  Germany,  the  former  having  passed  away  in 
1900  when  eighty-one  years  of  age,  while  the  latter  survives  and  makes  her 
home  in  Durant.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goettsch  have  been  born  nine  children: 
Ella,  Caroline,  Albeft,  Emil,  Lulu,  Rosa,  Bertha,  Vera  and  Viola.  With  the 
exception  of  the  eldest,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Charles  Schneckloth,  of  Durant, 
all  are  yet  unmarried  and  make  their  home  under  the  parental  roof,  the  family 
circle  remaining  unbroken  by  the  hand  of  death. 

Mr.  Goettsch  exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  democratic  party  but  has  never  sought  nor  desired  public  office 
for  himself.  He  is  well  known  throughout  the  community  where  his  entire  life 
has  been  spent  and  has  gained  the  unqualified  respect,  confidence  and  good  will 
of  all  with  whom  he  has  been  associated,  for  his  life  has  ever  been  actuated  by 
high  and  honorable  principles  and  in  his  relations  with  his  fellowmen  he  dis- 
plays substantial  qualities  and  a  kindly  and  just  spirit. 


WILLIAM  HOERSCH. 


William  Hoersch,  who  as  a  member  of  the  Davenport  bar  gives  his  attention 
to  civil  rather  than  criminal  law  and  to  advisory  work  rather  than  to  trial  prac- 
tice, is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  learned  representatives  of  the  legal  profes- 
sion here.  His  life  record  is  in  contradistinction  to  the  old  adage  that  "a  prophet 
is  never  without  honor  save  in  his  own  country,"  for  Mr.  Hoersch,  a  native  of 
Scott  county,  has  so  directed  his  labors  here  as  to  gain  signal  recognition  for 
his  ability  and  for  the  energy  and  intellectual  force  which  have  carried  him  into 
important  professional  relations. 

His  birth  occurred  about  two  miles  north  of  Walcott,  June  30,  186 1,  his  par- 
ents being  John  J.  and  Mary  (Hausmann)  Hoersch,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  Germany.  The  year  1849  witnessed  their  arrival  in  the  new  world  and 
in  185 1  they  became  residents  of  Davenport,  while  in  1854  their  marriage  was 
celebrated  in  this  county.  When  their  son  William  was  two  years  of  age  the 
family  home  was  established  in  Davenport.  Arriving  at  school  age,  Mr.  Hoersch 
of  this  review,  pursued  his  studies  in  the  graded  and  high  schools  of  Daven- 
port, gaining  thus  a  fair  literary  education  around  which  as  a  nucleus  has  gath- 
ered the  information  and  knowledge  that  years  have  brought  as  the 
result  of  experience,  reading,  research  and  investigation.  Determining  upon 
the  practice  of  law  as  a  life  work,  he  devoted  two  years  to  study  in  the  office  of 
Stewart  &  White,  attorneys  of  Davenport,  and  then  matriculated  in  the  law 
school  of  Iowa  University,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  June,  1882. 


868  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

In  the  spring  of  the  following  year  Mr.  Hoersch  engaged  in  practice  inde- 
pendently and  has  remained  alone  throughout  his  professional  career.  But  while 
he  has  had  no  partners,  his  office  has  been  a  favorite  one  with  students  in  which 
to  read  law  and  with  novitiates  in  practice  who  have  sought  employment  with 
him.  Several  of  the  younger  members  of  the  bar  have  made  their  start  with 
Mr.  Hoersch  and  all  admit  that  their  habits  of  close  application,  thorough  re- 
search and  careful  preparation  are  largely  due  to  his  example  and  counsel.  As 
previously  stated,  Mr.  Hoersch  does  not  care  for  trial  practice.  Perhaps  the 
knowledge  of  law  and  the  finesse  required  in  his  chosen  field  is  much  greater 
than  is  that  of  an  advocate — certainly  it  is  no  less — ^but  laws  and  their  practical 
use  are  to  him  familiar  and  with  common  use  thoroughly  understood.  To  him 
the  law  pertaining  to  estates,  real  estate,  abstracts  of  title  and  to  loans  and  col- 
lections furnishes  a  favorite  tilting  ground  and  here  he  finds  his  greatest  pleas- 
ure, his  surest  victories  and  quickest  remuneration,  while'  his  clients  implicitly 
rely  on  his  judgment  and  accept  without  demur  his  decisions.  His  practice 
is  large  and  valuable,  perhaps  one  of  the  largest  in  the  city  in  examination  of 
abstracts,  while  in  loans  and  collections  it  is  far  from  inconsiderable.  He  has 
an  old  and  well  established  clientele,  including  many  who  would  feel  at  an  utter 
loss  where  to  seek  counsel  if  his  services  were  denied  them. 

On  the  29th  of  October,  1890,  Mr.  Hoersch  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Amelia  Peterson,  a  daughter  of  August  Peterson,  and  they  have  become  parents 
of  two  sons  and  a  daughter.  The  family  attend  the  German  Methodist  church, 
to  the  support  of  which  Mr.  Hoersch  is  a  liberal  contributor,  giving  generously 
to  various  lines  of  church  work  and  as  well  to  many  charities  and  benevolences. 
His  interest  centers  in  his  home  and  in  his  practice,  precluding  activity  in  po- 
litical or  pubHc  lines.  The  standards  which  he  sets  up  for  himself,  however,  are 
high  and  constitute  him  a  devoted  husband  and  father,  a  faithful  citizen  and  a  loyal 
advocate  of  whatever  cause  he  espouses.  No  member  of  the  profession  enjoys  in 
larger  measure  the  high  regard  and  esteem  of  the  members  of  the  Davenport 
bar  and  no  individual  is  perhaps  more  worthy  the  genuine  friendship  accorded 
him.  He  is  a  champion  of  Davenport  and  its  interests  and  yet  has  always  pre- 
ferred that  his  public  service  should  be  done  as  a  private  citizen  through  in- 
fluence and  quiet  support  rather  than  as  an  incumbent  in  public  office.  He  has 
wisely  and  conscientiously  used  the  talents  with  which  nature  has  endowed  him 
and  has  thus  come  to  be  known  as  one  of  the  representative  lawyers  and  citi- 
zens of  Scott  county. 


HENRY  STEFFEN. 


Henry  Steffen  was  born  in  Scott  county,  July  14,  1867,  and  has  paid  the  county 
the  highest  compliment  within  his  power  by  always  remaining  within  its  borders. 
He  is  the  son  of  Claus  and  Silke  (Lamp)  Steffen,  who  came  to  this  country  in 
1866  and  were  soon  afterward  married  here.  The  father  came  into  possession  of 
a  tract  of  one  huridred  and  twenty-two  acres  on  section  31,  Aliens  Grove  town- 
ship.   The  young  couple  prospered  through  their  industry  and  good  management 


HENTvV   STEFF'EX 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  871 

and  three  sons,  of  whom  Henry  Steffen  is  the  eldest,  were  born  to  inherit  America's 
freedom  and  opportunity.  When  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  only  about  twelve 
years  of  age  he  was  unfortunate  enough  to  lose  his  father  and  he  began  at  once  to 
share  the  burdens  which  had  fallen  with  unusual  weight  upon  the  shoulders  of  the 
mother.  Together  they  continued  the  improvement  of  the  farm,  which  is  today 
a  valuable  and  highly  developed  piece  of  property.  In  1904  the  mother  ended 
a  courageous  and  useful  Hfe  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years.  The  other  sons  are 
William,  living  in  Chicago,  and  Gustaf,  who  is  at  present  located  in  South  Dakota. 

Henry  Steffen  makes  his  residence  upon  the  family  homestead,  where  he  en- 
gages in  general  farming  and  has  the  good  fortune  to  prove  himself  adapted  to 
his  calling-.  In  1902  he  laid  the  foundation  of  a  happy  domestic  life  by  his  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Alfreda  Herbst,  like  her  husband  a  native  of  Scott  county,  born 
March  4,  1879,  and  also  like  him  of  German  parentage,  her  father  being  Frederick 
Herbst,  a  blacksmith  whose  native  land  was  Germany.  They  have  three  children : 
Viola,  and  twins  named  Herbert  and  Harry. 

The  bone  and  sinew  of  any  civilization  is  found  in  its  agricultural  element 
and  Henry  Steffen  is  a  representative  of  this  element,  being  thrifty,  progressive 
and  active  in  his  furtherance  of  the  general  good  of  the  community,  to  which  he 
is  particularly  attached  by  reason  of  a  life-long  residence. 


CHARLES  M.  ROBERTSON. 

Charles  M.  Robertson,  who  carries  on  general  farming  in  Sheridan  township, 
where  he  is  the  owner  of  eighty  acres  of  fine  farm  land  lying  on  section  i,  about 
two  miles  northeast  of  Eldridge,  is  numbered  among  Iowa's  native  sons,  his 
birth  having  occurred  at  Long  Grove,  November  i,   1872.     His  parents  were 
William  D.  and  Margaret  O.  (Murray)  Robertson,  who  were  among  the  earliest 
settlers'  of  this  county.     They  were  both  natives  of  Scotland,  the  father  born 
January  12,  1844.     He  wis  brought  to  the  United  States  in  June,  1853,  by  his 
parents,  William  and  Marion  (McKenzie)  Robertson,  and  his  two  sisters  were 
also  of  the  party.     William  Robertson  was  a  tailor  by  trade  and  followed  that 
business  in  Scotland,  but  after  coming  to  the  United  States  gave  his  attention 
to  general  agricultural  pursuits.     It  was  in  the  year  1849  that  he  severed  the 
connections  that  bound  him  to  Great  Britain  and  sailed  for  New  Orleans,  whence 
he  made  his  way  up  the  river  to  Scott  county.     He  took  up  his  abode  in  Winfield 
township,  near  Long  Grove,  where  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  prairie  land.    It 
was  wild  and  unimproved,  not  a  furrow  having  been  turned  or  a  stick  of  timber 
cut  thereon.     He  at  once  began  to  cultivate  the  land  but  lived  with  relatives  until 
the  family  came  in  1853.    They,  too,  landed  at  New  Orleans  and  at  once  pro- 
ceeded to  Long  Grove.     Later  William  Robertson  built  a  house  and  both  he  and 
his  wife  resided  on  the  old  homestead  until  called  to  their  final  rest,  his  death 
occurring. August  9,  1889,  when  he  was  eighty-three  years  of  age,  while  his  wife 
passed  away  in  1889,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years,,  her  birth  having  occurred 
in  1810.    As  time  passed  on  Mr.  Robertson  added  to  his  original  holdings  but 
later  sold  much  of  his  land.    He  twice  entered  land  from  the  government  and 


872  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

at  the  time  of  his  death  had  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  acres.  In  his  busi- 
ness affairs  he  was  practical  and  was  recognized  throughout  the  community  as  a 
man  of  unfaltering  industry  and  perseverance.  He  served  as  a  school  director 
in  Winfield  township  and  also  as  road  supervisor  and  was  faithful  to  every  trust 
reposed  in  him.  While  in  Scotland  he  held  membership  in  the  Presbyterian 
church  but  in  this  country  attended  the  Christian  church  at  Long  Grove.  His 
family  numbered  three  children :  Marion  S.,  living  in  Scott  county ;  William  D. ; 
and  Jane  C,  the  widow  of  James  Cameron,  who  was  city  plumbing  inspector  of 
Davenport. 

The  second  of  the  family  William  D.  Robertson,  was  the  father  of  Charles 
M.  Robertson  and  was  but  nine  years  of  age  when  he  became  a  resident  of  Scott 
county.  He  had  previously  attended  school  in  his  native  country  and  he  con- 
tinued his  education  at  Long  Grove.  Reared  to  the  occupation  of  farming,  he 
made  it  his  life  work  and  remained  with  his  parents  up  to  the  time  of  his  mar- 
riage in  1870,  when  he  removed  to  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Winfield  township. 
There  he  lived  until  1889,  when  his  mother  died  and  he  returned  to  the  old  home 
place,  residing  thereon  until  his  retirement  from  active  business  Hfe  in  1906. 
His  three  remaining  years  were  spent  in  the  enjoyment  of  well  earned  rest  and 
on  the  7th  of  May,  1909,  his  death  occurred.  He  had  ever  been  a  stalwart  cham- 
pion of  the  cause  of  education  and  served  as  a  school  director.  In  fact,  he  always 
stood  for  progress  and  improvement  along  many  lines  and  his  influence  could 
ever  be  counted  upon  to  favor  the  best  interests  of  the  community.  His  wife 
came  to  the  United  States  about  1850  with  her  parents,  Charles  and  Barbara 
Murray,  who  also  cast  in  their  lot  with  the  pioneer  residents  of  Scott  county. 
Mrs.  Robertson  survived  her  husband  for  only  a  few  months,  passing  away 
July  12,  1909.  There  were  three  children  in  the  family,  but  William  W.,  the 
second  in  order  of  birth,  died  in  September,  1902,  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven 
years.     The  youngest,  John  K.,  is  still  living  on  the  old  homestead. 

Charles  M.  Robertson,  the  eldest  of  the  family,  has  always  made  his  home  in 
Scott  county  and  attended  school  at  Long  Grove,  dividing  his  time  between  the 
duties  of  the  schoolroom,  the  pleasures  of  the  playground  and  the  work  of  the 
home  fields.  When  he  put  aside  his  text-books  he  concentrated  his  energies  upon 
the  farm  work  and  continued  with  his  father  until  his  marriage,  which  was  cele- 
brated on  the  19th  of  February,  1902,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Daisy 
May  Price,  a  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Catherine  (Baker)  Price.  Her  father 
was  born  in  England,  February  6,  1841,  and  came  to  the  United  States  when  a 
young  man,  settling  in  Scott  county.  He  was  a  gardener  and  followed  that  pur- 
suit in  Davenport  township.  His  wife,  who  was  bom  in  England,  August  12, 
1847,  died  November  12,  1903.  She  had  come  to  Scott  county  with  her  parents 
in  her  girlhood  days.  By  her  marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  three  children : 
Sarah,  deceased;  Mrs.  Robertson;  and  Edward  Nathaniel,  at  home. 

Following  their  marriage- Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robenteon  removed  to  their  present 
farm  on  section  i,  Sheridan  township,  purchasing  the  property  from  R.  K. 
Brownlee.  He  has  since  made  some  improvements  upon  it  and  is  busily  en- 
gaged in  tilling  the  soil,  which  responds  generously  to  the  care  and  cultivation 
which  he  bestows  upon  it.  He  thus  annually  harvests  good  crops  and  is  meet- 
ing with  continued  success  in  his  chosen  life  work. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  873 

Mr.  Robertson  is  a  member  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  of  Long  Grove 
and  has  held  office  in  that  order  and  also  in  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge  of  Long  Grove. 
His  friends  find  him  cordial  and  courteous  and  he  enjoys  the  high  esteem  of 
those  who  know  him.  The  attractiveness  of  Scott  county  as  a  place  of  residence 
is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  many  of  her  native  sons  remain  within  her  borders. 
Mr.  Robertson  has  ever  felt  that  he  could  find  no  better  opportunities  in  other 
parts  of  the  country  than  in  the  rich  fanning  section  of  Iowa,  and,  devoting  his 
attention  to  general  agricultural  pursuits,  he  is  now  winning  a  substantial  re- 
ward for  his  labors. 


PETER  FEDDERSEN. 


Peter  Feddersen,  who  owns  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  rich  farm  land 
in  Davenport  township  and  a  handsome  town  residence  on  Vine  street,  Daven- 
port, in  which  he  is  now  living  in  retirement,  is  one  of  the  older  German  settlers 
of  Scott  county.  He  was  born  in  the  province  of  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany, 
December  5,  1828,  a  son  of  Peter  and  Katherina  (Hendricksen)  Feddersen. 
The  former  was  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  in  the  old  country  and,  like 
his  wife,  spent  his  entire  life  there. 

Peter  Feddersen  was  reared  and  educated  in  the  land  of  his  birth  and  as- 
sisted his  father  in  the  operation  of  the  farm  until  he  entered  the  German  army. 
He  took  part  in  the  Holstein  war  with  Denmark  from  1848  to  1850  and  later 
served  three  years  in  the  Danish  army,  returning  to  agricultural  pursuits  at  the 
expiration  of  that  period.  In  1857,  on  one  of  the  first  steamers,  he  and  three 
friends  came  to  America.  About  sixteen  days  were  consumed  in  crossing  the 
ocean,  and  they  landed  at  New  York,  whence  they  came  directly  to  Davenport, 
the  trip  across  the  country  requiring  a  month  in  those  days.  He  and  his  friend, 
Peter  Hendricksen,  remained  in  the  city  but  the  other  two  went  west. 

For  two  summers  Mr.  Feddersen  worked  as  a  farm  hand  and  then  in  conjunc- 
tion with  another  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  prairie  land  in  Liberty 
township.  The  two  men  put  up  a  frame  house  and  operated  the  place  for  two 
years,  the  wife  of  Mr.  Feddersen's  partner  keeping  house  for  them.  Then  the 
land  was  divided  and  after  Mr.  Feddersen's  marriage  he  built  a  house  upon  the 
eighty  acres  which  was  his  share,  in  which  he  and  his  wife  lived  for  nine  years 
subsequent.  During  that  time,  as  he  found  opportunity,  he  purchased  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  more.  In  his  endeavor  to  get  ahead  he  overworked,  so  that  he 
was  compelled  on  account  of  ill  health  to  give  up  active  farming.  Accordmgly 
he  sold  his  property  in  Liberty  township  and  purchased  the  fine  tract  he  owns 
in  Davenport  township  and  removed  to  the  city.  He  bought  first  a  residence  on 
Eighth  and  Warren  streets,  in  which  he  lived  for  five  years,  when  he  sold  it 
and  bought  Washington  Garden,  where  he  lived  until  1885  and  then  removed  to 
his  present  property  on  Vine  street.     In  1885  he  erected  the  fine  large  residence 

he  has  since  occupied. 

On  the  9th  of  November,  1859,  Mr.  Feddersen  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Katherina  Dora  Thea,  a  daughter  of  John  Thea,  who  lived  and  died  m 


874  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Germany.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Feddersen  have  had  three  children.  Kate  made  her 
home  with  her  father  and-  died  November  9,  1909.  Peter,  president  of  the  Dav- 
enport Malting  &  Grain  Company,  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Von  Doehren  and 
they  have  two  sons,  Richard  and  Edgar.  Mary  became  the  wife  of  P.  B.  Fuh- 
lendorf  and  lives  in  Davenport  with  her  father.  Mrs.  Feddersen  died  March  8, 
1898,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years.  She  came  to  Davenport  when  twenty-six 
years  old  and  the  subsequent  forty  years  were  passed  in  Scott  county. 

Mr.  Feddersen  is  a  member  of  the  Old  German  Settlers  Society  and  a  stock- 
holder in  the  German  Savings  Bank,  the  Iowa  National  Bank  and  in  the  Daven- 
port Malting  &  Grain  Company.  A  man  of  laudable  ambition,  he  is  now  one  of 
the  substantial  citizens  of  the  city  and  county.  He  spared  no  effort  to  accom- 
plish his  desires  even  to  the  detriment  of  his  own  health. 


GUSTAV  H.  POSTEL. 


Farming  has  constituted  the  life  work  of  Gustav  H.  Postel,  who  is  now  the 
owner  of  a  good  tract  of  two  hundred  acres  in  Winfield  township.  He  brought 
to  his  work  the  sterling  qualities  of  the  German  race — ^industry  and  economy — 
when  as  a  youth  of  sixteen  he  started  out  in  this  country  to  earn  his  livelihood, 
and  it  is  to  those  qualities  that  he  largely  owes  the  success  that  has  attended 
his  undertakings.  He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  June  20,  1853,  a  son  of 
Franz  and  Minnie  Postel,  also  natives  of  the  fatherland,  where  the  father  was 
engaged  in  farming.  He  came  to  the  United  States  with  a  part  of  his  family 
in  1869,  and  the  last  years  of  his  Kfe  were  spent  in  Scott  county. 

Gustav  H.  Postel  came  to  America  a  few  months  before  his  father,  and  on 
landing  in  New  York  came  direct  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  a  brother  was 
living.  He  was  able  and  eager  to  work  and  after  his  arrival  lost  no  time  in  se- 
curing employment,  working  for  two  years  as  a  farm  hand.  Then  he  rented 
land  in  Cleona  township,  which  he  operated  for  twelve  years,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  his  circumstances  justified  his  investing  in  real  estate.  Accordingly 
he  purchased  from  John  Bruhn  what  was  known  as  the  old  August  Brandt 
farm  and  it  has  remained  his  home  to  the  present.  In  the  intervening  years, 
however,  he  has  made  many  improvements  which  have  greatly  changed  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  place,  for  he  has  cleared  away  considerable  timber,  has  tiled  his 
fields,  put  up  buildings  for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock  and  done  other  things 
to  make  it  a  model  farm  of  the  twentieth  century.  Nor  did  he  neglect  the  soil, 
but  through  study  of  its  properties  and  through  careful  and  systematic  cultiva- 
tion he  has  brought  it  to  a  high  state  of  productiveness.  In  consequence  he 
annually  gathers  and  markets  rich  harvests,  which  bring  him  large  returns  for 
his  labor. 

At  Davenport,  on  the  27th  of  February,  1877,  was  celebrated  the  marriage 
of  Mr.  Postel  and  Miss  Mary  Barker,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Sophia  Barker, 
and  they  have  become  the  parents  of  four  children,  namely:  Alvina,  now  the 
wife  of  William  Radlef,  of  Eldridge;  Qara,  the  wife  of  Chris  Van  Dorn,  of 
Eldridge;  Theresa,  at  home;  and  Gustav,  also  at  home.  Mrs.  Postel  was  bom  in 


> 


o 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  877 

Buffalo,  New  York,  and  her  parents  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  Walcott, 
Iowa. 

Mr.  Postel  deserves  great  credit  for  what  he  has  accomplished,  for  he  came 
to  this  country  a  poor  boy  with  nothing  to  aid  him  in  the  battle  of  life  in  a  new 
country,  where  even  the  language  was  strange  to  him,  save  the  power  and  will- 
ingness to  work.  The  large  farm  which  is  now  his,  therefore,  shows  the  youth  of 
today  what  may  be  accomplished  by  pluck,  industry  and  perseverance. 


CHARLES  S.  SIMPSON. 

Charles  S.  Simpson,  while  maintaining  his  residence  in  Davenport,  is  well 
known  as  the  president  of  the  Le  Claire  Savings  Bank  at  Le  Claire,  Iowa.  He 
was  born  in  Miami  county,  Ohio,  near  the  city  of  Troy,  January  i,  1856,  and 
comes  of  a  family  of  Scotch  ancestry  founded  in  America  by  his  great-gi-and- 
father,  who,  leaving  the  land  of  hills  and  heather,  sailed  for  the  new  world  and 
became  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Miami  county,  Ohio.  He  entered  land  near 
Troy  and  C.  S.  Simpson  still  owns  eighty  acres  of  the  original  tract  and  has  the 
old  parchment  deed  signed  by  James  Monroe,  then  president  of  the  United  States. 
Benjamin  Simpson,  the  grandfather,  and  David  W.  Simpson,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  were  both  born  on  the  old  homestead  in  Ohio  and  in  the  same  locality 
occurred  the  birth  of  Fannie  Martin,  who  became  the  wife  of  David  W.  Simp- 
son. She  died  in  1899,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years,  and  is  still  survived  by 
her  husband,  who  yet  makes  his  home  in  Troy,  Ohio,  where  he  was  born  May 
17,  1831.  They  were  the  parents  of  six  children:  Olidia,  now  the  wife  of  Frank 
Ross,  of  Dayton,  Ohio;  Charles  S. ;  Laura,  the  wife  of  William  Hayner,  of  De- 
troit; Samuel,  of  Dayton;  Amanda;  and  Ida,  the  wife  of  R.  T.  Shepperd,  of 
Hamilton,  Ohio. 

Charles  S.  Simpson  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Troy  and 
when  he  put  aside  his  text-books  engaged  in  the  nursery  business,  which  his 
father  and  his  grandfather  had  previously  followed.  Later  he  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  agricultural  pursuits  and  in  1894  came  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where 
he  has  since  made  his  home. 

It  was  on  the  20th  of  November  of  that  year  that  Mr.  Simpson  was  rnarried 
to  Miss  Amelia  Gross,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Margaret  (Schweine)  Gross, 
of  Le  Claire.  Her  father  was  born  January  26,  1824,  at  Alsace  on  the  Rhine, 
at  that  time  a  province  of  France.  Coming  to  America  in  185 1,  he  located  in  Le 
Claire,  Iowa,  and  the  following  year  married  Miss  Margaret  Schweine,  by  whom 
he  had  seven  children,  but  only  two  of  the  number  are  now  living:  Mrs.  Nelson 
M.  Smith,  of  Le  Claire;  and  Charles  S.  Simpson,  of  Davenport.  Mr.  Gross 
was  a  cabinetmaker  by  trade  and  for  over  twenty  years  was  engaged  in  the  fur- 
niture and  undertaking  business  in  Le  Claire,  selling  out  two  years  prior  to  his 
death,  which  occurred  March  16,  1888.  He  had  made  his  home  in  Le  "Claire  for 
thirty-seven  years  and  was  honored  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Simpson  have  been  born  two  children  but  Charles  A.  died 


878  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

in  early  life.    The  living  son  is  Albert  G.,  who  was  born  October  8,  1898.     Mrs. 
Simpson  is  a  native  of  Le  Claire. 

Mr.  Simpson  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Le  Claire  Savings  Bank,  which 
was  established  in  1901  with  about  thirty  stockholders,  the  capital  stock  of  ten 
thousand  dollars  being  all  taken  by  people  of  that  locality.  C.  S.  Simpson  was 
elected  president,  with  Dr.  Gamble  as  vice  president  and  J.  E.  Park  as  cashier. 
On  the  board  of  directors,  in  addition  to  the  officers,  were  W.  P.  Headley,  N.  M. 
Smith,  S.  E.  Bammer,  R.  Hose,  F.  F.  Schutter  and  John  Wilson.  The  present 
officers  are :  C.  S.  Simpson,  president ;  W.  A.  Shirk,  vice  president ;  T.  C.  Michael, 
cashier;  and  H.  T.  Gault,  assistant  cashier. 

Mr.  Simpson  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  society  of  Troy,  Ohio,  and  has 
attained  the  thirty-second  degree  in  the  Scottish  Rite  in  Masonry  and  the  Knight 
Templar  degree  in  the  York  Rite.  He  served  as  alderman  of  Le  Claire  for 
eleven  years  during  the  fifteen  years  of  his  residence  there,  being  elected  on  the 
republican  ticket.  He  has  always  been  an  earnest  republican  with  firm  faith  in 
the  principles  of  the  party  and  in  all  matters  of  citizenship  he  takes  a  progressive 
stand,  believing  that  the  best  interests  of  good  government  are  conserved  thereby. 
In  his  life  he  exemplifies  the  spirit  of  the  modern  business  man  who  is  watchful 
and  appreciative  of  opportunities,  knowing  that  he  must  be  ever  alert  and  enter- 
prising in  this  age  where  competition  is  great.  He  is  seeking  success  along  care- 
fully defined  lines  of  labor  and  has  made  the  Le  Claire  Bank  one  of  the  safe 
and  substantial  financial  institutions  of  the  county. 


HENRY  THODE. 


Henry  Thode,  who  worked  his  way  upward  from  a  humble  beginning  and 
gave  proof  in  his  life  that  success  is  the  outcome  of  clear  judgment,  experience 
and  indefatigable  energy  rather  than  the  result  of  fortunate  circumstances  or 
propitious  environment,  was  born  in  Neustadt,  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany, 
February  15,  1828.  In  his  youthful  days  he  learned  the  wagon  maker's  trade, 
which  he  followed  in  his  native  country  until  he  came  to  America  in  1852. 
Crossing  the  Atlantic  on  one  of  the  old-time  sailing  vessels,  he  landed  at  New 
Orleans  on  the  3d  of  October  and  made  his  way  northward  to  Iowa.  At  Rock 
Island  he  secured  employment,  there  working  at  his  trade  for  a  year.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  came  to  Davenport  where  he  opened  a  wagon 
maker's  shop  and  conducted  business  on  bis  own  account.  For  a  time  after  his 
arrival  he  was  in  partnership  with  a  Mr.  Linke  in  the  ownership  and  conduct 
of  a  blacksmith  shop  on  Harrison  street,  continuing  in  the  business  for  eight 
years.  He  afterward  formed  a  partnership  with  his  father-in-law,  Mr.  Goss, 
who  was  a  wagon  maker  by  trade  and  came  to  this  country  from  Holstein,  Ger- 
many, in  185 1,  at  the  age  of  fifty-five  years.  He  entered  the  wholesale  liquor 
business  in  1866,  in  connection  with  Mr.  Langfeldt,  on  West  Second  street,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Langfeldt,  Thode  &  Company.  The  partnership  was  dissolved 
in  1874  and  Mr.  Thode  continued  to  carry  on  business  in  that  line  until  his  death. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  879 

On  the  28th  of  October,  1854,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Henry  Thode 
and  Miss  Augusta  Goss.  Her  father  died  many  years  ago  but  his  wife  lived 
until  about  1893,  when  she  passed  away  at  the  venerable  age  of  ninety-one  years. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thode  were  born  eleven  children,  eight  of  whom  yet  live, 
namely :  William,  Laura,  Carl,  Hugo,  Edward,  Dora,  Mary  and  Emma,  the  last 
named  being  now  the  wife  of  H.  J.  Garstang.  The  death  of  Mr.  Thode  oc- 
curred October  18,  1893,  after  a  residence  in  Davenport  of  about  forty  years. 
He  was  well  known  in  the  Odd  Fellows  society,  holding  membership  in  Scott 
Lodge,  No.  37,  and  in  the  encampment.  No.  3.  He  was  also  an  honorary  mem- 
ber of  the  Schuetzen  Society.  He  was  much  interested  in  the  German  schools  of 
Davenport  and  in  his  fellow  countrymen,  whom  he  assisted  in  many  ways.  His 
life  stood  to  them  as  an  example  of  patriotic  American  citizenship  and  of  enter- 
prise and  energy  in  business  affairs,  for  the  success  he  achieved  in  life  was  at- 
tributable entirely  to  his  own  labors. 


GUSTAVE  A.  AND  RUDOLF  SCHROEDER. 

The  gentlemen  whose  names  introduce  this  sketch  are  enterprising  and  well 
known  farmers  of  Buffalo  township,  where  they  own  a  valuable  farm  compris- 
ing two  hundred  and  twenty-three  acres.  They  are  sons  of  J.  H.  and  Mina 
(Hoffman)  Schroeder,  both  of  German  birth,  the  former  a  native  of  Wernings- 
hausen.  Saxony,  born  September  13,  1840,  and  the  latter  born  in  Baden  on  the 
1st  of  January,  1845.  They  came  to  the  United  States  in  early  life  and  were 
married  in  Davenport.  Prior  to  his  marriage  the  father  lived  for  a  time  in 
Black  Hawk,  Iowa,  which  is  now  a  part  of  Davenport.  He  is  a  cabinet-maker 
by  trade  and  followed  that  purstiit  after  coming  to  the  new  world.  Eventually, 
however,  he  took  up  farming  on  the  Locust  road  but  is  now  living  a  retired  life 
in  Davenport,  enjoying  in  ease  the  fruits  of  his  former  labor. 

Gustave  A.  Schroeder  was  bom  on  the  home  farm  in  Scott  county,  January 
20,  1873,  while  Rudolf,  two  years  his  junior,  was  born  on  the  2d  of  October, 
1875.  They  were  trained  to  the  duties  of  the  farm  during  the  spring  and  sum- 
mer months,  while  in  the  winter  seasons  their  time  was  devoted  to  the  acquire- 
ment of  an  education  in  the  district  schools.  In  1888  the  family  removed  to  a 
farm  near  Mount  Joy  in  Scott  county,  and  the  sons  remained  on  the  homestead 
there  until  1896,  when,  ambitious  to  start  out  upon  an  independent  venture,  they 
purchased  their  present  farm  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-three  acres  in  Buffalo 
township.  This  tract  is  well  improved,  having  on  it  substantial  buildings,  while 
the  land  is  in  an  arable  state  and  their  knowledge  of  farming  is  such  that  each 
year  they  harvest  good  crops  as  a  reward  for  the  labor  bestowed  upon  the  fields. 
From  the  time  of  early  spring  planting  until  their  crops  are  harvested  in  late 
autumn  they  are  busily  engaged,  and  their  work  is  ever  carried  on  according  to 
the  most  honorable  business  principles. 

The  Schroeder  brothers  have  one  sister,  Miss  Lizzie  Schroeder.  In  politi- 
cal belief  they  are  democrats,  believing  firmly  in  the  principles  of  the  party. 
They  are  stockholders  in  the  Bufifalo  Savings  Bank,  of  which  Rudolf  is  a  direc- 


880  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

tor.  Alert  to  every  opportunity  presented  for  advancement,  they  are  steadily 
working  their  way  upward  and  are  classed  with  the  representative  farmers  of 
Buffalo  township  and  Scott  county. 


JAMES  A.  HANLEY. 


There  has  been  no  esoteric  phase  in  the  life  record  of  James  A.  Hanley,  who 
has  always  resided  in  Scott  county,  his  history,  therefore,  being  a  familiar  one  to 
his  fellow  citizens,  who  instinctively  accord  him  respect  and  honor  for  what  he  has 
accomplished.  It  is  often  under  the  stimulus  of  opposition  and  the  pressure  of 
adversity  that  the  best  and  strongest  in  man  is  brought  out  and  developed — a 
truth  which  finds  exemplification  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Hanley,  who,  thrown  upon 
his  own  resources  at  an  early  age,  is  today  one  of  the  successful  and  able  mem- 
bers of  the  Davenport  bar,  capable  of  crossing  swords  in  forensic  combat  with  the 
most  learned  members  of  the  profession. 

Mr.  Hanley  was  born  in  Le  Claire,  this  county,  on  the  8th  of  March,  1863, 
and  is  the  fifth  son  and  sixth  child  of  Dennis  and  Bridget  (O'Shaunessy)  Han- 
ley, natives  of  Ireland,  where  they  spent  their  youth  and  were  married.  They 
then  determined  to  seek  their  fortune  in  the  new  world  and  on  crossing  the 
Atlantic  established  their  home  in  Le  Claire.  The  father  was  a  laboring  man, 
diligent  and  industrious,  but  his  death  occurred  on  Christmas  day  of  1869,  when 
his  son  James  was  but  six  years  of  age.  Two  children  had  been  added  to  the 
family  after  the  birth  of  our  subject,  but  the  daughter  died  in  infancy.  The 
support  of  the  family  of  seven  sons  and  one  daughter  then  devolved  upon  the 
mother,  who  was  a  noble-hearted,  self-denying  woman,  her  whole  ambition  be- 
ing to  rear  her  sons  to  be  good  men,  well  qualified  for  life's  work.  She  con- 
sidered no  sacrifice  on  her  part  too  great  if  it  would  promote  the  happiness  or 
welfare  of  her  children.  She  lived  to  see  her  ambition  gratified  for  all  became 
successful  and  respected  men.  Four  of  her  children,  Thomas  B.,  James  A.,  Wil- 
liam H.  and  Kate  E.  became  school  teachers.  Later  Thomas  B.  became  a  prom- 
inent attorney,  settling  in  Tipton,  Iowa,  where  he  practices  as  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Wolf  &  Hanley.  He  has  served  as  mayor  of  Tipton  and  in  other  prom- 
inent positions,  and  is  recognized  as  a  leading  lawyer  of  that  place.  Dennis 
Hanley,  Jr.,  engaged  in  boat-building  until  his  death  in  1878.  Daniel  R.  and 
Michael  L.  took  up  steamboating  and  became  licensed  engineers  and  successful 
business  men.  William  H.  turned  his  attention  to  the  profession  of  law  and  has 
attained  a  gratifying  position  as  a  member  of  the  bar  of  Dubuque,  Iowa. 

The  mother  taught  her  children  to  be  self-reliant,  reliable  and  trustworthy, 
also  frugal  and  industrious.  She  encouraged  thrift  and  economy  by  taking 
care  of  the  wages  of  her  sons  as  they  were  able  to  start  out  in  life  and  sup- 
port themselves.  James  A.  Hanley  pursued  his  early  education  in  the  schools 
of  Le  Claire  and  when  in  his  fourteenth  year  began  earning  his  own  livelihood, 
becoming  cook  on  a  raft  boat  on  the  river  at  what  would  seem  ridiculously  low 
wages  at  the  present  time.  The  working  season  lasted  seven  months  each  year 
and  from  his  earnings  he  saved  enough  to  enable  him  to  attend  the  country 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  881 

schools  three  months  each  year.  He  won  gradual  advancement  until  he  became 
clerk  on  one  of  the  river  boats  and  the  utilization  vi^hich  he  made  of  his  oppor- 
tunities for  promoting  his  knowledge  enabled  him  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years 
to  secure  a  teacher's  certificate.  He  then  engaged  in  teaching  through  the  win- 
ter months  in  the  district  schools,  while  in  the  summer  seasons  he  was  upon  the 
river  until  twenty-two  years  of  age,  when  he  left  the  river  and  matriculated  in 
Ames  Agricultural  College,  his  scanty  earnings  being  supplemented  by  a  sum 
of  money  which  he  borrowed  from  his  mother.  He  left  that  institution  at  the 
end  of  a  year  on  account  of  his  Hmited  financial  resources,  but  was  eager  to 
obtain  an  education  and  prepare  for  a  professional  career,  and  in  September, 
1886,  began  a  two  years'  law  course  in  the  State  University  of  Iowa,  which 
granted  him  his  diploma  on  the  19th  of  June,  1888.  This  admitted  him  to  prac- 
tice in  the  state  and  federal  courts.  Up  to  this  time  his  had  been  a  very  laborious 
life  but  his  ambition  had  sustained  him. 

On  completing  his  law  course  Mr.  Hanley  returned  to  Le  Claire,  where  he 
arrived  with  a  single  dollar  in  his  pocket,  while  his  indebtedness  to  his  mother 
amounted  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  He  immediately  opened  an  office 
and  began  practice,  applying  himself  most  diligently  to  the  legal  work  that  was 
entrusted  to  him.  Realizing  the  necessity  for  thorough  preparation,  which  he 
never  failed  to  give,  he  won  recognition  in  the  courts  as  an  able,  earnest  lawyer, 
whose  reasoning  was  sound  and  whose  application  of  legal  principles  was  cor- 
rect. Feeling  that  his  efforts  were  circumscribed  by  the  narrow  confines  of  the 
village,  in  April,  1891,  he  removed  to  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  made 
steady  progress  in  his  chosen  profession.  One  of  the  local  papers  said  of  him : 
"The  habits  inculcated  by  a  good  mother  have  given  him  a  business,  social  and 
moral  stamina  which  is  the  best  possible  foundation  for  his  life  work.  Honest, 
trustworthy  and  ever  with  a  deep  respect  for  the  law  and  an  eye  single  to  his 
clients'  interests  he  has  won  the  good  opinions  of  his  fellow  members  of  the  bar 
and  of  the  public,  and  is  frequently  consulted  by  the  former  and  unhesitatingly 
trusted  by  the  latter."  While  Mr."  Hanley  still  continues  in  general  practice  his 
attention  is  largely  confined  to  civil  business  and  mainly  to  office  work. 

Mr.  Hanley  has  also  gained  a  notable  place  in  political  circles,  not  by  reason 
of  the  fact  that  he  has  been  very  active  as  an  office  seeker  but  owing  to  his  stal- 
wart advocacy  of  principles  in  which  he  firmly  believes.  He  has  delivered 
many  campaign  addresses  and  is  a  popular  speaker,  whose  arguments  carry 
weight  and  whose  statements  are  a  clear  exposition  of  the  isues  of  the  cam- 
paigns. In  1903  he  was  elected  alderman  at  large  for  a  term  of  two  years  and 
in  1892  was  appointed  the  president  of  the  commission  on  insanity  of  Scott 
county,  in  which  position  he  still  continues.  He  has  never  allowed  office  hold- 
ing, however,  to  interfere  with  his  practice.  To  this  he  gives  his  attention  ver> 
largely  but  is  also  known  in  financial  circles  as  a  director  of  the  Citizens  Trust 
&  Savings  Bank. 

On  the  14th  of  December,  1892,  Mr.  Hanley  was  married  to  Miss  Ida  B. 
Davisson,  a  native  of  Michigan,  and  they  have  two  daughters,  Bernace  and 
Eloise.  The  family  find  their  chief  enjoyment  in  their  home  and  their  greatest 
happiness  in  the  society  of  each  other.  Mr.  Hanley  belongs  to  the  Commercial 
Club  and  is  well  known  in  fraternal  circles  as  a  Knight  of  Pythias  and  an  Elk. 


882  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

He  also  belongs  to  the  Modern  Brotherhood  of  America.  In  manner  he  is  genial, 
with  a  pleasant  word  and  smile  for  everyone,  and  his  social  qualities  have  made 
him  deservedly  popular.  He  is  never  too  busy  to  be  cordial  or  too  cordial  to  be 
busy  and  is,  in  fact,  a  man  of  well  balanced  character  and  interests,  whose  strug- 
gles and  trials  in  earlier  years  have  given  him  force  and  determination,  enabling 
him  to'  correctly  judge  of  life's  values. 


FRANK  HOLM. 


Frank  Holm,  the  recorder  for  Scott  county,  was  born  in  Davenport,  December 
15, 1864,  a  descendant  of  sturdy  German  parents.  His  father,  Theodore  Holm,  was 
born  in  Hamburg,  Germany,  but  came  to  Davenport  in  1856,  where  he  pursued 
his  trade  as  a  decorator.  He  had  gained  a  proficiency  in  this  line  of  work  in  the 
land  of  his  birth  and  was  accounted  one  of  the  most  artistic  as  well  as  successful 
men  here.  He  was  also  a  musician,  and  when  the  Civil  war  broke  out,  on  the 
1st  of  August,  1861,  he  volunteered  and  served  in  the  regimental  band  of  the  Forty- 
fourth  Illinois  Infantry,  until  September,  1862,  when  he  was  discharged.  As  the 
war  was  not  yet  over,  he  reenlisted,  being  assigned  to  one  of  the  hospital  corps 
for  a  time.  It  was  as  a  citizen  of  Davenport,  however,  that  he  will  be  longest 
remembered,  for  he  was  ever  actuated  by  a  large  measure  of  public  spirit.  He 
was  one  of  the  active  members  of  the  original  hook  and  ladder  company  and  in 
the  late  '50s  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Davenport  German  theater,  so  that 
in  his  death  the  city  lost  one  of  her  valued  and  respected  citizens.  He  married 
Miss  Caroline  Baurose,  who  was  also  of  German  nativity  but  came  to  Daven- 
port with  her  parents  in  1846  when  she  was  only  two  years  old.  The  family 
landed  in  New  Orleans  and  ascended  the  Mississippi  river  to  this  city,  where 
Louis  Baurose,  her  father,  found  employment  at  his  trade  of  a  stone-mason. 
Like  Mr.  Holm  he  was  one  of  the  original  volunteers  of  the  fire  department  of 
Davenport.  Unto  Theodore  Holm  and  his  wife  were  born  four  children :  Frank, 
the  subject  of  this  review;  Mamie,  now  Mrs.  Plamback,  of  Omaha;  Ludovig, 
who  died  in  infancy;  and  Louise,  who  is  at  home. 

Frank  Holm,  who  has  proved  himself  worthy  of  every  responsibility  assigned 
to  him,  attended  the  public  schools  of  Davenport,  and  after  he  had  completed 
the  prescribed  course  of  study  began  his  commercial  career.  He  was  associated 
first  with  the  Petersen  Dry  Goods  Company,  in  the  minor  position  of  cash  boy, 
but  through  diligence  and  application  rapidly  rose  in  their  esteem  until  at  the  end 
of  the  six  years  he  spent  with  them  he  held  the  position  of  salesman.  He  then 
entered  the  employ  of  the  Wadsworth  Wholesale  Dry  Goods  Company,  with 
whom  he  remained  eleven  years,  at  the  end  of  that  time  returning  to  his  former 
employers,  the  Petersen  Dry  Goods  Company.  He  was  associated  with  them 
for  the  second  time  for  about  eight  years,  when,  in  1906,  he  was  elected  on  the 
democratic  ticket  to  the  office  of  county  recorder.  He  had  always  been  active  in 
political  matters  from  his  young  manhood,  although  he  had  not  previously  re- 
ceived any  indication  of  the  confidence  his  fellow  voters  placed  in  his  judgment, 
his  ability  and  his  integrity. 


FRANK  HOLjr 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 


885 


In  1896  Mr.  Holm  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emma  Soechtig,  a  native 
of  South  Bend,  Indiana,  and  unto  them  has  been  born  one  daughter,  Thelma, 
whose  birth  occurred  January  7,  1902.  Mr.  Holm  belongs  to  several  of  the 
German  and  other  organizations  of  a  fraternal  and  social  character  in  Daven- 
port among  whose  members  he  is  very  popular.  Indeed  his  genial  personality, 
and  his  willingness  to  exert  himself  in  assisting  others,  united  with  his  wide  busi- 
ness experience,  make  him  a  most  efficient  official. 


RUDOLPH  SCHUETT. 


Scott  county  numbers  among  its  native  sons  Rudolph  Schuett,  a  representa- 
tive and  progressive  farmer,  whose  birth  here  occurred  on  the  5th  of  March, 
1873,  on  the  farm  which  is  still  his  home.  He  is  a  son  of  Theodore  and  Anna 
(Meier)  Schuett,  who  were  both  born  in  Schleswig-Holstein,  the  former  on  the 
i8th  of  January,  1848,  and  the  latter  on  the  30th  of  December,  1850.  Coming 
to  America  in  1867  in  search  of  better  business  opportunities  than  were  offered 
in  Germany,  the  father  made  his  way  at  once  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  he 
purchased  a  farm  upon  which  he  continued  to  reside  until  1906,  when  he  re- 
tired from  the  active  duties  of  business  life  and  removed  to  Davenport,  where 
he  is  now  living  retired  in  the  enjoyment  of  well  earned  rest.  He  took  an  active 
part  in  community  affairs,  holding  the  office  of  trustee  of  Blue  Grass  township 
for  some  time  and  later  serving  as  township  clerk  for  a  number  of  years. 

In  the  district  schools  near  his  home  Rudolph  Schuett  acquired  his  education, 
and  when  not  engaged  with  his  text-books  was  busily  at  work  in  the  fields,  early 
becoming  familiar  with  the  tasks  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.     Amid 
the  wholesome  scenes  and  environment  of  rural  life  he  was  reared  to  manhood, 
learning  lessons  concerning  the  value  of  industry,  integrity  and  perseverance. 
With  the  exception  of  four  years,  during  which  time  he  was  employed  as  a  farm 
hand  in  Scott  county,  and  the  year  1899,  when  he  was  engaged  in  the  creamery 
business  in  Boone  county,  his  entire  life  has  been  spent  on  his  present  farm.    In 
1906,  when  his  father  retired  from  active  business  duties,  he  took  charge  of  the 
homestead  and  has  since  directed  his  efforts  toward  its  further  development  and 
cultivation.     It  is  a  very  well  improved  property,  consisting  of  eighty  acres,  and 
the  soil,  naturally  rich  and  fertile,  yields  abundant  golden  harvests  in  response 
to  the  care  and  labor  bestowed  upon  it.     Progressive  and  up-to-date  in  all  of 
his  methods,  Mr.  Schuett  has  made  a  close  study  of  agriculture  and  has  been 
most  successful  in  this  line  of  activity,  so  that  he  is  now  ranked  among  the  pros- 
perous and  substantial  farmers  of  the  community.     In  connection  with  his  gen- 
eral farming  pursuits  he  makes  a  specialty  of  raising  Poland  China  hogs,  and 
this  branch  of  his  business  is  proving  a  profitable  source  of  revenue. 

Mr.  Schuett  laid  the  foundation  for  a  happy  home  life  of  his  own  in  his 
marriage,  on  the  28th  of  November,  1906,  to  Miss  Fannie  Bein,  a  daughter  of 
Henry  Bein,  of  Scott  county,  who  is  now  deceased.  This  union  has  been  blessed 
by  one  child,  Zella,  who  is  the  light  and  life  of  the  household.  Democratic  in 
his  political  allegiance,  Mr.  Schuett  is  now  serving  as  township  clerk,  which  po- 


886  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

sition  he  has  filled  for  the  past  three  years.  Early  trained  to  habits  of  industry, 
economy  and  integrity,  the  success  which  he  today  enjoys  is  well  merited  and 
comes  as  the  reward  of  well  directed  efforts  and  intelligently  applied  labor.  His 
life  record  is  well  known  to  the  citizens  of  Blue  Grass  township,  where  he  has 
spent  practically  his  entire  life,  and  the  fact  that  many  of  his  best  friends  are 
those  who  have  known  him  from  boyhood  is  an  indication  that  his  actions  have 
ever  been  guided  by  the  principles  of  honorable  and  upright  manhood,  and  his 
salient  characteristics  have  been  such  as  to  inspire  the  confidence,  respect  and 
good  will  of  his  fellowmen. 


EDWARD  FREUND. 


Prominent  in  farming  and  dairying  circles  is  Edward  Freund,  who  owns  and 
operates  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  nine  acres  of  land  in  Davenport  town- 
ship, and  also  has,  another  tract  of  forty-two  acres  in  the  same  township.  He 
was  born  on  a  farm  near  his  present  home,  September  9,  1875,  the  youngest  in 
a  family  of  eight  children,  whose  parents  were  Peter  and  Maggie  Freund,  na- 
tives of  Germany.  The  father  was  about  twenty-five  years  of  age  when  he 
came  to  the  new  world,  and  he  arrived  in  Davenport  with  but  twenty-five  cents 
in  his  pocket.  Immediate  employment  was  a  necessity  and  for  a  time  he  worked 
at  anything  that  would  yield  him  an  honest  living,  while  later  he  operated  rented 
land  for  a  time.  Eventually  he  purchased  eighty  acres  in  Pleasant  Valley  town- 
ship, on  which  he  erected  a  house  and  made  it  his  home  until  1876.  He  then 
disposed  of  that  property  and  invested  his  money  in  the  farm  which  is  now 
owned  by  the  son.  On  this  place  stood  a  dilapidated  house  and  barn,  which  in 
due  time  were  replaced  by  more  substantial  buildings.  He  also  placed  the  fields 
under  a  good  state  of  cultivation  and  devoted  his  energies  to  farming  throughout 
the  remainder  of  his  days.  Prior  to  coming  to  the  new  world,  however,  he  had 
worked  at  the  shoemaker's  trade  and  had  also  served  his  country  as  a  soldier  in 
the  army.  He  was  a  communicant  of  the  Catholic  church  in  Davenport  and  died 
in  that  faith  February  19,  1897,  when  seventy-two  years  of  age,  while  his  wife, 
surviving  for  only  about  two  years,  passed  away  May  i,  1899,  when  sixty-eight 
years  old.  Their  sons  and  daughters  are  as  follows:  George  and  J.  A.,  both  of 
Scott  county;  Frances,  the  wife  of  Mathew  Banscher,  a  resident  of  Carroll 
county,  this  state;  Ignatius,  of  Scott  county;  Joseph,  who  has  departed  this  life; 
Albert,  of  Pleasant  Valley  township;  Katherine,  the  deceased  wife  of  P.  L. 
Rogge,  also  of  Scott  county;  and  Edward,  whose  name  introduces  this  record. 

The  last  named  was  but  a  year  old  when  his  parents  removed  from  the  farm 
on  which  his  birth  occurred  to  the  place  which  is  now  in  his  possession.  At  the 
usual  age  he  entered  the  district  schools,  and  during  the  periods  of  vacation  his 
time  was  employed  in  the  usual  manner  of  farm  lads.  He  has  spent  his  entire 
life  on  his  present  farm  and  after  the  death  of  the  father  assisted  the  mother 
in  the  management  and  operation  of  the  place.  Soon  after  the  death  of  the 
latter  he  wedded  Miss  Elizabeth  Clause,  of  Scott  county,  their  marriage  being 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  887 

celebrated  June  22,    1899.     Two  sons  grace  their  union,   Elden  Edward  and 
Herbert  John. 

Mr.  Freund  devotes  the  greater  portion  of  the  farm  to  the  cultivation  of  crops 
but  he  reserves  some  of  the  land  for  pasturage,  as  he  keeps  a  number  of  cows 
for  dairy  purposes.  He  is  enterprising  in  his  work  and  displays  sound  judg- 
ment m  the  management  of  his  business  affairs.  He  is  a  communicant  of  the 
Catholic  church.  Having  spent  his  entire  life  in  Davenport  township,  he  is  one 
of  Its  best  known  and  most  highly  respected  citizens. 


JAMES  H.  WIESE. 


Among  those  who  have  come  from  foreign  lands  to  take  a  place  among  the 
well  known  agriculturists  of  this  county  is  James  H.  Wiese,  who  owns  and 
operates  a  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Sheridan  township,  about 
three  and  a  half  miles  west  of  Eldridge.  He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany, 
December  20,  1852,  a  son  of  Peter  and  Bertha  Wiese.  The  father  was  a  la- 
borer in  the  old  country  and  in  1865  with  his  family  sailed  for  America.  Land- 
ing at  New  York,  he  came  direct  to  Davenport,  where  his  daughter  Lena,  who 
married  Henry  Meier,  was  living,  and  then  rented  a  farm  in  Winfield  township. 
Later  he  bought  the  place  in  Sheridan  township  on  which  his  son  James  now 
makes  his  home,  living  thereon  until  about  four  years  before  his  death,  when  he 
retired  and  removed  to  Eldridge,  where  he  passed  away.  His  widow  is  still  liv- 
ing in  the  village  at  the  age  of  ninety-seven  years.  She  is  the  mother  of  five 
children:  Lena,  the  wife  of  Henry  Meier;  Kathrina,  who  married  Mr.  Haller, 
of  Buffalo,  Iowa;  Amelia,  the  wife  of  Henry  Schneckloth,  of  Minden,  Iowa; 
Marie,  the  wife  of  William  Meier,  of  Sheridan  township;  and  James  H.,  of 
this  review. 

James  H.  Wiese  had  attended  school  a  little  in  Germany  and  after  the  family 
home  was  established  in  Scott  county  he  became  a  pupil  in  the  district  school  of 
his  locality.  When  his  lessons  were  over  he  devoted  his  entire  time  to  farm- 
ing, assisting  his  father  in  his  work  until  he  was  twenty-four  years  of  age,  when, 
having  married,  he  desired  to  establish  a  home  and  engage  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits on  his  own  account.  Accordingly  he  rented  a  farm  in  Slopertown,  Sheri- 
dan township,  where  he  lived  twenty-eight  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 
removed  to  his  present  place,  which  he  had  previously  purchased  of  James 
Calderwood.  He  has  worked  industriously  since  then  to  improve  his  farm,  has 
built  all  the  barns  and  outbuildings,  has  tiled  his  land,  and  done  other  things 
to  make  it  a  representative  farm  of  the  twentieth  century,  modern  in  every 
detail.  He  raises  various  crops  adapted  to  soil  and  climate,  and  as  the  years 
have  passed  he  has  met  with  success  in  his  agricultural  interests,  owing  to  his 
untiring  labor  and  excellent  business  management. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-four  years  Mr.  Wiese  wedded  Miss  Emma  Keppe,  and 
they  became  the  parents  of  six  children,  as  follows :  Amelia,  who  is  now  the  wife 
of  Fritz  Speth,  of  Davenport,  and  has  six  children:  Henry,  who  married  Anna 
Batram  and  lives  on  the  old  home  place  at  Slopertown;  Reda,  who  is  the  wife 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

of  Emil  Oetzmann,  of  Sheridan  township,  and  has  two  children,  Clarence  and 
Edna;  Frank,  who  married  Emma  Oetzmann  and  lives  in  Lincoln  township; 
Emma,  a  resident  of  Donahue ;  and  Walter,  who  lives  in  Eldridge.  Mrs.  Emma 
Wiese  died  in  1891  and  was  buried  at  Pine  Hill,  and  on  the  14th  of  March,  1893, 
Mr.  Wiese  married  Miss  Alvina  Claussen.  She  was  born  in  Schleswig-Holstein, 
Germany,  and  in  1888  emigrated  to  America  with  her  parents,  William  and 
Marie  Claussen.  They  landed  at  Baltimore,  whence  they  came  direct  to  Scott 
county,  Iowa.  The  father  died  here  at  the  age  of  sixty-three  years,  but  the 
mother  is  still  living  and  makes  her  home  in  Davenport.  Four  children  have 
been  born  of  this  union :  Maggie,  Emil,  Alfred  and  Elmer,  all  of  whom  are  at 
home. 

In  politics  Mr.  Wiese  affiliates  with  the  democratic  party,  on  whose  ticket  he 
was  elected  to  the  offices  of  trustee  of  Sheridan  township  and  road  supervisor. 
He  was  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  and  gave  his  support  to  every 
measure  for  the  public  good,  so  that  he  holds  the  respect  and  good  will  of  his 
fellow  citizens.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Turners  Society  of  Eldridge  and  the 
Shooting  Society  of  Maysville,  and  is  widely  known  as  a  man  who  is  always 
honorable  in  his  dealings  and  has  gained  his  success  by  methods  that  are  above 
reproach. 


ADOLPH  PETERSEN. 


The  simple  narration  of  the  incidents  in  the  early  life  of  Adolph  Petersen 
and  the  struggles  which  disciplined  him  into  usefulness  in  this  community  add 
to  the  weight  of  testimony  that  the  stamp  of  leadership  among  men  cannot  be 
obscured  by  untoward  circumstances  nor  obliterated  by  the  marks  of  hardship. 
He  is  a  native  of  Struxdorf-Angeln,  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  where  he 
was  born  November  22,  1858.  His  father  was  principal  teacher  in  the  school 
of  the  village,  and  when  he  died  circumstances  caused  the  emigration  to  America 
of  the  widow  and  her  five  children  in  1872.  While  in  New  York,  on  the  very 
threshold  of  the  new  world  of  opportunity,  the  little  family  met  with  disaster, 
the  loss  of  all  their  means  by  theft,  and  they  reached  Davenport  with  no  re- 
sources whatever. 

Upon  Adolph,  the  eldest  of  the  four  brothers,  then  twelve  years  old,  de- 
volved the  responsibility  of  contributing  as  liberally  as  possible  to  the  support 
of  his  widowed  mother  and  the  younger  children.  His  first  work  was  in  a  sash 
and  door  factory  and  from  there  he  went  on  a  farm,  doing  plowman's  work  be- 
fore he  was  fourteen.  Back  into  town  he  came  and  worked  as  a  painter  and 
as  handy  boy  in  grocery  stores.  His  education  was  forwarded  as  circumstances 
permitted.  For  one  and  a  half  terms  he  attended  the  public  night  school  con- 
ducted by  Principal  Roderick  Rose,  afterward  mayor  of  Davenport.  The  next 
chapter  of  his  life  has  its  setting  in  a  printing  office,  where  he  engaged  as  inky 
devil  and  nimble  footed  carrier  in  1876.  Here  he  seemed  to  feel  that  he  had 
discovered  his  calling  and  life  work  and  learned  the  printer's  trade  in  its  various 
branches,  taking  up  as  a  consequence  newspaper  work,  particularly  on  the  Ger- 
man press. 


ADOLPH  PETKKSEN 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  891 

In  July,  1884,  he  founded  his  own  paper,  the  Iowa  Reform.  Soon  after  he 
was  joined  in  partnership  by  his  brother  Gerhard  and  this  business  arrangement 
has  continued  to  the  present  time.  The  Reform  was  at  first  a  weekly  paper  but 
later  was  given  semi- weekly  publication,  and  as  such  has  been  published  regu- 
larly with  growing  favor.  In  1909  occurred  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the 
iirst  appearance  of  this  sterling  German  paper,  the  Iowa  Reform.  A  splendid 
silver  jubilee  illustrated  edition  was  issued  to  mark  the  occasion  and  this  edition, 
going  into  thousands  of  homes,  was  greatly  complimented  and  appreciated. 

From  its  beginning  until  the  present  time  Adolph  Petersen  has  been  man- 
ager of  the  newspaper  enterprise.  In  the  editorial  and  technical  departments  he 
has  enjoyed  the  expert  assistance  of  his  brother  Gerhard  and  also  John  Jebens, 
who  has  been  associated  with  him  for  more  than  twenty  years,  August  West- 
phal,  and  others. 

Adolph  Petersen  has  borne  an  important  part  in  planning  new  enterprises 
for  the  welfare  of  Davenport  and  in  forwarding  them  to  success.  His  activity 
for  public  measures  has  had  a  wider  scope  than  that  bounded  by  corporation  lines. 
It  has  been  natural  that  the  German  portion  of  the  community  should  have  the 
major  portion  of  his  labor  and  his  solicitude,  and  for  the  German  people,  es- 
pecially of  this  region  of  his  adopted  country,  he  has  toiled  indefatigably  and 
intelligently. 

These  efforts  have  been  recognized  in  good  measure.  He  is  at  this  time 
president — first  speaker — of  the  great  Davenport  Turngemeinde,  also  president 
of  the  German-American  Press  Association  of  the  West,  an  organization  cov- 
ering the  states  of  Iowa,  Illinois,  South  Dakota  and  Nebraska,  and  in  1910  hold- 
ing its  annual  convention  in  Omaha. 

Adolph  Petersen,  a  loyal  and  patriotic  American,  has  found  nothing  in- 
consistent in  cherishing  a  deep  loye  for  the  land  of  his  birth  and  an  abiding  ad- 
miration for  her  spirit,  her  traditions  and  her  language.  In  his  editorial  writ- 
ings he  has  steadily  advised  parents  of  German  birth  or  descent  to  teach  the 
noble  mother  tongue  to  their  children,  that  their  heritage  in  all  that  is  best  in 
the  land  beyond  the  sea  be  not  lost  to  them. 


J.  D.  CANTWELL,  M.  D. 

Dr.  J.  D.  Cantwell,  deserving  of  mention  with  the  able  and  representative 
members  of  the  medical  profession  in  Davenport,  his  native  city,  was  born  in 
April,  1877.  His  father  was  Dr.  A.  W.  Cantwell,  for  many  years  a  distinguished 
physician  of  Davenport,  of  whom  extended  mention  is  made  elsewhere  in  this 
volume.  The  mother  was  Mrs.  Martha  (Dalzell)  Cantwell,  and  unto  them  were 
born  two  sons,  the  elder  being  James  Y.  Cantwell,  who  served  in  the  Spanish- 
American  war  in  the  Fifty-second  Iowa  Infantry  and  was  afterward  transferred 
to  the  Fourth  Division  of  the  regular  army.  He  was  at  length  honorably  dis- 
charged in  Cuba  on  account  of  disability  and  is  now  a  commercial  traveler. 

In  the  public  schools  of  this  city  Dr.  J.  D.  Cantwell  pursued  his  preliminary 
education,  which  was  later  supplemented  by  study  in  the  State  University.    He 


892  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

was  graduated  from  the  medical  department  with  the  class  of  1901  and  in  April 
of  the  same  year  at  once  entered  upon  practice  in  Davenport,  where  he  is  mak- 
ing rapid  progress  toward  the  front  rank  of  the  profession.  Conscientious  in 
the  performance  of  all  his  professional  duties,  careful  in  the  diagnosis  of  his 
cases  and  with  thorough  understanding  of  anatomy  and  the  component  parts  of 
the  human  body  and  the  onslaughts  made  upon  it  by  disease,  he  has,  during  the 
nine  years  of  his  connection  with  the  profession  here,  done  good  work  in  his 
efforts  to  restore  health  and  check  the  ravages  of  disease.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
County  and  State  Medical  Associations  and  the  Iowa  and  Illinois  District  Medi- 
cal Association.  He  is  now  treasurer  of  the  United  States  pension  board  in  this 
district. 

It  was  in  March,  1904,  that  Dr.  Cantwell  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  Edna  Taylor,  and  unto  them  have  been  born  two  children,  Edna  Mary 
and  John  Dalzell. 

Dr.  Cantwell  is  prominent  in  Masonic  circles,  belonging  to  Trinity  Lodge, 
No.  208,  F.  &  A.  M.;  Davenport  Chapter,  No.  16,  R.  A.  M.;  St.  Simon  of 
Cyrene  Commandery,  No.  9,  K.  T.,  of  which  he  is  past  eminent  commander; 
Zarepath  Consistory,  No.  4,  S.  P.  R.  S. ;  and  Kaaba  Temple,  A.  A.  O.  N.  M.  S. 
He  likewise  belongs  to  Prosperity  Lodge,  No.  704,  I.  O.  O.  F.  His  record  sets 
at  naught  the  old  adage  that  a  prophet  is  never  without  honor  save  in  his  own 
country,  for  in  the  state  where  his  entire  life  has  been  passed  Dr.  Cantwell  has 
demonstrated  his  professional  worth  and  it  has  gained  for  him  recognition  in  a 
liberal  practice. 


FRANK  KEPPY. 


In  the  front  rank  of  the  columns  which  have  advanced  the  civilization  of 
Scott  county,  the  Keppy  family  has  led  the  way  to  its  substantial  development, 
progress  and  upbuilding,  and  Frank  Keppy  of  this  review  has  been  particularly 
active  in  the  growth  of  Donahue,  where  he  now  makes  his  home.  He  was  born 
in  Slopertown,  Scott  county,  April  17,  1856,  a  son  of  Andrew  and  Bertha  Keppy, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany.  The  father  came  to  the  new  world  in 
the  '40s.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  followed  that  calling  in  his  native 
land  but  after  coming  to  Scott  county  engaged  in  farming  throughout  his  busi- 
ness career.  He  was  married  twice  and  by  the  first  union  he  had  two  daughters 
and  three  sons  but  the  daughters  all  died  ere  the  emigration  of  the  family  to  the 
United  States.  By  the  second  union  there  were  two  sons  and  two  daughters 
but  the  latter  are  also  deceased,  the  elder  brother  of  our  subject  being  Herman 
Keppy,  a  resident  of  Davenport.  The  mother  died  when  Frank  Keppy  was  but 
two  years  of  age.  The  father  survived  for  many  years  and  departed  this  life  in 
Davenport,  when  he  had  reached  the  extreme  old  age  of  eighty-eight  years.  He 
became  an  influential  citizen  of  Scott  county,  being  numbered  among  her  most 
worthy  pioneers. 

Frank  Keppy  was  reared  to  farm  life,  remaining  under  the  parental  roof 
throughout  the  period  of  his  boyhood  and  youth.     He  assisted  his  father  in  the 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  893 

work  of  the  fields  until  the  family  removed  to  Davenport,  where  they  spent  two 
years,  after  which  they  again  located  on  a  farm.  The  son  gave  his  father  the 
benefit  of  his  services  for  six  years  thereafter  and  then  engaged  in  farming  on 
his  own  account,  for  it  was  about  this  time  that  he  established  a  home  of  his 
own  by  his  marriage  on  the  2d  of  September,  1875,  to  Miss  Mary  Rohwer,  who 
was  born  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  Scott  county,  on  the  9th  of  February,  1855. 
Her  parents,  Claus  and  Margaret  (Koehler)  Rohwer,  were  likewise  natives  of 
Germany,  the  place  of  their  nativity  being  Holstein.  The  father  was  born  Decem- 
ber 22,  1819,  while  the  mother  was  born  on  the  28th  of  May,  1825.  They  were 
married  in  Scott  county  on  the  3d  of  March,  1854,  both  having  come  alone  to 
America.  The  father  bade  adieu  to  the  land  of  his  birth  on  the  28th  of  March, 
1848,  and  after  a  tedious  voyage,  covering  almost  two  months,  he  landed  in  Dav- 
enport on  the  19th  of  May,  following.  The  lady  whom  he  afterward  made  his 
wife  arrived  here  in  the  fall  of  1853.  After  reaching  Scott  county,  Mr.  Roh- 
wer began  work  as  a  laborer  but  through  his  economy  and  industry  it  was  not 
long  ere  he  was  able  to  purchase  land,  for  in  1849  he  became  the  owner  of  one 
hundred  and  forty-three  acres  in  Aliens  Grove  township.  This  proved  but  the 
starting  point  of  his  later  success  for  in  time  his  possessions  embraced  fourteen 
hundred  acres  but  he  has  since  given  to  each  of  his  children  a  good  farm.  He 
has  engaged  in  farming  all  his  life  and  still  makes  his  home  in  Aliens  Grove 
township.  At  one  time  he  owned  the  land  on  which  a  part  of  the  village  of 
Donahue  has  since  been  built.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rohwer  were  bom  four 
daughters  and  three  sons,  of  whom  Mrs.  Keppy  is  the  eldest,  the  others  being: 
Jette,  the  widow  of  Charles  Thodt,  of  Hickory  Grove  township,  who  is  men- 
tioned elsewhere  in  this  work;  Sophia,  the  wife  of  Emil  Burmeister,  a  resident 
of  Sheridan  township ;  Emma,  who  died  in  infancy ;  Henry,  a  resident  of  Aliens 
Grove  township;  August  C,  who  died  when  but  two  years  old;  and  Ernest,  of 
Sheridan  township. 

Following  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keppy  located  on  a  farm  of  two 
hundred  acres  in  Winfield  township.  After  a  few  years  he  engaged  in  merchan- 
dising in  connection  with  his  farming  operations.  In  1880  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  the  village  of  Donahue  and  since  then  has  been  actively  identified  with  various 
enterprises  and  with  the  building  up  of  the  town.  In  that  year  he  was  appointed 
postmaster  of  Donahue  and  has  since  held  the  position  through  reappointment. 
For  five  years  he  operated  a  creamery  but  has  since  abandoned  that  pursuit.  He 
still  conducts  his  mercantile  establishment,  handling  a  general  stock  of  goods  and 
agricultural  implements,  and  he  also  buys  and  sells  live  stock.  He  is  president 
of  the  Donahue  Savings  Hank.  In  1892  he  erected  his  store  building,  forty  by 
seventy-two  feet,  this  being  divided  into  two  rooms,  and  in  addition  to  this  he 
also  owns  three  residences  in  the  village,  while  his  wife  is  the  owner  of  a  valu- 
ble  farm  of  two  hundred  acres,  located  a  half  mile  east  of  Donahue  in  Winfield 
township.  In  every  relation  of  life  Mr.  Keppy  has  always  conformed  to  the 
strictest  rules  of  integrity  and  honesty. 

A  republican  in  his  political  views,  Mr.  Keppy  has  served  as  school  director 
for  five  years,  while  for  three  years  he  was  president  of  the  Aliens  Grove  school 
board.  He  is  not  an  office-seeker,  yet  he  has  nevertheless  exerted  immeasure- 
able  influence  in  the  village,  with  whose  interests  he  has  been  associated  for 


894  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

almost  three  decades,  and  in  his  daily  life  and  his  methods  of  doing  business  has 
set  a  good  example  for  his  sons,  Frank  C.  and  Louis  A.,  to  follow.  Both  are 
enterprising  young  business  men  of  Donahue,  the  latter  being  his  father's  able 
assistant,  and  both  are  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  The  only  daughter 
and  the  youngest  of  the  family  is  Clara,  now  the  wife  of  Henry  Klindt,  Jr.,  who 
is  likewise  mentioned  in  this  work. 


HENRY  SCHROEDER. 


Henry  Schroeder  is  so  situated  that  he  enjoys  the  advantages  of  both  coun- 
try and  city  life,  for  his  home  farm  is  only  about  seven  miles  northeast  of  Daven- 
port— a  valuable  farm  of  one  hundred  and  seventeen  and  a  half  acres  on  section 
33,  Lincoln  township.  In  addition  to  this  tract  he  owns  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  on  section  3  of  the  same  township  and  his  extensive  realty  holdings  make 
him  one  of  the  well-to-do  farmers  of  the  county. 

He  was  born  October  21,  i860,  in  the  township  which  is  still  his  home,  his 
parents  being  Claus  and  Catherine  (Hagge)  Schroeder,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  the  father's  birth  having  occurred  July 
24,  1830,  while  the  mother  was  born  August  23,  1832.  The  former  came  to  the 
United  States  in  1854,  arriving  at  New  York,  whence  he  made  his  way  westward 
to  Indiana.  After  a  brief  period  there  passed  he  removed  to  Scott  county, 
Iowa,  where  for  two  years  he  was  employed  as  a  farm  hand  and  then  entered  into 
partnership  with  Hans  Shuemann.  Together  they  purchased  eighty  acres  of 
land  in  Lincoln  township  and  about  a  year  later  Claus  Schroeder  bought  eighty 
acres  on  section  33  of  the  same  township.  He  built  a  house  thereon  and  removed 
to  that  farm,  which  was  all  prairie  land.  With  characteristic  energy,  however, 
he  began  to  cultivate  the  fields  and  as  the  years  passed  on  gathered  rich  crops. 
Upon  that  place  he  resided  from  i860  until  1874,  when  he  purchased  a  part  of 
the  farm  now  occupied  by  Henry  Schroeder  and  removed  to  that  tract.  During 
the  time  he  lived  on  section  33,  Lincoln  township,  he  bought  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  more  adjoining  and  made  all  of  the  improvements  upon  the  place,  his 
labors  transforming  it  into  one  of  the  very  desirable  farms  of  the  district.  He 
made  it  his  home  until  about  1886,  when  he  retired  and  removed  to  Davenport, 
Iowa,  where  his  death  occurred  July  23,  1892.  His  widow  survived  him  for 
about  five  years,  passing  away  May  20,  1897.  They  were  the  parents  of  two 
children,  but  the  younger,  a  daughter,  died  when  only  four  years  of  age. 

Henry  Schroeder  is  today  the  only  survivor  of  the  family.  He  has  spent 
almost  his  entire  life  in  Lincoln  township  and  after  acquiring  his  preliminary 
education  in  the  district  schools  he  attended  Duncan's  Business  College  at  Daven- 
port. Subsequently  he  went  west  to  California  and  Washington,  where  he  re- 
mained for  a  few  years,  after  which  he  returned  to  Scott  county  and  was  mar- 
ried, the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Katie  E.  Mohr,  a  daughter  of  John  and 
Katherine  Mohr,  of  Davenport.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schroeder  were  married  on  the 
4th  of  March,  1886,  and  have  become  parents  of  two  daughters  and  two  sons: 
Hattie,  now  the  wife  of  Alexander  L.  Mulinax,  of  Cable,  Wisconsin,  by  whom 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  895 

she  has  one  child,  Arletha;  Harry,  at  home;  Edward,  a  student  at  Ames  Col- 
lege ;  and  Mabel,  at  home. 

After  .his  marriage  Mr.  Schroeder  took  his  bride  to  the  old  home  farm  and 
has  since  occupied  it.  He  carries  on  general  farming  and  has  made  most  of  the 
improvements  upon  the  place.  The  buildings  are  in  a  state  of  good  repair,  the 
latest  improved  machinery  is  used  to  facilitate  the  work  of  the  fields,  and  an- 
nually rich  crops  are  gathered  as  a  reward  for  the  care  and  labor  of  Mr. 
Schroeder.  He  is  also  an  active  factor  in  community  interests  and  is  now  serv- 
ing as  county  supervisor,  to  which  office  he  was  elected  on  the  democratic  ticket 
in  1906.  He  has  held  nearly  all  of  the  township  offices,  serving  at  different 
times  as  trustee,  assessor,  clerk  and  school  director.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the 
Davenport  Malt  &  Grain  Company  and  is  a  man  of  good  judgment  and  enter- 
prise, who  recognizes  and  improves  his  opportunities.  He  is  largely  famihar 
with  the  history  of  the  county,  having  for  a  half  century  resided  within  its 
borders,  so  that  he  has  witnessed  many  of  the  events  which  have  shaped  its  an- 
nals. Wherever  known  he  is  held  in  high  esteem,  and  most  of  all  where  he  is 
best  known. 


GEORGE  SCHICK. 


The  name  of  Schick  is  a  well  known  and  familiar  one  in  connection  with  the 
transfer  and  storage  business  in  Davenport,  for  since  the  city  has  been  of  such 
magnitude  as  to  support  such  trade  interests  members  of  the  family-  have  been 
connected  therewith.  He  whose  name  introduces  this  review  is  at  the  head  of 
Schick  Brothers  Express  &  Storage  Company. 

George  Schick  was  born  in  Davenport,  April  20,  1877,  a  son  of  John  and 
Minnie  (Kuehl)  Schick.  The  former  is  a  son  of  John  Schick,  Sr.,  who  organized 
the  first  express  company  in  Davenport,  his  first  equipment  being  a  one-horse 
dray.  Later  when  the  business  grew  to  one  of  more  importance  he  associated 
with  him  his  son  John,  while  still  later  he  admitted  two  other  sons  to  a  partner- 
ship, and  they  conducted  business  for  many  years,  becoming  one  of  the  leading 
concerns  in  this  line  in  Davenport. 

George  Schick  at  the  usual  age  entered  the  public  schools  and  therein  mas- 
tered the  branches  of  learning  that  fitted  him  for  the  practical  duties  of  life. 
In  the  meantime,  during  the  periods  of  vacation,  he  assisted  his  father  and 
through  this  means  qualified  for  carrying  on  the  business  on  his  own  account 
in  later  years.  Eventually  the  firm  was  incorporated  and  made  a  stock  company, 
in  which  our  subject  was  an  active  member.  In  December,  1905,  however,  the 
sons  bought  the  father's  interest  and  organized  Schick  Brothers  Express  & 
Storage  Company,  of  which  George  Schick  is  the  head.  They  are  engaged  in 
teaming  and  all  such  work  and  also  are  fitted  for  storing  goods.  This  is  the 
leading  concern  of  its  kind  in  Davenport  and  the  firm  not  only  retains  its  former 
customers  but  is  adding  daily  to  its  Hst  of  patrons.  They  also  have  a  government 
contract  for  carrying  the  mail  from  the  postoffice  to  the  various  railway  stations, 
this  contract  being  in  efifect  for  two  and  a  half  years. 


896  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Mr.  Schick  was  married  in  1899  to  Miss  Mayme  Truelsen,  a  daughter  of  Hans 
Truelsen,  and  their  union  has  been  blessed  with  one  son,  Robert  John,  who  is 
now  in  school.  Mr.  Schick  belongs  to  the  Masonic  order  and  to  the  Fraternal 
Order  of  Eagles.  He  possesses  a  high  order  of  business  talent,  which  has  served 
him  well  in  the  conduct  of  his  enterprise  and  all  with  whom  he  has  dealings 
find  him  true  to  the  terms  of  a  contract.  Having  spent  his  entire  life  in  Daven- 
port— his  native  city — he  is  interested  in  her  welfare  and  is  numbered  among 
her  most  substantial  business  men. 


MRS.  MELVINA  POPE  FANNING. 

Mrs.  Melvina  Pope  Fanning,  who  is  well  and  favorably  known  in  Princeton^ 
where  the  greater  part  of  her  Hfe  has  been  passed,  owns  considerable  property 
in  the  village  and  thirty-five  acres  of  farm  land  in  Princeton  township.  Her 
father,  Isaac  Tracy  Pope,  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Scott  county  and  was 
a  descendant  of  pioneers,  for  his  ancestors  came  to  America  from  England, 
when  this  continent  was  first  being  colonized  Those  who  established  the  family 
on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  were  Thomas  and  John  Pope,  who  crossed  the  ocean 
on  the  Mary  and  John,  landing  in  Massachusetts  September  3,  1634.  John  Pope 
was  a  freeman  of  Dorchester  and  in  his  will,  drawn  up  in  1646,  mentioned  his 
brother  Thomas,  who  is  supposed  to  have  been  Thomas  Pope  of  Plymouth. 

Isaac  Tracy  Pope,  a  lineal  descendant  and  the  father  of  Mrs.  Fanning,  was 
born  in  Oswego  county,  New  York,  August  13,  181 1,  a  son  of  Squire  S.  and  Sallie 
(Angle)  Pope,  who  came  west  in  1835  '^"d  settled  in  Quincy,  Illinois.  Isaac 
Tracy  Pope  received  a  common-school  education  in  the  east,  married  there  and 
in  1840  came  to  Linn  county,  Iowa,  where  he  secured  a  tract  of  government 
land,  upon  which  he  built  a  log  cabin,  and  there  lived  until  1854.  Being  in  lim- 
ited circumstances  he  and  his  wife  had  to  endure  many  hardships  attendant  upon 
the  primitive  state  of  the  country  and  the  strain  of  poverty.  However,  he  was 
energetic  and  ambitious  and  in  the  course  of  years  his  labors  brought  him  a  gen- 
erous competence.  In  1854  he  removed  from  Linn  county  to  Scott  county,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death,  which  occurred  March  17,  1863.  His  wife 
survived  him  more  than  twenty  years.  She  was  Miss  Mary  A.  Rathburn,  in  her 
maidenhood  and  a  daughter  of  Washington  and  Eunice  Rathburn.  Born  in  Os- 
wego county,  New  York,  March  15,  1814,  she  there  grew  to  young  womanhood 
and  was  married  to  Mr.  Pope,  January  28,  1834.  She  endured  the  hardships  of 
pioneer  life  in  Iowa  in  the  early  years  of  her  wedded  life,  and  when  the  Scott 
County  Pioneer  Society  was  organized  became  one  of  its  honored  members. 
Hers  was  a  life  of  courage  and  devotion  to  her  family,  and  she  was  deeply  mourned 
when,  on  the  30th  of  December,  1886,  she  was  called  to  her  final  rest.  The  last 
fourteen  years  of  her  life  were  passed  in  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Fan- 
ning. Nine  children  were  born  to  her  and  her  husband,  as  follows :  Sarah,  who 
became  the  wife  of  James  Wood,  of  Princeton;  William  H.,  who  wedded  Miss 
Mary  Allen  and  is  now  deceased ;  Melvina,  who  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch ;  James 
K.,  who  married  Miss  Mary  Green  and  is  now  living  at  Princeton;  George  W., 


Mli.   ANH  MRS.   JOHN  A.   PANNING 


MR.  AND  MRS.  ISAAC  T.  POPE 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  901 

who  wedded  Miss  Anna  Maria  Van  Eppyand  is  now  a  resident  of  Pleasant  Valley 
township;  and  four  who  died  in  infancy.  William  H.  Pope  was  born  October  12, 
1840,  and  was  a  young  man  of  twenty-one  when,  on  the  14th  of  October,  1861,  he 
enlisted  in  the  Second  Iowa  Cavalry  under  Colonel  Egbert.  He  saw  considerable 
active  service  during  the  Civil  war  and  was  discharged  October  4,  1864. 

^  Mrs.  Melvina  Pope  Fanning  was  born  in  Linn  county,  Iowa,  near  the  town  of 
Lisbon,  January  30,  1845,  and  accompanied  her  parents  when  they  came  to  Scott 
county.  She  attended  the  common  schools  of  Pleasant  Valley  township,  although 
she  was  not  permitted  to  give  much  time  to  the  preparation  of  lessons,  for  at  the 
age  of  fifteen  her  father  bought  a  hotel  in  Princeton  and  placed  her  in  charge  of 
it.  She  conducted  the  hostelry  with  success,  displayed  good  business  judgment, 
and  became  favorably  known  in  the  village  and  the  vicinity  as  a  young  woman 
of  large  ability. 

At  the  end  of  four  years  she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  John  A.  Fanning, 
who  was  born  at  Clayton,  Jefferson  county,  New  York,  May  20,  1835.  In  1857 
he  came  west,  settling  first  in  Moline,  Illinois,  where  he  Hved  until  1859,  when  he 
eame  to  Princeton,  Scott  county.  After  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  he  enlisted 
from  this  village  in  Company  C,  Second  Iowa  Cavalry,  and  in  the  three  years  of 
his  service  participated  in  many  of  the  hotly  contested  battles  of  the  great  struggle. 
Upon  his  return  to  civil  life  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Princeton,  where  he  fol- 
lowed his  trade  as  a  blacksmith,  and  where,  October  31,  1864,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Melvina  Pope.  The  couple  passed  along  the  highroad  of  life 
together  for  more  than  a  score  of  years,  before  their  union  was  broken  by  the 
death  of  Mr.  Fanning,  who  passed  away  in  1885. 

Mrs.  Fanning  is  well  known  and  highly  respected  in  Princeton  township,  where 
she  has  spent  so  many  years.  She  has  shown  courage  and  ability  in  meeting  the 
several  problems  that  have  confronted  her,  and  while  she  has  exhibited  a  keen 
business  sagacity  on  many  occasions,  she  is  endowed  with  those  womanly  traits 
that  make  her  beloved  and  venerated  among  a  large  circle  of  friends. 


CHARLES  VAN  EVERA. 

An  excellent  farming  property  of  two  hundred  and  eighty-six  acres  located 
in  Davenport  township  pays  tribute  to  the  care  and  labor  which  Charles  Van 
Evera  bestows  upon  it,  and  in  the  fine  crops  which  he  annually  harvests  he  is 
continually  adding  to  his  financial  resources.  He  was  born  in  the  Empire  state, 
March  2,  1847,  a  son  of  Rynier  and  Katherine  (Stowits)  Van  Evera.  The 
family  came  originally  from  Holland  but  have  lived  in  America  since  before  the 
Revolution.  Rynier  Van  Evera  was  also  born  in  New  York,  a  son  of  John  Van 
Evera.  He  was  married  in  that  state  and  in  1837  came  west  with  his  family, 
establishing  his  home  in  Muscatine  county,  Iowa.  He  located  on  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  land  which  he  purchased  and  thereon  made  his  home  for  six 
years.  He  then  disposed  of  that  tract  and  removing  to  Scott  county,  rented 
various  tracts  of  land  until  1867,  when  he  purchased  the  farm  which  is  now  in 


902  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

possession  of  the  son  Charles.  For  many  years  he  was  identified  with  the  de- 
velopment and  improvement  of  this  farm  and  passed  away  March  9,  1883,  while 
his  wife  survived  him  for  only  two  years,  her  death  occurring  March  23,  1885. 
They  had  a  family  of  five  children,  namely:  Miranda,  the  widow  of  Cornelius 
Wilkin,  who  now  makes  her  home  with  our  subject;  Joshua,  of  Florida;  Charles, 
of  this  review ;  and  John  and  Henry,  deceased. 

Charles  Van  Evera  was  a  little  lad  of  seven  years  when  he  was  brought  by 
his  parents  to  Iowa,  the  family  home  being  established  in  Muscatine  county.  He 
started  to  school  at  the  usual  age  in  New  York  state  and  after  removing  to 
Muscatine  county  attended  school  there,  while  later,  the  family  removing  to 
Scott  county,  he  attended  the  district  schools  here,  but  his  education  was  com- 
pleted in  the  high  school  at  Davenport.  After  putting  aside  his  text-books  he 
gave  his  attention  to  farming,  having  assisted  his  father  during  the  periods  of 
vacation  while  pursuing  his  studies. 

Mr.  Van  Evera  established  a  home  of  his  own  by  his  marriage  on  the  30th  of 
December,  1874,  to  Miss  Henrietta  Kepler,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Ann  (Doug- 
lass) Kepler,  of  Scott  county.  He  then  began  work  in  earnest,  following  the 
pursuit  to  which  he  had  been  reared  and  this  has  been  his  occupation  to  the 
present  time.  He  now  owns  two  hundred  and  eighty-six  acres  in  Davenport 
township,  which  was  formerly  the  old  home  place,  the  house  which  stands  on 
the  farm  having  been  erected  by  the  father.  Mr.  Van  Evera  since  taking  pos- 
session has  made  other  needed  improvements  and  the  place  is  now  one  of  the 
most  valuable  in  Davenport  township.  He  carries  on  general  farming  and  also 
raises  stock,  both  branches  of  his  business  bringing  him  a  good  profit.  His  suc- 
cess has  been  won  through  the  most  honorable  methods,  so  that  it  is  all  the  more 
gratifying. 

As  above  stated,  Mr.  Van  Evera  wedded  Miss  Henrietta  Kepler,  who  was  born 
in  Pennsylvania,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Ann  Kepler.  The  father  was  born  in 
Blair  county,  Pennsylvania,  October  21,  1831,  while  the  mother  was  bom  in 
Cambria  county,  that  state,  November  17,  1832.  In  1856  a  removal  was  made 
to  Scott  county.  The  family  lived  for  a  few  years  thereafter  in  Le  Claire  town- 
ship but  in  1 86 1  took  up  their  abode  in  Lincoln  township,  where  the  mother's 
death  occurred  on  the  2d  of  February,  1877,  when  she  was  forty-five  years  of 
age.  The  father  survived  for  many  years  and  passed  away  in  Chicago,  Illinois, 
December  18,  1893,  when  he  was  sixty-two  years  old.  Their  family  numbered 
eight  children,  as  follows:  Henrietta,  now  Mrs.  Van  Evera;  T.  B.,  of  Tama 
county,  Iowa;  W.  D.,  of  Lincoln  township;  G.  M.,  formerly  of  this  county;  W.  E., 
a  resident  of  Oregon;  William  D.,  of  Tama  county,  this  state;  M.  H.,  who  makes 
his  home  in  Worth  county,  this  state ;  and  R.  P.  of  Toledo,  Iowa. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van  Evera  has  been  blessed  with  nine  chil- 
dren :  Rynier,  who  died  in  infancy ;  Grace,  at  home ;  Carl,  who  wedded  Josephine 
Seaman  and  lives  in  Davenport  township,  where  he  follows  farming  and  stock 
raising,  his  specialty  being  red  polled  cattle;  Katherine,  who  is  engaged  in  teach- 
ing in  Minnesota ;  Kepler,  who  is  studying  for  the  ministry  in  McCormick  The- 
ological Seminary,  at  Chicago;  Anna,  the  wife  of  B.  S.  Bonnell,  a  resident  of 
Lincoln  township;  Rodger,  who  married  Zella  Barr  and  is  farming  the  home 
place;  Benjamin,  also  at  home;  and  Donald,  who  died  when  six  years  of  age. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  903 

Mr.  Van  Evera  is  a  republican  in  his  political  belief  and  has  served  as  school 
director  but  otherwise  has  filled  no  public  office.  His  religious  faith  is  indi- 
cated by  his  membership  in  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Summit,  in  which  he  is 
now  acting  as  treasurer.  Fortunate  as  has  been  his  life,  his  record  is  untar- 
nished and  the  name  of  Charles  Van  Evera  stands  for  honesty,  integrity  and  up- 
right manhood. 


THEODORE  KRABBENHOEFT. 

The  name  of  Theodore  Krabbenhoeft  is  an  honored  one  in  mercantile  and 
financial  circles  in  Davenport,  where  he  is  widely  known  as  the  president  of  the 
Davenport  Cigar  Box  Company  and  as  a  director  of  the  Davenport  Savings 
Bank.  What  he  has  accompHshed  represents  the  utilization  of  the  innate  talents 
which  are  his,  the  recognition  of  opportunity  and  keen  discrimination  in  deter- 
mining that  which  is  essential  in  the  successful  conduct  of  business  enterprises. 
One  of  Davenport's  native  sons  and  a  representative  of  one  of  its  pioneer  fam- 
ilies, he  was  born  August  14,  1859,  his  parents  being  J.  H.  and  Lizzette  (Haak) 
Krabbenhoeft.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Germany,  born  in  the  little  village 
of  Noehr  near  Kiel.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  schools  of  that  country 
and  there  learned  the  mechanic's  trade.  His  interests  aroused  by  the  favorable 
reports  which  he  heard  concerning  the  new  world  and  its  opportunities,  he  de- 
termined to  try  his  fortune  on  the  western  continent  and  after  bidding  adieu  to 
friends  and  family,  sailed  for  New  Orleans.  He  then  made  his  way  up  the 
Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  remained  until,  attracted  by  the  dis- 
covery of  gold  in  California,  he  crossed  the  plains  to  the  Pacific  coast  in  1849, 
remaining  for  about  a  year  in  the  far  west.  He  was  among  those  who  met  suc- 
cess in  the  search  for  the  precious  metal  and  on  his  return  brought  with  him  sub- 
stantial evidence  of  his  labors.  Again  making  his  way  to  the  Mississippi  val- 
ley, he  proceeded  to  Davenport  instead  of  St.  Louis  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  the 
vicinity  of  this  city.  Again  he  was  attracted  by  gold  discoveries  when  the  pre- 
cious metal  was  found  on  Pike's  Peak,  and,  making  his  way  to  Colorado,  he 
remained  there  for  some  time.  On  his  return  to  Scott  county  he  resumed  farm- 
ing in  Davenport  township,  owning  there  a  good  tract  of  land  which  responded 
readily  and  generously  to  the  care  and  labor  which  he  bestowed  upon  it.  Unto 
him  and  his  wife,  who  was  also  a  native  of  Germany,  there  were  born  seven 
children:  George,  deceased;  Theodore,  \^hose  name  introduces  this  record; 
Emma,  the  wife  of  Chris  Niemand;  Gus;  Laura  and  Edward,  both  deceased; 
and  Julius,  who  married  Emma  Pahl. 

At  the  usual  age  Theodore  Krabbenhoeft  entered  the  common  schools, 
wherein  he  completed  his  education.  His  early  experience  in  the  business  world 
came  through  clerking  in  various  commercial  houses  in  the  city  and  he  made  his 
first  independent  step  as  a  grocer,  opening  a  store  which  he  conducted  for  some 
time  with  substantial  success.  Hoping  to  find  a  still  broader  field  of  labor,  he 
disposed  of  his  mercantile  interests  to  his  brother-in-law  and  entered  the  field 
of  manufacturing  in  connection  with  the  Davenport  Cigar  Box  Company,  which 


904  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

had  been  organized  about  a  year  previous.  Soon  after  becoming  connected 
therewith  Mr.  Krabbenhoeft  was  chosen  general  manager  and  upon  the  reor- 
ganization of  the  business  accepted  the  presidency  and  has  since  remained  at  the 
head  of  what  is  now  regarded  as  one  of  the  leading  concerns  of  the  city. 

On  the  5th  of  November,  1882,  Mr.  Krabbenhoeft  was  married  to  Miss 
Emma  Struck,  a  daughter  of  Henry  Struck,  of  whom  extended  mention  is 
made  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Mr.  Krabbenhoeft  belongs  to  the  Benevolent 
and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  the  Turner  Society,  in  which  organization  he 
is  very  active.  Diligence  and  perseverance  constitute  the  keynote  of  his  char- 
acter, and  as  he  has  steadily  progressed  in  business  circles  each  forward  step  has 
brought  him  a  broader  outlook  and  wider  opportunity  which  he  has  fully  utilized 
in  the  development  of  business  interests  that  are  now  important  and  of  exten- 
sive proportions. 


CAPTAIN  WARNER  LEWIS  CLARK. 

Captain  Warner  Lewis  Clark  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  the  oldest  liv- 
ing settler  of  the  state  of  Iowa  and  also  of  being  the  son  of  the  first  white  man 
to  establish  a  claim  in  Scott  county.  He  was  bom  on  the  Wabash  river,  near 
Mount  Carmel,  Wabash  county,  Illinois,  November  14,  1822,  a  son  of  Ben- 
jamin Warren  and  Mary  (Beard)  Clark.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Virginia, 
but  the  mother  was  born  in  Kentucky  and  did  not  survive  the  birth  of  her 
son.  The  earliest  memories  of  the  childhood  of  Captain  Warner  Lewis  Clark 
are  connected  with  the  Indians,  for  at  the  time  of  his  birth  they  were  much 
more  numerous  than  the  white  settlers.  Indeed,  in  1827,  when  the  family  re- 
moved to  Rock  Island,  the  Black  Hawk,  Keokuk  and  other  tribes  surrounded 
them  and  were  their  daily  companions.  As  boys  he  and  his  brother,  John  P. 
Clark,  played  with  them  at  ball,  shooting  arrows  and  other  games  which  they 
taught  them,  and  having  learned  the  Indian  language  became  conversant  with 
many  of  the  customs  prevalent  among  the  red  people.  On  the  ist  of  June,  1833, 
with  the  rest  of  his  family.  Captain  Clark  removed  to  the  Black  Hawk  pur- 
chase and  they  were  the  first  to  settle  where  is  now  the  village  of  Buffalo,  this 
county.  Many  are  the  memories  of  those  early  days,  when  the  face  of  a  white 
brother  was  infrequently  seen.  It  was,  indeed,  a  great  event  when  the  first  school 
was  taught  here  in  1836,  and  in  it  in  the  winter  of  1838  Captain  Clark  received 
his  last  instruction  in  the  rudiments  of  English  education.  On  the  25th  of  October, 
1839,  occurred  the  death  of  his  father,  and  a  month  later  his  stepmother  also 
passed  away,  leaving  eight  children  to  struggle  against  the  hardships  that  con- 
fronted them.  The  character  of  the  life,  far  from  discouraging  them,  taught  them 
the  invaluable  lessons  of  industry  and  hopefulness,  which  were  productive  of 
large  results  if  we  are  to  judge  from  Captain  Clark's  career. 

For  a  number  of  years  after  the  death  of  his  parents.  Captain  Clark  lived 
upon  the  old  homestead  in  Buffalo  township  and  then,  in  1847,  removed  to  Dav- 
enport. Seven  years  later  he  and  the  late  Captain  Leroy  Dodge  bought  a  half 
interest  in  the  packet  line  running  between  Keokuk,  Davenport,  and  Rock  Isl- 


HISTORY  OF  ^COTT  COUNTY  907 

and.  Captain  Clark  received  the  contract  for  handling  the  United  States  mail. 
In  1857  he  left  Davenport  to  take  up  his  residence  in  Buffalo,  in  order  that 
he  might  operate  the  coal  mines  which  were  upon  his  place  and  thus  supply  his 
boats  with  coal.  In  the  course  of  years  he  became  very  wealthy,  although  in 
the  panic  of  1859  he  lost  heavily,  but  had  enough  left  to  establish  him  comfortably 
and  give  him  a  good  start  again  in  life.  During  the  year  1865  he  opened  an 
addition  to  the  village  of  Buffalo,  which  still  bears  his  name.  Of  course  in  late 
years  he  has  taken  little  active  part  in  the  life  that  is  going  on  about  him,  but 
he  is,  nevertheless,  an  eager  spectator  of  events  and  has  not  remitted  one  bit  of 
his  interest  in  the  things  that  pertain  to  the  general  welfare.  He  is  able  to  con- 
trast the  present  with  its  conveniences  with  the  hardships  of  the  past,  and  while 
he  cannot  but  acklowledge  the  great  advancement  that  has  been  made,  he  is 
loath  to  say  that  better  men  are  produced  now  than  then.  In  fact  those  early 
days,  while  they  called  into  play  the  sternest  qualities  of  a  nature,  demanding 
courage  and  perseverance  above  all  things,  inculcated  those  principles  upon 
which  the  highest  success  is  built. 

On  the  9tli  of  December,  1841,  when  he  was  but  nineteen  years  of  age,  Captain 
Clark  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Harriet  Baker,  who  was  one  year  his  junior. 
She  was  a  daughter  of  Maurice  and  Margaret  (Waters)  Baker,  the  former  a  native 
of  Maryland,  the  latter  of  Kentucky.  Eight  children  were  born  to  the  Captain  and 
his  wife:  Benjamin  Warren,  who  wedded  Miss  Lizzie  Evans,  of  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, and  passed  away  May  29,  1905  ;  Emma  M.,  who  became  the  wife  of  General 
Jesse  M.  Harrison,  of  Dubuque,  Iowa;  Clara  M.,  who  is  the  widow  of  Charles 
F.  Elmes,  of  Chicago;  Florence  L.,  who  is  the  wife  of  W.  L.  Orrick,  of  Du- 
buque, Iowa;  Lincoln  L.,  who  died  unmarried  August  28,  1882;  Kate  M.,  who 
died  May  13,  1884;  Anna  M.,  who  passed  away  August  27,  1889;  and  Charles 
C,  who  is  engaged  in  the  milling  business  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  Mrs.  Clark 
died  March  30,  1891. 

Politically  Captain  Clark  has  always  been  in  sympathy  with  the  democratic 
party,  and  he  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church.  He  is  a  stanch  defender  of 
religion  and  his  own  life  is  lived  in  strict  accord  with  the  rules  of  Christian  con- 
duct. He  is  temperate  in  all  his  habits,  with  a  certain  justifiable  pride  attrib- 
uting the  many  years  of  his  life  to  that  fact. 


FRANK  C.  KEPPY. 


The  financial  interests  of  Donahue  find  a  worthy  representative  in  Frank  C. 
Keppy,  who  is  acting  as  cashier  of  the  Donahue  Savings  Bank.  He  was  born 
April  5,  1876,  the  eldest  of  three  children  born  unto  Frank  and  Mary  (Rohwer) 
Keppy,  his  younger  brother  being  Louis  A.  Keppy,  while  the  sister  is  Clara,  the 
wife  of  Henry  Klindt  of  Maysville,  Scott  county.    All  are  mentioned  elsewhere 

in  this  work. 

Frank  C.  Keppy  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  to  the  age  of  seven  years,  and 
his  parents  then  removed  to  Donahue,  where  his  entire  life  has  been  spent,  with 
the  exception  of  when  away  at  school.    He  was  given  excellent  educational  ad- 


908  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

vantages  that  he  might  start  out  in  life  well  equipped  for  the  strenuous  and  ex- 
acting service  of  the  times.  He  attended  high  school  in  Davenport  and  subse- 
quently attended  Duncan's  Business  College  in  that  city.  Returning  home,  he 
became  manager  of  his  father's  merchandise  establishment  in  Donahue,  being 
thus  engaged  for  ten  years.  In  1905,  upon  the  organization  of  the  Donahue 
Savings  Bank,  Mr.  Keppy  was  made  its  first  cashier  and  has  filled  that  position 
to  the  present  time.  The  bank  is  established  upon  a  firm  basis,  its  stockholders 
being  some  of  the  best  known  and  wealthiest  citizens  of  that  section  of  Scott 
county.  The  president  and  vice  president  are  Frank  Keppy  and  Albert  C. 
Klindt,  of  Donahue,  respectively,  who  with  Emil  Fellner,  G.  C.  Mohr,  Henry 
Meyer,  Henry  Schult  and  George  Gollinghorst  constitute  the  directorate. 

Conducting  his  private  interests  in  a  successful  manner,  Mr.  Keppy  is  also 
willing  to  lend  his  aid  to  the  prosecution  of  pubHc  interests.  He  has  followed  in 
his  father's  political  foosteps  as  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  republican  party,  on 
which  ticket  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Donahue,  being  the  first  man  to  fill  the 
office.  He  is  also  acting  as  treasurer  of  the  Aliens  Grove  township  school  board 
and  of  the  Donahue  Percheron  Horse  Company.  His  fraternal  relations  are 
with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodge  at  Dixon. 

Mr.  Keppy  was  married  March  9,  1897,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss 
Ella  Meyer,  who  was  born  in  Hickory  Grove  township,  November  22,  1876.  She 
is  a  daughter  of  Fritz  and  Rebecca  (Shuck)  Meyer,  the  former  deceased  and 
the  latter  now  a  resident  of  Davenport.  By  her  marriage  Mrs.  Keppy  has  become 
the  mother  of  an  interesting  son  and  daughter,  Dennis  B.  and  Etta  C.  The 
parents  are  prominent  and  popular  in  the  social  circles  of  the  community,  for 
they  have  here  spent  their  entire  lives  and  are  therefore  well  known. 


THOMAS  PEACOCK. 


A  well  improved  farm. of  twenty-seven  acres,  located  in  Buffalo  township,  is 
the  home  of  Thomas  Peacock,  who  was  born  near  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  in  1849 
and  was  a  little  lad  of  five  years  when  brought  to  the  new  world  by  his 
parents,  William  and  Jeannette  (Crabb)  Peacock,  the  year  1853  witnessing  their 
arrival  in  the  United  States.  The  father  died  soon  after  reaching  this  country, 
having  contracted  a  fever  while  on  shipboard.  The  mother  located  near  Potts- 
ville,  Pennsylvania,  where  she  remained  until  1863,  when  she  removed  with  her 
family  to  Bedford  county,  that  state,  and  the  son  remained  in  the  latter  district 
three  years,  when  in  1866  he  came  west.  For  a  few  years  thereafter  he  engaged 
in  mining  and  farming  at  intervals,  and  in  1871  he  settled  in  Scott  county  and 
prospected  for  coal,  working  in  the  mines  of  this  district  for  three  years. 

His  lot  up  to  this  time  had  been  rather  a  hard  one.  Deprived  of  his  father 
at  an  early  age,  he  had  little  opportunity  of  attending  school,  as  he  had  to  provide 
for  his  own  support  from  a  very  early  age,  and  practically  all  the  knowledge  he 
gained  from  his  books  was  by  study  at  night  after  he  had  completed  his  day's 
work.  As  above  stated,  he  had  worked  at  farm  labor  after  coming  to  Scott 
county  and  through  this  means  had  ample  opportunity  to  test  the  worth  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 


909 


land  and  its  possibilities.  He  was  convinced  that  he  could  win  success  in  this 
way  and  accordingly,  in  1874,  located  on  his  present  farm  of  twenty-seven  acres 
in  Buffalo  township,  to  which  he  has  since  bent  his  energies 

Soon  after  coming  to  the  west  Mr.  Peacock  was  married  in  Scott  county  in 
1873,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  M.  Kearney,  a  daughter  of  John  Kearney,  of  Buffalo 
township.  Mrs.  Peacock  was  bom  April  17,  1855,  and  by  her  marriage  has 
become  the  mother  of  four  living  daughters :  Mrs.  Jeannette  M.  McCollough 
who  IS  with  her  parents;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  William  Kohl,  residing  near 
Linwood,  Iowa;  Annie,  the  wife  of  John  Kohl;  and  Emma  A.,  at  home.  Three 
sons  died  in  youth. 

Mr.  Peacock  is  a  republican  in  his  political  views  and  has  been  called  by  his 
fellow  townsmen  to  fill  various  township  offices,  having  served  as  assessor  and 
trustee,  and  he  has  also  filled  other  minor  positions,  in  all  of  which  he  has  dis- 
charged his  duties  faithfully  and  conscientiously.  He  belongs  to  Banner  Lodge, 
No.  16,  K.  P.,  at  Buffalo.  Starting  out  in  life  for  himself,  with  but  a  limited 
education  and  with  no  capital  he  has  steadily  worked  his  way  upward  and  today 
commands  the  esteem  and  respect  of  the  entire  community.  Over  the  record  of 
his  public  career  and  private  life  there  falls  no  shadow  of  wrong,  for  he  has  ever 
been  most  loyal  to  the  ties  of  friendship  and  citizenship,  and  his  history  well 
deserves  a  place  in  the  annals  of  his  adopted  state. 


FRED  THORNBLOOM. 

A  well  improved  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  situated  in  Buffalo 
township,  is  the  home  of  Fred  Thornbloom,  a  worthy  representative  of  the 
Swedish  race.  He  was  born  in  Sweden  in  1861  and  made  his  home  there  until 
he  was  thirty-two  years  of  age.  Having  learned  of  the  opportunities  afforded 
in  America,  he  decided  to  try  his  fortune  in  the  new  world,  and  accordingly,  in 
1893,  crossed  the  Atlantic.  He  settled  in  Moline,  Illinois,  where  for  a  few  years 
he  was  employed  in  the  shops  of  the  Deere  Plow  Company.  In  1895,  believing 
that  he  could  better  provide  for  his  family  on  a  farm,  he  rented  a  tract  of  land 
near  Moline  and  for  several  years  gave  his  attention  to  its  cultivation.  In  1897 
he  rented  a  two  hundred  acre  farm  near  Hillsdale,  Illinois,  where  he  lived  five 
years. 

In  1903  Mr.  Thornbloom  came  to  Scott  county  and  since  then  has  been  en- 
gaged in  farming  one  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Buffalo  township.  He  does 
general  farming,  raising  the  cereals  best  adapted  to  soil  and  climate,  and  each  year 
he  gathers  good  crops  as  a  reward  for  the  care  and  labor  he  bestows  upon  the  fields. 
He  finds  in  the  cultivation  of  the  rich  soil  of  Iowa  ample  scope  for  his  energy — 
his  dominant  quality — and  as  the  years  pass  he  is  adding  to  his  financial  resources 

Mr.  Thornbloom  was  married  ere  he  emigrated  to  the  new  world,  the  lady 
of  his  choice  being  Miss  Annie  Anderson.  They  have  eight  children:  Henry, 
Anna,  Carrie,  Swan,  Iver,  Casper,  Thera  and  Sadie.  All  are  at  home  with  the 
exception  of  Annie,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Claus  Hagberg,  a  resident  of  Mo- 
line, Illinois. 


910  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Loyal  to  the  best  interests  of  his  adopted  county.  Mr.  Thornbloom  is  not 
slow  in  advocating  every  movement  or  measure  for  the  improvement  and  prog- 
ress of  this  section  of  the  state  and  all  who  know  him  have  for  him  high 
esteem. 


EDWARD  R.  SCHNECKLOTH. 

Edward  R.  Schneckloth  is  numbered  among  the  younger  farmers  of  Scott 
county  who  have  won  success  by  well  directed  effort  and  energy.  He  is  now 
living  on  a  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  owned  by  his  mother  on 
section  5,  Lincoln  township,  and  pleasantly  and  conveniently  situated  about  three 
and  a  half  miles  east  of  Eldridge. 

It  was  upon  this  farm  that  his  birth  occurred  April  7,  1882,  his  parents  being 
Thomas  and  Silkie  (Fink)  Schneckloth,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Ger- 
many. The  father,  who  was  born  in  that  country  December  2,  1842,  came  to 
the  United  States  at  the  age  of  nine  years  with  his  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry 
Schneckloth.  They  landed  at  New  Orleans  and  thence  made  their  way  up  the 
river  to  Davenport.  Soon  afterward  they  went  to  Moline,  Illinois,  where  they 
remained  for  two  months,  after  which  Mr.  Schneckloth  purchased  eighty  acres 
of  partially  improved  land  in  Scott  county  and  took  up  his  abode  thereon.  For 
a  long  period  he  continued  to  engage  in  tilling  the  soil  and  became  recognized  as 
one  of  the  representative  farmers  of  the  community,  but  about  1891  retired 
from  active  life  and  removed  to  Davenport,  where  both  he  and  his  wife  passed 
away. 

Thomas  Schneckloth  began  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Holstein,  Ger- 
many, and  continued  his  studies  after  he  came  to  this  county  with  his  parents. 
In  the  summer  months  he  worked  in  the  fields  and  throughout  his  life  carried 
on  general  farming.  He  remained  upon  the  old  homestead  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  June  9,  1901.  In  the  meantime  he  had  added  to  the  boundaries 
of  the  original  farm  by  the  purchase  of  an  adjoining  tract  of  land  of  forty  acres. 
He  made  all  of  the  improvements  upon  the  place,  added  substantial  buildings  for 
the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock,  fenced  his  fields,  brought  his  land  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation  and  utilized  modern  machinery  in  planting,  caring  for  and 
harvesting  the  crops.  He  carried  on  general  farming  and  was  also  a  stockholder 
in  the  Farmers  Creamery  Company  of  Eldridge.  His  study  of  the  political 
issues  and  questions  of  the  day  led  him  to  give  earnest  support  to  the  republican 
party  and  his  interest  in  the  cause  of  education  prompted  his  efJRcient  service  as 
school  director  for  many  years. 

His  wife  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  March  29,  1845.  She  pursued  her 
education  in  the  fatherland  and  also  in  America,  •  coming  to  the  United  States 
when  eight  years  of  age  with  her  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peter  Fink.  They 
landed  at  Galveston,  Texas,  and  after  a  few  days  went  to  New  Orleans  and 
thence  proceeded  up  the  river  to  Scott  county,  taking  three  weeks  to  make  the 
trip,  and  then  settling  on  a  tract  of  land  adjoining  the  Schneckloth  place.  There 
Mr.  Fink  purchased  eighty  acres,  but  after  farming  for  twenty  years  in  Scott 
county  he  sold  his  property  here  and  went  west,  where  he  purchased  one  hun- 


•z. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  913 

dred  and  sixty  acres  and  later  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  living  there  until  he 
was  eighty-two  years  of  age.  Both  he  and  his  wife  died  in  Tama  county,  Iowa. 
Their  daughter  Mrs.  Thomas  Schneckloth  is  still  living,  her  home  being  now  in 
Davenport.  By  her  marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  thirteen  children: 
Theresa,  the  wife  of  John  Horst,  of  Lincoln  township ;  Anna,  the  deceased  wife 
of  Christ  Evers,  of  Garwin,  Iowa ;  Henry,  who  is  living  in  Chicago,  Illinois ;  Gus- 
tave  and  Herman,  both  deceased ;  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Dr.  J.  W.  Benadom,  of  Den- 
ver, Colorado ;  Laura,  the  wife  of  Adolph  P.  Arp,  of  Lincoln  township ;  Adolph, 
who  is  living  in  Davenport,  Iowa;  Edward,  of  this  review;  Adelheit  who  is 
living  with  her  mother  in  Davenport;  Arthur,  who  resides  in  Eldridge,  Iowa; 
Julius,  deceased;  and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 

Throughout  his  entire  life  Edward  R.  Schneckloth  has  resided  upon  the 
farm  which  is  yet  his  home.  He  attended  district  school  No.  7  and  after  ac- 
quiring a  good  practical  English  education,  began  devoting  his  entire  time  and 
attention  to  the  work  of  the  fields  and  in  1907  took  charge  of  the  farm.  He 
carries  on  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  the  place,  with  its  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  rich  land,  responds  readily  to  the  care  and  cultivation  which 
he  bestows  upon  it. 

Mr.  Schneckloth  was  married  on  the  19th  of  December,  1906,  to  Miss  Laura 
Hill,  who  was  born  in  Butler  township,  this  county,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Ernest 
and  Emma  ( Stoltenberg)  Hill,  who  were  early  settlers  of  this  county  and,  like 
many  of  the  county's  worthy  citizens,  the  father  was  of  German  birth.  He  was 
bom  in  Holstein,  April  20,  1847,  and  remained  in  his  native  land  until  twenty 
years  of  age,  when  the  favorable  reports  which  he  heard  concerning  the  new 
world  and  its  opportunities  constituted  for  him  an  irresistible  attraction,  and  he 
crossed  the  Atlantic,  making  his  way  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  he  continued 
to  engage  in  farming  for  some  time.  His  wife  was  born  in  this  county  and 
they  are  now  living  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  being  numbered  among  the  repre- 
sentative farming  people  of  that  community.  They  own  three  hundred  acres 
of  land  in  Orange  township. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schneckloth  has  been  blessed  with  one  child, 
Lloyd  Ernest  Thomas,  who  was  born  March  8,  1908.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schneck- 
loth are  well  known  in  their  community  and  the  hospitality  of  its  best  homes  is 
freely  accorded  them.  His  stanchest  friends  are  those  who  have  been  acquainted 
with  him  from  his  boyhood  days,  a  fact  which  indicates  that  his  life  has  been 
well  and  honorably  spent. 


STEWART  GILLMOR. 

The  name  of  Gillmor  is  an  old  and  familiar  one  in  Scott  county,  the  family 
having  been  associated  with  the  agricultural  life  of  eastern  Iowa  from  pioneer 
times  down  to  the  present,  and  he  whose  name  introduces  this  review  was  one 
of  the  influential  and  substantial  farmers  of  Aliens  Grove  township,  where  he 
spent  much  of  his  life  after  coming  to  the  new  world,  and  it  was  on  his  home 
farm  here  that  he  died  December  16,  1902. 


914  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Mr.  Gillmor  was  a  native  of  County  Sligo,  Ireland,  born  July  27,  1832,  a  son 
of  Stewart  and  Rebecca  (Hart)  Gillmor.  The  latter  had  previously  been  mar- 
ried to  a  Mr.  Baker  and  had  one  son,  Nicholas,  who  was  drowned  in  the  Wapsi- 
pinicon  river.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gillmor  emigrated  to  America,  arriving  in  Daven- 
port on  the  I2th  of  April,  1847.  The  father  first  purchased  forty  acres  of  land, 
which  he  planted  to  wheat,  this  tract  being  located  where  the  Orphans  Home  now 
stands.  After  residing  in  that  section  of  Scott  county  for  a  period  of  four  or 
five  years,  the  father  preempted  eighty  acres  of  land  north  of  Long  Grove, 
which  became  his  permanent  place  of  abode,  and  where  the  parents  reared  their 
family  of  four  sons  and  two  daughters,  as  follows:  Eliza,  who  married  Samuel 
Ramsey  but  she  has  since  passed  away;  Stewart,  of  this  review;  Isaac,  who  de- 
parted this  life  in  1909 ;  his  home  being  in  Denison,  this  state ;  John,  who  died  in 
youth;  Margaret  Jane,  the  deceased  wife  of  Alexander  Boyle;  and  Hugh,  who  is 
also  deceased. 

Stewart  Gillmor,  the  eldest  son  and  second  in  order  of  birth,  shared  with  the 
other  members  of  the  family  in  the  trials  and  privations  they  had  to  bear  in  es- 
tablishing a  home  in  a  new  and  unsettled  country.  He  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  he  reached  mature  years  and  then,  in  connection  with  his 
brother  Isaac,  secured  from  the  government  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
land  in  Winfield  township,  this  tract  lying  north  of  Donahue.  Stewart  Gillmor 
at  once  began  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of  the  land  and  made  his  home 
thereon  until  about  the  close  of  the  Civil  war,  when  he  disposed  of  that  property 
and  invested  his  money  in  three  hundred  and  twenty-three  acres  located  on  sec- 
tions 26,  27,  34  and  45,  Aliens  Grove  township,  and  since  his  demise  the  family 
have  added  twenty-seven  acres  to  it  on  section  27.  Mr.  Gillmor  gave  his  time 
and  attention  to  the  improvement  and  further  development  of  this  farm  and  it 
is  now  a  valuable  property.  Although  he  was  modest  and  retiring  by  nature, 
little  inclined  to  conversation,  he  was  a  man  of  much  influence  in  the  community 
and  it  was  due  to  his  efforts  and  largely  to  his  financial  aid  that  the  house  of 
worship,  known  as  the  Church  of  God,  was  erected  on  his  farm.  Aside  from  his 
many  other  acts  of  kindness,  which  will  long  be  remembered,  this  will  stand  as 
a  lasting  monument  to  his  religious  zeal. 

Mr.  Gillmor,  also  in  a  quiet  way,  exerted  his  influence  in  the  political  circles 
of  Scott  county.  He  was  stanch  in  his  advocacy  of  the  republican  party  and  its 
principles  and  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Fremont,  while  his  last  ballot 
supported  William  McKinley.  Mr.  Gillmor  had  passed  his  seventieth  year,  when 
on  the  i6th  of  December,  1902,  he  was  called  from  this  life.  His  ideals,  his  per- 
sonality, the  history  of  his  life  and  his  profound  sense  of  integrity  and  honesty 
could  be  made  the  text  of  a  lesson  from  which  the  younger  generation  could 
study  success. 

Mr.  Gillmor  had  spent  forty-four  years  of  wedded  bHss  with  his  wife,  who 
bore  the  maiden  name  of  Mary  A.  Connor,  their  marriage  being  celebrated  in 
1858.  She  was  born  in  Perth,  Ontario,  Canada,  June  26,  1839,  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Ellen  (Bryan)  Connor,  who  were  natives  of  Ireland  but  spent  some  years  in 
Canada  and  came  to  Scott  county  in  1846.  With  the  widow  seven  children  sur- 
vive the  death  of  Mr.  Gillmor,  these  being:  John  Stewart,  who  conducts  a  hotel 
in  Los  Angeles,  California ;  Margaret  J.,  who  is  with  her  mother ;  R.  Ellen,  who 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  915 

is  engaged  in  teaching  in  Durango,  Colorado ;  William  L.,  a  practicing  physician 
in  Kansas  City,  Missouri ;  Hugh  H.,  who  resides  on  a  part  of  the  homestead 
farm;  Frank  A.  E.,  who  is  with  his  mother  and  manages  the  remainder  of  the 
farm;  and  I.  Fenton,  who  is  a  student  in  the  Iowa  State  University.  Mrs.  Gill- 
mor  is  a  lady  of  many  estimable  qualities  and  enjoys  the  high  regard  of  a  large 
circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances. 


H.  H.  GILLMOR. 


H.  H.  Gillmor  was  born  on  his  present  home  place,  November  19,  1870.  At 
the  usual  age  he  began  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  pursued 
a  course  in  Drake  University.  Subsequently  he  took  a  business  course  in  the 
Iowa  Business  College,  at  Des  Moines,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1880.  Dur- 
ing the  periods  of  vacation  he  assisted  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm 
and  after  completing  his  business  course  he  acted  as  salesman  for  the  Smith 
Premier  Typewriter  Company  at  Des  Moines,,  remaining  in  their  employ  for 
three  and  a  half  years.  He  then  returned  home  and  resumed  farming  on  a  por- 
tion of  the  old  homestead  place,  operating  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  his 
own  account.  He  is  still  giving  his  time  and  attention  to  this  tract  and  is  meet- 
ing with  well  merited  success. 

Mr.  Gillmor  was  married  in  1904  to  Miss  Julia  Zindel,  who  was  born  in  Lib- 
erty township,  Scott  county,  in  July,  1875.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Andrew  and 
Mary  (Schaser)  Zindel.  The  father,  who  is  now  deceased,  was  a  native  of 
Switzerland.  The  mother  was  born  in  St.  Petersburg,  Russia,  but  is  of  Swiss 
parentage.  She  still  survives  and  makes  her  home  in  Davenport.  Both  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Gillmor  are  popular  young  people  with  a  wide  circle  of  friends. 


HERMAN  C.  LAGE. 


Herman  C.  Lage,  who  is  the  last  of  his  branch  of  the  family  in  Davenport, 
where  for  a  number  of  years  he  has  occupied  a  notable  and  honorable  position 
in  business  circles,  is  now  well  known  as  a  leading  shoe  merchant  of  this  city, 
controlling  a  trade  of  large  proportions,  his  success  coming  to  him  as  the  merited 
reward  of  his  close  application,  business  enterprise  and  diligence. 

He  was  born  in  Germany  in  1862  and  is  the  son  of  C.  H.  and  Dorothy  (Ziethan) 
Lage.  The  father  was  a  mechanic  who  spent  his  entire  life  in  his  native  land, 
where  he  died  when  fifty  years  of  age.  The  elder  son  of  the  family  having  come 
to  this  country,  the  other  members  of  the  household  also  crossed  the  Atlantic 
and  the  mother  spent  her  last  days  with  her  son  Otto  in  Hickory  Grove  town- 
ship. She  was  buried  in  Moline  in  September,  1884.  The  family  includes  Mrs. 
Anna  Wiechert,  who  is  living  in  Moline,  Illinois ;  Henry  J.,  who  died  in  Colorado 
in  1900;  Doris,  the  wife  of  Johannes  Hagen,  a  retired  farmer  living  at  No.  1301 
Brown  street  in  Davenport;  Otto  J.;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Henry  Hahn,  a  farmer 


916  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

of  Scott  county;  and  Minnie  M.  C,  the  wife  of  Richard  J.  Waters,  who  is  in 
the  store  as  a  partner  of  the  subject  of  this  review. 

In  the  schools  of  his  native  country  Herman  C.  Lage  began  his  education  and 
with  his  mother  he  came  to  the  new  world,  remaining  here  until  the  winter  of 
1888-9,  which  he  spent  at  his  old  home  in  Germany.  He  then  came  again  to 
this  country  and  pursued  a  commercial  course  in  Duncan's  school.  Thus  well 
equipped  for  the  practical  duties  of  business  life  he  accepted  a  position  in  Mo- 
line,  Illinois,  where  he  remained  for  twelve  years  save  for  a  period  of  a  year, 
which  he  spent  on  the  Pacific  coast,  during  which  time  he  was  employed  as 
bookkeeper  on  the  Rancho  Del  Capitan.  Subsequently  he  returned  to  his  old 
position  in  the  grocery  business  in  Moline.  He  continued  there  until  he  be- 
came connected  with  the  shoe  trade  in  Rock  Island  in  1903.  For  about  three 
years  he  was  engaged  in  business  in  that  city,  but  on  the  29th  of  May,  1906,  sold 
out  and  crossed  the  river  to  Davenport.  Here  he  purchased  the  business  of  the 
AVnold-Lettie  Shoe  Company,  which  he  has  since  removed  to  his  present  quar- 
ters at  No.  308  West  Second  street.  He  has  a  well  equipped  store,  carrying  a 
large  and  carefully  selected  line  of  shoes  and  the  tasteful  arrangement  of  his 
place  as  well  as  his  reasonable  prices  and  honorable  dealings,  constitutes  a  fea- 
ture of  his  success. 

On  the  30th  of  June,  1904,  Mr.  Lage  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  M.  Frye 
and  they  have  many  friends  in  Davenport,  while  their  own  home  is  a  most  hospi- 
table one.  Mr.  Lage  became  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  of  Rock  Is- 
land and  he  belongs  to  the  Boat  Club  of  Davenport.  A  friendly  disposition  and 
social  qualities  render  him  popular  with  those  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact, 
while  his  business  integrity  and  diligence  make  him  a  representative  merchant 
before  whom  are  opening  out  constantly  broadening  opportunities. 


LUDOLPH  GRABBE. 


On  the  roll  of  Davenport's  respected  dead  is  inscribed  the  name  of  Ludolph 
Grabbe,  one  of  the  more  prosperous  German  residents  of  the  city,  who  was  the 
proprietor  of  a  barber  shop  at  305  Second  street.  A  native  of  the  fatherland,  he 
was  born  October  13,  1829,  in  Meldorf,  where  he  grew  to  manhood,  learned  his 
trade  and  was  married.  In  1853,  in  the  hope  of  bettering  his  fortune  he  took 
ship  at  Hamburg  for  America.  He  resided  in  New  York,  the  port  of  landing, 
for  a  time,  but  later  came  to  Davenport  and  opened  a  barber  shop  on  Second 
street  over  a  market.  He  made  several  removals  as  his  business  grew  and  cir- 
cumstances warranted  larger  quarters,  and  finally  bought  property  at  305  Sec- 
ond street,  where  he  was  engaged  in  business  until  about  ten  years  ago  when  he 
retired  from  active  life.  His  was  one  of  the  well  known  places  of  its  kind  in  the 
city  and  was  especially  popular  among  the  Germans,  for  Mr.  Grabbe  made 
every  effort  to  accommodate  his  patrons  and  was  endowed  with  a  personality 
that  attracted  and  rarely  repelled  others.  A  man  of  keen  business  sagacity,  he 
was  very  successful  financially  as  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  held  considerable 
bank  stock  and  real  estate  in  this  city.    Nor  were  his  commercial  operations  con- 


LLTDOLPH  ORABBE 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  919 

fined  to  one  field,  for  he  was  secretary  of  the  Plate  Glass  Insurance  Company 
and  was  interested  in  several  other  concerns  which  were  developing  the  re- 
sources of  Davenport.  In  1868,  accompanied  by  his  first  wife,  he  made  a  trip  to 
Germany  and  in  the  '90s,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Augusta  Grabbe,  he  made  another 
journey  to  the  fatherland,  but  he  was  always  loyal  to  the  country  of  his  adop- 
tion, which  had  aflForded  him  the  opportunities  for  advancement  he  sought. 

Mr.  Grabbe's  first  wife  died  in  1894  and  two  years  later  he  wedded  Miss 
Augusta  Bierlenberg,  who  survives  him,  as  does  their  adopted  son,  Lee.  Mr. 
Grabbe  belonged  to  the  Schuetzen  Verein  and  to  the  Turners  Society  of  Daven- 
port and  was  prominent  among  his  compatriots  of  this  city.  He  was  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Thursday  Bowling  Club,  and  his  favorite  recreation  was  hunting. 
He  had  no  reason  to  regret  having  come  to  America,  for  not  only  did  he  gain  a 
substantial  success  from  his  undertakings  but  he  made  a  large  circle  of  friends, 
who  coming  to  know  him  intimately  respected  and  loved  him  as  a  man  of  genial 
personality  and  honorable  life.  By  them  and  by  his  family,  to  whom  he  was 
ever  faithful  and  affectionate,  he  was  deeply  mourned  when,  on  the  7th  of  No- 
vember, 1907,  his  long  and  useful  life  was  brought  to  a  close. 


JOHN  T.  HANSEN. 


Practical  and  progressive  in  his  work,  John  T.  Hansen  is  engaged  in  farm- 
ing in  Sheridan  township,  where  he  operates  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  forty- 
seven  acres,  which  he  rents,  and  on  which  he  makes  his  home,  this  being  known 
as  the  Vogt  place.  He  is  a  native  of  Davenport,  bom  November  28,  1858,  of  the 
marriage  of  Henry  and  Margaret  Hansen,  who  were  born  in  Holstein,  Germany, 
the  former  on  the  26th  of  January,  1814,  and  the  latter  on  the  12th  of  April, 
1815.  The  father  learned  and  followed  the  blacksmith's  trade  in  his  native  coun- 
try and  also  served  for  five  years  in  the  Danish  army.  In  the  fall  of  1851  he 
came  with  his  wife  to  the  United  States.  Landing  at  New  Orleans,  they  made 
their  way  up  the  Mississippi  river,  reaching  St.  Louis  on  Christmas  day.  The 
river  was  frozen  and  they  could  get  no  farther,  so  that  they  were  compelled  to 
remain  in  the  latter  city  until  navigation  opened  in  the  spring,  and  they  then 
continued  their  journey  to  Davenport,  arriving  here  on  the  ist  of  April,  1852. 
Soon  afterward  the  father  opened  a  blacksmith  shop  and  continued  to  follow 
his  trade  until  1859,  when  he  made  a  trip  to  Pike's  Peak.  He  returned  to 
Iowa  in  the  fall  of  i860  and  opened  a  shop  in  Calamus,  Qinton  county,  conduct- 
ing the  same  during  the  winter  of  1860-61,  but  in  the  spring  following  he  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  land  in  Sheridan  township,  Scott  county,  this  being  located  near 
the  Five  Mile  House.  Here  he  resumed  work  at  the  blacksmith's  trade,  con- 
ducting a  shop  until  1894,  when  he  went  to  Nevada  to  visit  his  son  and  his  death 
occurred  there  two  years  later,  the  date  being  June  12,  1896.  He  had  reached 
the  venerable  age  of  eighty-two  years  and  had  the  respect  of  all  with  whom  he 
was  so  long  associated  in  Scott  county.  He  was  a  member  of  the  German  Shoot- 
ing Society  at  Davenport.  The  mother  of  our  subject  departed  this  life  on  the 
29th  of  August,  1893,  when  she  was  seventy-eight  years  of  age.    Mr.  and  Mrs. 


920  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Hansen  had  but  two  sons,  the  brother  of  our  subject  being  Carl,  who  makes 
his  home  in  Nevada. 

John  T.  Hansen,  the  younger  of  the  two  sons,  was  a  little  lad  of  three  years 
when  in  1861  the  family  removed  to  Sheridan  township.  At  the  usual  age  he 
entered  the  country  schools,  acquiring  his  education  in  district  No.  7.  After 
putting  aside  his  text-books  he  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  under  the  direction 
of  his  father  and  worked  at  the  same  until  he  attained  his  majority.  He  then 
purchased  a  threshing  machine  and  for  eleven  years  engaged  in  its  operation 
during  the  harvest  season,  at  the  same  time  engaging  in  farming.  On  the  ex- 
piration of  that  period  he  disposed  of  his  thresher  and  gave  his  entire  attention 
to  farming,  which  he  has  followed  to  the  present  time.  He  lives  on  one  hundred 
and  forty-seven  acres,  which  he  rents  and  cultivates,  and  he  owns  a  quarter  sec- 
tion of  land  in  Garfield  county,  Oklahoma. 

On  the  I2th  of  March,  1887,  Mr.  Hansen  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Emma  Horst,  a  daughter  of  Peter  and  Catherine  Horst.  Mrs.  Hansen  was  bom 
in  Sheridan  township,  her  parents  being  numbered  among  the  pioneer  German 
families  of  this  section  of  the  state.  Both  were  natives  of  Holstein,  Germany, 
and  in  his  native  land  the  father  served  in  the  war  of  1848-50.  It  was  in  the 
year  1851  that  they  emigrated  to  the  new  world  and  made  a  permanent  settlement 
in  Scott  county,  where  the  father  still  survives,  making  his  home  in  Hickory 
Grove  township.  The  mother,  however,  has  departed  this  life,  her  death  occur- 
ring in  1881.  Mrs.  Hansen  is  also  deceased,  her  death  occurring  October  6, 
1897,  at  the  comparatively  early  age  of  thirty-five  years,  for  her  birth  occurred 
on  the  13th  of  April,  1862.  She  was  buried  in  Pine  Hill  cemetery.  Mr.  Hansen 
has  with  him  his  four  children,  Carrie,  Carl,  John  and  Florence. 

Mr.  Hansen  gives  his  political  support  to  the  republican  party.  For  two  terms 
he  served  as  justice  of  the  peace,  his  decisions  ever  being  marked  by  strict  hon- 
esty, while  for  ten  years  he  acted  as  school  director.  Fraternally  he  is  identified 
with  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  at  Long  Grove.  He  ever  adheres  to  honorable 
business  methods  and  is  counted  among  the  substantial  farmers  of  the  community. 


CHARLES  BOLL. 


Farming  has  furnished  such  a  profitable  means  of  occupation  to  Charles  Boll 
that  he  has  never  found  occasion  to  abandon  this  business  for  other  pursuits. 
He  now  owns  a  well  improved  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  located  on 
section  3,  Hickory  Grove  township,  and  twenty  acres  of  timberland  in  Aliens 
Grove  township,  located  on  section  20. 

Mr.  Boll  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Liberty  township,  Scott  county,  February 
21,  1878,  a  son  of  t)iedrich  and  Margaret  (Hansen)  Boll,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Germany,  the  former  born  in  Holstein,  August  23,  1828,  while  the 
latter  claimed  Schleswig  as  the  place  of  her  birth,  her  natal  day  being  August 
II,  1839.  The  father  came  to  America  in  1857  and  located  in  Scott  county. 
For  a  time  he  worked  as  a  laborer  on  dififerent  farms  of  the  neighborhood  and 
later,  in  partnership  with  Hans  Ewaldt,  rented  a  farm  in  Hickory  Grove  town- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  921 

ship.  As  soon  as  opportunity  presented,  he  purchased  farm  land  and  estab- 
lished a  home  of  his  own  by  his  marriage  to  Miss  Hansen,  who  had  come  to  the 
new  world  during  the  Civil  war,  or  a  few  years  later  than  her  husband's  ar- 
rival. They  made  their  home  in  Liberty  township  throughout  their  remaining 
years  and  there  reared  a  family  of  eight  children,  three  sons  and  five  daughters, 
the  record  being  as  follows :  John,  who  makes  his  home  in  Dixon,  Iowa ;  Mary, 
the  wife  of  William  Meyer,  a  resident  of  Hickory  Grove  township ;  Anna,  the 
wife  of  Henry  Koester,  who  resides  in  Liberty  township;  Emma,  the  wife  of 
Thomas  Hansen,  of  Luveme,  Minnesota ;  Henry,  a  resident  of  Cleona  township ; 
Tena,  the  wife  of  Theodore  Weick,  also  of  Luverne,  Minnesota;  Charles,  of 
this  review ;  and  Lena,  the  wife  of  William  Rock,  of  Adrian,  Texas. 

The  father  became  a  well-to-do  man  and  at  one  time  his  possessions  em- 
braced one  thousand  acres  of  cultivable  land  in  Scott  county  but  he  later  divided 
his  property  with  his  children.  For  many  years  he  was  actively  interested  in  the 
public  welfare  of  this  section  of  Iowa,  which  he  chose  as  a  place  of  abode  upon 
his  arrival  in  the  new  world,  and  at  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  17th  of 
March,  1903,  when  he  was  seventy-five  years  of  age,  the  county  lost  one  of  its 
influential  and  substantial  citizens.  The  mother  died  several  years  previously, 
her  death  occurring  March  31,  1894. 

Charles  Boll  was  reared  under  the  parental  roof  to  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years.  In  connection  with  his  brother  Henry  he  then  began  farming  in  Cleona 
township,  their  sister  Lena  acting  as  their  housekeeper  in  the  summer  months. 
He  was  thus  engaged  until  about  1903,  when  he  located  on  his  present  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  which  was  formerly  owned  by  his  father.  This 
tract  lies  on  section  3,  Hickory  Grove  township,  and  he  likewise  owns  twenty 
acres  of  timberland  in  Aliens  Grove  township.  Mr.  Boll  has  made  most  of  the 
improvements  on  his  farm  and  it  is  now  a  valuable  property,  rich  in  its  agricul- 
tural resources  and  attractive  in  appearance.  He  is  largely  engaged  in  general 
farming  but  makes  a  specialty  of  stock,  buying,  feeding  and  shipping  cattle. 

Mr.  Boll  was  married  February  17,  1904,  to  Miss  Dorothea  Frauen,  who  was 
born  in  Hickory  Grove  township,  July  8,  1882,  a  daughter  of  George  and  Dor- 
othea (Duge)  Frauen,  who  are  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Boll  have  two  interesting  little  children,  Elsie  D.  and  Raymond  C.  The 
parents  are  well  known  in  this  section  of  their  county,  for  their  entire  lives  have 
there  been  passed  and  their  many  good  qualities  have  gained  for  them  warm 
and  lasting  friendships.  * 

Henry  Boll,  who  was  formerly  a  partner  with  his  brother  Charles  in  busi- 
ness, is  equally  well  known  in  the  county.  He  was  likewise  born  on  the  home 
farm  in  Liberty  township,  February  5,  1874.  He  assisted  in  the  work  of  the 
home  farm  until  he  was  twenty-five  years  of  age  and,  then,  as  above  stated,  he 
and  his  brother  engaged  in  farming  together,  their  interests  being  allied  for  four 
years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  they  divided  their  interests  and  Henry  Boll  is 
now  engaged  in  business  alone.  He  owns  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  acres, 
the  home  farm  being  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  on  section  i,  Cleona  township,  while 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  lie  across  the  road  on  section  6,  Hickory  Grove 
township,  and  the  remaining  thirty-five  acres  is  on  section  36,  Liberty  township. 
This  land  is  in  one  body,  where  the  three  townships  corner.     It  is  a  well  im- 


922  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

proved  property  and  Mr.  Boll  is  meeting  with  well  merited  success  in  his  farm- 
ing operations. 

Henry  Boll  was  married  November  i6,  1899,  to  Miss  Anna  Hansen,  who  was 
born  in  Schleswig,  Germany,  February  8,  1879,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Carsten  Hansen.  The  mother  is  deceased  but  the  father  still  survives  and  yet 
makes  his  home  in  Germany.  Two  others  of  their  six  children  are  in  America, 
William  and  Louise  Hansen,  but  Mrs.  Boll  came  alone  in  the  spring  of  1898. 
By  her  marriage  she  has  become  the  mother  of  two  daughters,  Helen  and  Alice. 


MRS.  ALWIN  KATTENBROOKER,  M.  D. 

One  of  the  most  efficient  and  highly  regarded  physicians  of  Le  Claire  is  Dr. 
Alwin  Kattenbrooker.  For  more  than  forty  years  she  has  ministered  to  the 
needs  of  those  who  have  sought  her  aid  with  an  ability  that  makes  them  rise 
up  and  refuse  to  let  her  resign,  as  she  would  like  to  do.  She  owns  five  acres 
of  land  in  Le  Claire  township  besides  a  fine  town  residence  encompassed  by 
spacious  lawns  along  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi  river.  A  native  of  Germany, 
she  was  born  March  23,  1840,  a  daughter  of  Peter  and  Julia  (Hanson)  Oel- 
lerich.  Her  father  had  died  in  his  native  land  when  she  was  but  eight  years 
old.  He  was  a  stone-mason  by  trade  but  was  also  engaged  in  farming.  In 
1854  her  mother  came  to  the  United  States,  settling  in  Long  Island,  where  she 
remained  until  her  daughter  completed  the  medical  course  in  New  York  city. 
Then,  about  1867,  she  came  with  her  to  Davenport,  removing  thence  to  Le  Claire, 
where  her  death  occurred  July  26,  1872.  Two  children  were  bom  to  her  but 
the  older  died  in  infancy. 

Dr.  Kattenbrooker  had  received  her  literary  education  before  she  came  to 
this  country,  attending  Heidelberg  University  for  a  time,  and  after  reaching 
New  York  she  studied  medicine  under  the  tutelage  of  Dr.  Thompson.  Two 
years  later  she  entered  Bellevue  Hospital  of  New  York  city,  where  she  remained 
three  years,  at  the  end  of  that  time  receiving  her  physician's  certificate  from 
the  state  board  of  health.  She  was  a  member  of  the  homeopathic  school  and 
her  license  bears  the  date  of  November  17,  1887.  She  lived  in  the  east  for 
about  seven  years  after  coming  from  Germany  and  then  with  her  mother  came 
to  Iowa.  For  a  time  she  lived  in  Efavenport  and  then.  May  23,  1867  married  and  the 
day  following  started  for  Le  Claire  with  her  husband  and  mother.  This  town  has 
since  been  her  home  and  the  scene  of  her  professional  labors.  While  she  has  been  a 
most  successful  practitioner,  her  personality  has  endeared  her  to  her  patients, 
who  are  unanimous  in  their  praise  of  her  skill,  her  tenderness  and  her  sympathy. 
Her  husband,  Charles  Kattenbrooker,  was  a  son  of  Charles  and  Elizabeth  Kat- 
tenbrooker, both  of  whom  had  died  in  Germany,  and  he  was  the  only  one  of  his 
.  family  to  come  to  America.  He  crossed  the  ocean  in  1852  and  after  reaching  our 
shores  went  to  Detroit,  Michigan.  While  in  Germany  he  had  received  a  good  ed- 
ucation in  the  public  schools  and  in  Lemgo  College  and  had  learned  the  machinist's 
trade,  at  which  he  worked  in  Detroit  for  about  a  year  and  then  went  to  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  where  he  worked  for  a  time  before  coming  to  Scott  county, 


CHAP.LES  KATTENBROOKER 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  925 

Iowa.  After  remaining  for  a  few  months  in  Buffalo,  he  removed  to  Le  Claire, 
where  he  and  his  partner,  Adolph  Weithe,  built  a  machine  shop  and  established 
a  foundry.  They  ran  out  of  funds,  however,  and  were  compelled  to  go  to  some 
city,  where  they  might  earn  money.  Accordingly,  they  went  to  Chicago,  Illi- 
nois, and  in  a  few  years  had  saved  sufficient  to  enable  them  to  start  their  busi- 
ness again  in  1859.  In  conjunction  they  conducted  it  until  the  death  of  Mr. 
Weithe,  when  Mr.  Kattenbrooker  and  his  sons  operated  it  until  the  death  of 
the  former,  August  i,  1904.  He  was  bom  November  16,  1825,  and  in  the  long 
span  of  years  which  were  allotted  him  had  given  proof  of  his  strong  character 
and  a  capacity  to  exert  himself  in  noble  endeavor.  He  was  prominent  in  the 
fraternal  order  of  Masons,  while  the  citizens  of  Le  Qaire  will  long  remember 
him  as  one  of  their  mayors  and  a  treasurer,  in  whose  integrity. they  placed  the 
greatest  reliance. 

The  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kattenbrooker  was  blessed  with  four  children: 
Charles,  who  married  Miss  Lela  Wilson  and  is  a  machinist  in  Chicago,  Illinois ; 
William,  who  died  at  the  age  of  three  years;  one  who  died  in  infancy;  and 
Harry,  a  physician  in  New  York  city,  who  wedded  Miss  Marie  Bondwell. 

For  many  years  past  Dr.  Kattenbrooker  has  been  anxious  to  resign  from 
active  practice,  but  those  of  Le  Claire  who  have  become  accustomed  to  calling 
upon  her  to  minister  to  their  physical  needs,  refuse  to  accede  to  her  desires, 
constantly  offering  reasons  why  she  should  remain  at  the  head  of  her  profes- 
sion here.  Surely  this  is  a  tribute  to  her  long  years  of  service,  which  cannot  but 
be  gratifying  to  Dr.  Kattenbrooker  herself  as  well  as  showing  to  others  the 
measure  of  her  success. 


CHRISTOPH  BUTTENOB. 

Christoph  Buttenob  is  a  prosperous  and  progressive  farmer  of  Blue  Grass 
township,  owning  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land,  which  has  been  in  pos- 
session of  the  family  for  many  years.    He  is  a  native  of  Scott  county,  born  on  a 
farm,  August  9,  1864,  of  the  marriage  of  Michael  and  Louise  (GoUinghorst) 
Buttenob,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany.     The  former  was  born  in 
Schleswig-Holstein,  in  1822,  and  in  early  manhood,  in  1848,  emigrated  to  Amer- 
ica.   He  made  his  way  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  and  worked  for  a  time  on  the 
old  government  dams,  which  were  under  construction  at  that  time.     He  had, 
however,  worked  at  the  cabinet-maker's  trade  in  his  native  country  but  did  not 
follow  his  trade  in  the  new  world.     Soon  after  coming  to  this  county  he  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  land  in  Blue  Grass  township,  this  being  located  on  sec- 
tion 13.     In  1861,  having  in  the  meantime  added  to  his  financial  resources,  he 
was  enabled  to  purchase  an  adjoining  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
while  later  he  increased  his  holdings  by  a  tract  of  similar  size  in  Davenport 
township  and  another  of  eighty  acres  in  the  same  township.    In  1878  he  bought 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  near  Maysville  and  in  1887  came  into  possession 
of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Blue  Grass  township,  which  is  now  owned 
by  our  subject.     Mr.  Buttenob  deserved  much  credit  for  what  he  accomplished, 


926  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

for  when  he  landed  in  the  new  world  he  had  but  limited  means  and  was  ignorant 
of  the  language,  manners  and  custom  of  the  people,  but  as  time  passed  he  availed 
himself  of  every  oportunity  that  was  presented  and  became  a  very  successful 
man,  owing  at  the  time  of  his  demise  in  1901,  twelve  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  land,  all  lying  in  Scott  county.  He  was  married  in  this  county  in  1852  to 
Miss  Louise  GoUinghorst,  who  was  born  in  Hanover  in  1833,  and  they  reared  a 
family  of  three  sons  and  one  daughter:  Anton,  a  resident  of  Davenport;  Chris- 
toph,  of  this  review;  George;  and  Maggie,  the  wife  of  Christian  Volquardsen, 
also  of  Davenport. 

Christoph  Buttenob  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  in  Blue  Grass  township 
and  attended  the  district  schools  of  the  neighborhood  during  the  winter  months, 
while  in  the  spring  and  summer  seasons  he  assisted  his  father  in  the  work  of  the 
home  farm  and  under  the  latter's  instruction  became  qualified  for  carrying  on 
agricultural  pursuits  on  his  own  account  in  later  life.  He  now  owns  a  tract  of 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Blue  Grass  township,  which  was  formerly  the 
property  of  his  father,  and  to  its  cultivation  he  is  now  bending  his  energies.  The 
place  is  improved  with  substantial  buildings,  while  a  nice  country  home  adds  to  its 
attractive  appearance.  In  addition  to  this  farm  he  also  owns  a  section  of  land 
in  Spink  county.  South  Dakota,  and  is  financially  interested  in  the  Farmers  Mutual 
Elevator  Company  of  Walcott  and  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Walcott  Savings  Bank 
and  the  Farmers  Savings  Bank  of  Walcott,  and  he  also  owns  stock  in  the  Blue 
Grass  Savings  Bank,  of  which  he  is  a  director. 

Mr.  Buttenob  was  married  on  the  29th  of  March,  1894,  to  Miss  Rosa  C. 
SchnooT,  a  daughter  of  Claus  Schnoor,  a  resident  of  Davenport.  They  have 
three  living  daughters,  Elsie  B.,  Qara  R.  and  Martha  L.,  aged  respectively  four- 
teen, twelve,  and  seven  years,  while  the  third  in  order  of  birth,  Hilda,  died  at  the 
age  of  two  years. 

Mr.  Buttenob  gives  his  support  to  the  men  and  measures  of  democracy  and 
since  1896  has  served  as  township  trustee,  while  for  a  similar  period  he  has 
been  a  director  and  president  of  the  school  board.  He  takes  a  deep  interest 
in  the  schools  and  is  a  firm  believer  in  the  employment  of  competent  teachers 
that  his  own  children  and  others  of  the  neighborhood  may  be  well  fitted  in  ear/y 
life  for  meeting  the  stern  responsibilities  that  will  later  come  to  them.  He  is 
well  known  in  the  community  which  has  always  been  his  home  and  his  many 
friends  esteem  him  highly  for  his  personal  worth. 


LOUIS    DAURER. 


A  deep  feeling  of  sadness  spread  throughout  Buffalo  township  when  it  was 
announced  that  Louis  Daurer  had  passed  from  this  life,  but  while  those  who 
knew  him  remain,  his  memory  will  be  cherished,  not  so  much  on  account  of  the 
splendid  success  which  he  achieved  in  business  but  because  of  his  life  of  help- 
fulness, of  good  cheer,  of  broad  sympathy  and  his  deep  interest  in  and  labors 
for  the  benefit  of  his  fellowmen.  Louis  Daurer  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Buffalo 
township,  November  4,  1861,  and,  as  the  name  indicates,  came  of  German  par- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  927 

entage.  His  father,  John  Daurer,  was  born  in  the  fatherland,  May  lo,  1824, 
and  when  twenty-five  years  of  age  came  to  the  United  States,  where  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Johanna  Swinster,  who  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  their 
wedding  being  celebrated  December  12,  1857.  Immediately  thereafter  Mr. 
Daurer  took  his  bride  to  a  farm  which  he  had  purchased.  This  tract  was  located 
in  Buffalo  township  and  he  was  thereafter  until  his  death  identified  with  the 
farming  interests  of  this  section  of  the  county. 

It  was  on  the  farm  above  mentioned  that  Louis  Daurer  was  born.  He  at- 
tended the  public  schools  of  Scott  county  and.  after  completing  his  studies  as- 
sumed the  management  of  the  home  place  for  his  father,  at  whose  death  he  came 
into  possession  of  the  land.  It  then  consisted  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres 
but  Mr.  Daurer  afterward  added  to  it  until  he  owned  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
seven  acres.  >  He  carried  on  general  farming  and  also  found  time  to  devote  to 
community  interests,  being  deeply  interested  in  the  welfare  and  progress  of  the 
locality  in  which  he  always  made  his  home. 

Mr.  Daurer  was  married  April  29,  1885,  to  Miss  Annie  M.  Brus,  a  daughter 
of  Jacob  Brus,  who  is  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  work.  The  children,  eight 
in  number,  are  as  follows :  John  J.,  who  married  Alma  Kantz  and  follows  farm- 
ing in  Buffalo  township ;  and  Rosa,  Emma  E.,  Lena  E.,  Harry  E.,  Louis,  Lillie 
M.  and  Norma  M.,  all  at  home. 

Mr.  Daurer  was  a  democrat  in  his  political  views  and  served  as  school  director 
for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  fond  of  hunting  and  each  year  made  a  trip  to 
indulge  his  love  of  the  sport.  He  passed  away  February  24,  1904,  at  the  com- 
paratively early  age  of  forty-three  years.  Of  upright  conduct  and  kindly  purpose, 
he  is  greatly  missed  in  the  community  where  he  had  spent  his  entire  life,  but  most . 
of  all  is  his  loss  felt  in  the  family  circle,  where  he  was  known  as  a  devoted 
husband  and  father. 


AUGUST  PLETT. 


August  Plett,  who  figured  prominently  in  business  circles  in  Blue  Grass 
as  the  manager  of  the  Blue  Grass  Repair  &  Implement  Company,  one  of  the 
leading  industries  of  the  locality,  is  numbered  among  Scott  county's  native  sons, 
his  birth  occurring  in  Buffalo  township  on  the  2d  of  August,  1868.  His  father, 
H.  F.  Plett,  was  born  in  Germany  in  1812,  and  at  the  age  of  thirty-eight  years 
came  to  America,  locating  in  Scott  county,  Iowa.  Here  he  engaged  in  farming 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  in  1866  went  to  Buffalo  township,  where  he  operated 
a  farm  for  about  six  years  in  the  capacity  of  renter.  At  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  moved  to  Muscatine  county,  where  he  remained  for  five  years  and 
then  returned  to  this  county.  Six  years  later  he  settled  permanently  in  Mus- 
catine county  and  there  followed  the  occupation  of  farming  until  eleven  years 
before  his  demise,  his  remaining  days  being  passed  in  well  earned  retirement. 
Aside  from  the  subject  of  this  review,  his  family  consisted  of  the  following 
children :  Lizzie,  who  resides  with  her  brothers,  George  and  Frank,  in  Muscatine 
county;  Henry,  the  postmaster  of  Blue  Grass;  Louis,  who  follows  blacksmith- 


928  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

ing  in  Blue  Grass ;  William  and  John,  agriculturists  of  Blue  Grass  township ;  and 
Herman  and  Charles,  both  farmers  of  Muscatine  county. 

Reared  under  the  parental  roof,  August  Plett  acquired  his  education  in  the 
district  schools  near  his  father's  home,  and  when  not  busily  engaged  with  his 
text-books  assisted  in  the  work  of  the  fields,  early  becoming  familiar  with  the 
best  methods  of  tilling  the  soil.  After  completing  his  education  he  remained 
at  home  for  several  years,  carrying  on  agricultural  pursuits  in  connection  with 
his  father,  and  later  learned  and  followed  the  carpenter's  trade  for  about  nine 
years.  He  arrived  in  Blue  Grass  in  the  spring  of  1898,  and  has  continued  to 
make  his  home  here  to  the  present  time.  In  1907  the  Blue  Grass  Repair  &  Im- 
plement Company  was  organized  as  a  stock  company,  being  incorporated  for 
eight  thousand  dollars,  with  a  paid-up  capital  of  forty-five  hundred  dollars. 
They  deal  in  all  kinds  of  farming  implements  and  carry  on  a  general  repair 
business,  their  trade,  which  has  already  reached  ample  proportions,  continually 
increasing  in  extent  and  importance.  From  its  inception  Mr.  Plett  has  been 
its  manager,  his  excellent  business  ability,  his  close  application  and  his  wise 
discrimination  beng  potent  elements  in  making  this  one  of  the  important  in- 
dustrial concerns  of  the  county. 

Mr.  Plett  holds  membership  in  Hillside  Camp,  M.  W.  A.,  of  Blue  Grass, 
while  his  political  views  are  in  accord  with  the  principles  of  the  republican  party. 
Although  he  has  never  sought  nor  desired  public  office,  yet  he  is  public-spirited 
in  his  citizenship,  his  influence  ever  being  on  the  side  of  progress,  advancement 
and  improyement.  As  a  business  man  he  is  honored  among  his  fellow  citizens, 
who  are  familiar  with  his  record  from  early  boyhood  days,  and  the  fact  that 
his  stanchest  friends  are  numbered  among  his  oldest  acquaintances  is  an  indication 
of  the  commendable  policy  and  upright  course  which  he  has  always  followed. 
Throughout  his  connection  with  the  industrial  world  he  has  never  incurred  obli- 
gations that  he  has  not  met  nor  made  engagements  that  he  has  not  filled,  so 
that  his  name  has  become  known  in  the  business  circles  of  Blue  Grass  as  a 
synonym  for  business  integrity. 


HENRY  SUHR. 


Henry  Suhr,  deceased,  was  one  of  the  retired  merchants  to  whom  success 
in  life  came  as  the  reward  of  carefully  executed  business  plans  and  the  strictest 
integrity  in  commercial  dealings.  He  was  bom  in  the  village  of  Suderau,  Schles- 
wig-Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  31st  of  May,  1845,  a  son  of  Eric  and  Anna  (Van 
Tagen)  Suhr.  His  father  was  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  in  Germany,  where 
he  spent  his  entire  life,  and  the  mother  is  still  living  there. 

Henry  Suhr  pursued  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Germany  and  there  learned 
the  grocery  business  through  service  as  an  employe  in  a  grocery  house  in  his 
native  province.  The  favorable  reports  which  he  heard  concerning  business 
conditions  in  America  led  him  to  determine  to  seek  his  fortune  on  this  side  the 
Atlantic  and  after  bidding  adieu  to  home  and  friends  he  sailed  for  the  new  world 
in  1868,  when  a  young  man  of  twenty-three  years.    He  first  settled  in  Walcott, 


HENEY   SUHR 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  931 

where  he  was  employed  by  Bemhard  Schwarting  for  three  years.  He  then  came 
to  Davenport  in  1871,  at  which  time,  in  connection  with  Jacob  Brammann  he 
bought  the  grocery  stock  and  good  will  of  Jens  Lorenzen  on  Harrison  street. 
For  eighteen  years  they  conducted  business  together  and  then  dissolved  partner- 
ship in  1889,  after  which  Mr.  Suhr  opened  a  grocery  store  at  No.  2io>4  Harri- 
son street.  There  he  carried  on  a  prosperous  business  for  ten  years,  or  until 
1899,  when  he  retired.  He  had.  erected  an  elegant  home  on  the  west  side  of 
Davenport  but  did  not  live  to  enjoy  it  for  any  length  of  time  as  he  soon  became 
ill  and  passed  away. 

On  the  31st  of  May,  1879,  Mr.  Suhr  was  married  to  Miss  Wilhelmina  Frahm, 
a  daughter  of  Frederick  and  Kathrina  ( Schlichting)  Frahm,  who  were  early 
settlers  of  Scott  county.  They  were  married  in  1853  and  the  father  died  Feb- 
ruary II,  1883,  while  his  wife  died  January  4,  1897.  Mrs.  Suhr  was  born  in 
Blue  Grass  township  and  was  reared  upon  one  of  the  pioneer  farms  of  the 
locality.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Suhr  was  bom  one  son,  John  E.,  who  died  in 
infancy.  The  death  of  the  husband  and  father  occurred  March  17,  1905,  and  was 
the  occasion  of  deep  regret  to  many  friends  as  well  as  tO'  his  wife.  He  was  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Turners  Society  of  Davenport  and  was  of  a  friendly, 
pleasant  nature,  numbering  his  friends  by  the  score.  His  reliability  and  enter- 
prise in  business,  his  progressive  and  public-spirited  citizenship  and  his  faith- 
fulness in  friendship  all  won  for  him  high  standing  in  the  community  where  he 
made  his  home. 


RICHARD  SCHAEFER. 

Richard  Schaefer  for  many  years  has  been  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Davenport 
township,  where  he  owns  and  operates  one  hundred  acres  of  well  improved  land, 
on  which  he  has  made  his  home  since  1884.  He  was  born  on  a  farm  situated  just 
across  the  township  line  in  Pleasant  Valley,  December  24,  1862,  a  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Lena  (Housemann)  Schaefer,  who  were  German  pioneer  settlers  of 
Scott  county.  Both  were  born  in  the  fatherland  in  1834,  the  former  on  the 
30th  of  March,  and  the  latter  on  the  4th  of  May  of  that  year.  They  were  married 
February  26,  1858.  The  father  clerked  in  a  dry-goods  store  in  his  native  land. 
Immediately  after  their  marriage  he  and  his  young  bride  sailed  for  the  United 
States.  Landing  at  New  York,  they  at  once  made  their  way  to  Scott  county, 
Iowa,  where  the  father  rented  land  for  a  time  and  later  purchased  one  hundred 
and  thirty  acres  in  Pleasant  Valley  township.  After  a  residence  of  seven  years 
in  that  township,  he  took  up  his  abode  on  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  in  Davenport  township,  which  he  improved  and  operated  during  the  re- 
mainder of  his  active  career.  In  the  meantime,  however,  he  purchased  other 
lands,  owning  at  the  time  of  his  death  four  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  Late  in 
life  he  retired  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Davenport,  his  death  there  occurring 
December  5,  1908,  when  he  was  seventy-four  years  of  age.  Prominent  and 
influential  in  the  community,  Mr.  Schaefer  served  for  a  long  term  as  road 
supervisor  and  was  a  member  of  the  German  Pioneers  Association  of   Scott 


932  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

county.  His  widow  still  survives  and  occupies  the  family  home  at  1457  West 
Fourth  street  in  Davenport.  They  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  as  fol- 
lows: William,  who  follows  farming  in  Pleasant  Valley  township;  Richard,  of 
this  review;  Alexander,  also  of  Pleasant  Valley  township;  Hugo,  who  lives  in 
Davenport;  Otto,  of  Pleasant  Valley  township;  Albert,  who  resides  in  Daven- 
port township ;  Meta,  the  wife  of  William  Carstens,  of  Davenport ;  Emil,  who 
died  when  a  youth  of  fourteen  years ;  and  two  who  died  in  infancy. 

Richard  Schaefer  at  the  usual  age  began  his  education  in  the  district  schools 
near  the  homestead  farm  and  completed  his  studies  in  the  German  school  at 
Davenport.  When  starting  out  to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world  he  chose  the 
vocation  to  which  he  had  been  reared.  He  now  owns  a  fine  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred acres,  the  rich  soil  of  which  yields  bounteous  harvests  in  due  season.  Mr. 
Schaefer  also  feeds  cattle,  keeping  good  grades  of  stock.  Since  taking  up  his 
abode  on  the  farm  in  1884,  he  has  made  many  improvements,  remodeled  the 
house,  built  a  good  barn  and  other  outbuildings,  and  altogether  it  is  a  valuable 
piece  of  property. 

Mr.  Schaefer  was  married  December  5,  1884,  to  Miss  Rose  John,  a  daughter 
of  Claus  and  Katherine  (Horst)  John,  residents  of  Lincoln  township.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Schaefer  have  two  daughters  and  three  sons,  all  at  home,  Hilda  C, 
Oscar  W.,  Elsie  A.,  Richard  E.,  Jr.,  and  Raymond  W.  Mrs.  Schaefer  was  born 
in  Sheridan  township,  her  parents  being  numbered  among  the  early  German  set- 
tlers of  this  county.  The  father  served  in  the  German  army  from  1848  until 
1850  and  two  years  later  emigrated  to  the  new  world,  his  death  occurring  in 
Scott  county  in  1880  when  he  was  fifty-six  years  of  age.  His  wife  also  died  in 
1880  at  the  age  of  sixty-one.  Mrs.  Schaefer  is  the  youngest  child  and  the  only 
daughter  of  the  family,  her  two  brothers  being  Emil  and  John,  the  former  a 
resident  of  Summit  and  the  latter  of  Davenport. 

Mr.  Schaefer  is  a  democrat  and  on  that  ticket  was  elected  constable  and 
road  supervisor,  and  he  has  likewise  filled  the  ofiSce  of  school  director.  He  be- 
longs to  the  Modern  Brotherhood  and  the  East  Davenport  Turner  Association. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  are  worthy  representatives  of  pioneer  German  families, 
who  took  an  active  part  in  the  early  development  of  this  region.  Mr.  Schaefer 
stands  today  as  a  high  type  of  German-American  manhood,  who  has  won  suc- 
cess in  a  useful  field  of  business  and  gained  the  respect  and  honor  of  his  fel- 
lowmen  by  his  public  service  and  private  life. 


CARROLL  BROTHERS. 

The  caption  of  this  article  is  also  the  name  of  one  of  the  leading  firms  of 
attorneys  and  abstracters  of  Davenport.  It  is  composed  of  three  brothers, 
A.  E.,  W.  H.  and  E.  J.  Carroll.  The  first  named  was  born  in  Princeton  town- 
ship, Scott  county,  Iowa,  January  22,  1866,  while  W.  H.  Carroll  was  born  April 
16,  1869,  and  E.  J.  Carroll  on  the  19th  of  June,  1874.  Their  father,  James  Car- 
roll, a  native  of  Ireland,  was  born  April  16,  1833,  and  in  1842  came  to  the 
United  States  with  his  father,  Alexander  Carroll,  who  settled  for  a  time  in 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  933 

Springfield,  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  His  son  James  Carroll  was 
reared  to  agricultural  life  and  remained  a  resident  of  Ohio  until  1858,  when 
he  determined  to  establish  his  home  in  the  middle  west,  thinking  that  better  op- 
portunities might  be  enjoyed  in  a  district  less  thickly  settled.  Therefore,  he 
came  to  Iowa  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Le  Qaire,  where  he  followed  farming 
for  many  years.  As  time  passed  on  he  brought  his  fields  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and"  came  to  be  recognized  as  one  of  the  representative  agriculturists 
of  the  community.  He  has  now  retired  from  active  business  and  makes  his  home 
in  Clinton,  Iowa. 

The  three  sons  who  constitute  the  firm  of  Carroll  Brothers  acquired  their 
early  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Princeton  township,  afterward  attended 
the  Normal  School  at  Dixon,  Illinois,  and  the  State  University  of  Iowa,  in  which 
they  were  all  law  students.  A.  E.  Carroll  was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1893 
and  practiced  in  Clinton  for  three  years,  after  which  he  removed  to  Detroit.  In 
1894  W.  H.  Carroll  joined  him  in  organizing  the  firm  of  Carroll  Brothers,  having 
just  graduated  from  the  State  University.  E.  J.  Carroll  completed  his  course 
there  in  1897  and  was  then  taken  into  the  partnership.  Not  only  have  they  en- 
gaged in  the  practice  of  law  but  also  conduct  an  abstract  office,  which  they 
opened  in  1900.  They  are  all  young  men  of  excellent  business  ability  and,  more- 
over, have  that  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the  law  which  is  the  fundamental 
of  all  success  of  the  bar.  Their  devotion  to  their  clients'  interests  is  proverbial 
and  their  preparation  of  cases  is  thorough  and  exhaustive  so  that  when  they 
enter  the  courts  they  are  well  prepared  to  clearly  define  the  legal  position  of 
their  clients  and  prove  the  justice  of  their  cause.  They  have  never  been  office 
seekers,  although  active  in  every  good  work  for  the  community.  W.  H.  Carroll 
has  served,  however,  as  deputy  county  attorney  in  Qinton  county  for  three 
terms. 

A.  E.  Carroll  was  married  in  1899  to  Miss  Emma  J.  Menaugh,  a  native  of 
St.  Louis.  W.  H.  Carroll  was  married  in  the  same  year  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Streib,  a  native  of  Clinton,  Iowa,  while  in  1904  E.  J.  Carroll  was  married  to 
Miss  Lydia  J.  Keller,  also  a  native  of  Clinton  county. 

The  three  brothers  are  active  members  of  the  Knights  of  Columbus  and  W. 
H.  Carroll  has  served  as  grand  knight  of  Clinton  county.  They  are  most  highly 
respected  citizens,  loyal  to  the  best  interests  of  the  community,  their  cooperation 
and  aid  being  always  counted  upon  to  further  any  movement  for  the  public  good. 
In  law  practice  and  in  the  abstract  business  they  have  secured  a  liberal  clien- 
tele and  are  most  devoted  to  the  interests  of  thoss  whom  they  represent. 


AMBROSE  C.  FULTON. 

Ambrose  C.  Fulton  was  born  in  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  181 1,  and 
worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  1827,  when  he  went  to  Philadelphia  and  be- 
gan a  career  of  adventure.  He  went  to  sea,  landed  in  New  Orleans  and  engaged 
in  trade  with  the  West  India  islands,  accumulating  money  to  build  several  busi- 


934  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

ness  houses  in  New  Orleans.  He  raised  a  company  and  aided  Texas  in  its  re- 
volt against  Mexico. 

In  1842  Mr.  Fulton  located  in  Davenport,  Iowa,  where  he  built  the  first 
flatboat  that  made  the  trip  to  New  Orleans  from  that  city.  In  company  with 
others  he  selected  a  mill  site  on  the  Wapsipinicon  river  in  Budianan  county  and 
built  a  dam  and  flouring  mill.  In  1848  he  built  a  large  flouring  mill  in  Davenport 
and  was  one  of  the  first  to  project  the  railroad  which  was  built  west  from  this 
place. 

In  1854  Mr.  Fulton  was  elected  by  a  union  of  the  whigs  and  anti-slavery 
voters  to  represent  Scott  county  in  the  state  senate  and  helped  elect  James  Har- 
lan to  the  United  States  senate  to  take  he  place  of  George  W.  Jones.  For  more 
than  forty  years  Mr.  Fulton  was  engaged  in  nearly  all  public  enterprises  for 
the  development  of  Davenport  and  during  that  time  erected  thirty-seven  build- 
ings. He  was  always  one  of  the  leaders  and  promoters'  of  public  enterprises 
to  advance  the  development  of  the  city  and  state.  He  was  an  intelligent  writer 
for  the  leading  newspapers  and  did  much  in  that  way  to  bring  settlers  into  the 
city  and  men  of  capital  into  the  state. 


CLAUS  SCHNECKLOTH. 

Among  the  pioneers  of  whom  Scott  county  is  justifiably  proud  is  Claus  Schneck- 
loth,  who  possesses  a  fund  of  interesting  reminiscences  of  the  old  days.  Although 
now  living  in  Davenport,  he  resided  for  many  years  in  the  neighboring  country 
district  and  pursued  the  vocation  of  an  agriculturist.  He  was  one  of  the  nu- 
merous colony  from  Holstein,  Germany,  his  birth  having  occurred  there  August 
6,  1831,  his  parents  being  Hans  and  Celia  (Miller)  Schneckloth,  with  whom  he 
came  to  America.  The  family  arrived  in  1847  and  located  in  Scott  county, 
Iowa,  where  they  bought  forty  acres  of  partially  improved  land  in  Davenport 
township,  now  Sheridan  township.  The  Indians  had  not  yet  entirely  retreated 
before  the  onward  march  of  civilization  and  Mr.  Schneckloth  on  one  occasion 
met  no  less  than  five  hundred  of  them.  He  was  naturally  terrified,  but  they  did 
not  molest  him.  The  father  built  what  he  expected  would  be  a  temporary  shanty 
in  which  to  live  until  a  better  house  could  be  finished  in  the  following  autumuj 
and  in  this  latter  abode  he  and  his  wife  resided  until  their  deaths.  At  the  time 
of  their  demise  they  owned  eighty  acres  of  la-nd.  The  father  had  served  in  the 
German  army  and  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade.  He  had  two  children:  Claus, 
the  subject  of  the  sketch ;  and  Bertha,  who  married  M.  F.  Rohlflf  and  resides  in 
Davenport.' 

Claus  Schneckloth  received  his  education  in  the  German  schools.  For  the 
first  five  years  of  his  residence  in  this  country  he  assisted  his  father  upon  the 
home  farm.  About  1852  the  latter  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in 
Lincoln  township  and  entrusted  his  son  with  the  task  of  breaking  the  land  and 
otherwise  improving  it,  which  consumed  the  greater  part  of  1854  and  1855.  He 
built  a  house  and  began  the  cultivation  of  the  land  and  in  1857  married  and  went 
to  live  there,  making  it  his  home  for  nearly  forty  years.     He  retired  in  1894 


.    HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  937 

and  removed  to  Davenport.  Beside  the  homestead  he  possesses  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  m  Lincoln  township  and  one  hundred  and  seventy-three  in 
Hickory  Grove  township. 

On  April  12,  1857,  Mr.  Schneckloth  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Kathryn 
Weise,  a  daughter  of  Peter  and  Bertha  (Plambeck)  Weise,  both  natives  of 
Germany.  Mrs.  Schneckloth  is  likewise  by  birth  a  subject  of  the  kaiser,  as  she 
was  born  in  the  old  country,  April  27,  1839.  They  have  become  the  parents  of 
five  children.  Celia,  the  eldest,  married  Charles  Schneckloth  and  lives  in  Lin- 
coln township.  She  is  the  mother  of  eight  children,  Kathryn,  Malinda,  Ella, 
Harry,  Hugo,  deceased,  Rudolph,  Albert  and  Grace.  Peter,  the  second  child, 
now  a  resident  of  Lincoln  township,  married  Johanna  Hoist  and  has  two  children, 
Rona  and  Herbert.  Gustave,  who  lives  on  the  old  home  place  in  the  original 
house  built  by  his  father,  married  Anna  Willodt  and  has  two  children,  Irma  and 
Camilla.  Bettie  is  at  home  with  her  parents  in  Davenport.  Charles  resides  in 
Medford,  Oregon.  Mrs.  Schneckloth's  parents  came  to  this  country  in  1856  and 
settled  in  Lincoln  township,  this  county,  where  they  ultimately  came  to  possess 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  On  the  12th  of  April,  1907,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schneck- 
loth celebrated  their  golden  wedding. 

Mr.  Schneckloth  is  a  public-spirited  man  and  for  some  time  served  as  school 
director  of  Sheridan  township.  After  a  long  life  of  thrift  and  industry,  it  is 
now  his  fortunate  lot  to  be  able  to  spend  his  declining  years  among  the  comforts 
secured  by  his  former  labor,  to  exchange  reminiscences  with  the  old  neighbors 
who  have  watched  with  him  the  amazing  progress  of  the  county  since  pioneer 
days,  and  to  enjoy  the  society  of  those  new  friends  whom  he  and  his  wife  have 
won  in  their  new  home. 


AUGUST  STEFFEN. 


August  Stefifen,  who  to  the  time  of  his  death  was  numbered  among  Daven- 
port's most  substantial  citizens,  his  business  activity  contributing  in  large  meas- 
ure to  commercial  progress  and  development,  testified  in  his  life  record  the 
force  and  value  of  persistent  efifort  and  indefatigable  energy.  It  was  those  qual- 
ities which  gained  him  distinction  as  one  of  the  leading  wholesale  merchants  of 
the  city.  He  was  truly  a  self-made  man  and  as  the  architect  of  his  own  fortunes 
he  builded  wisely  and  well. 

Mr.  Stefifen  was  born  in  Herford,  Westphalia,  Germany,  October  24,  1824, 
and  continued  to  reside  in  his  native  land  to  the  age  of  twenty-four  years,  when 
the  opportunities  of  the  new  world  constituted  a  call  which  he  heard  and  heeded, 
landing  in  New  York,  in  September,  1848.  He  had  previously  learned  the  to- 
bacco manufacturing  business  and  was  connected  therewith  throughout  the 
period  of  his  residence  in  Germany.  Severing  the  ties,  however,  that  bound 
him  to  his  native  land,  he  embarked  for  the  new  world,  and  after  a  long  voyage 
of  thirteen  weeks  reached  his  destination  in  September,  1848.  He  did  not  tarry 
on  the  eastern  coast  but, at  once  made  his  way  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he 
secured  employment  at  his  trade.    His  financial  condition  rendered  it  imperative 


938  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

that  he  immediately  obtain  a  position  and  for  two  months  he  worked  there,  after 
which  he  shipped  on  a  river  boat  for  New  Orleans,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
bakery  business  for  a  time,  and  then  went  to  Natchez,  Mississippi.  He  stayed  in 
both  places  but  a  short  period  and  in  1850  started  overland  for  California.  Al- 
though San  Francisco  was  his  destination,  he  spent  a  short  time  in  Sacramento. 
He  then  went  into  the  gold  fields  and  met  with  fair  success  in  his  search  for 
the  precious  metal,  but  in  so  doing  endured  all  the  hardships  and  privations 
which  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  miner  in  that  region  far  remote  from  civilization. 

After  four  years  spent  on  the  Pacific  coast,  Mr.  Steffen  returned  to  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  by  way  of  the  isthmus  of  Panama,  and  utilized  his  recently 
acquired  earnings  in  the  establshiment  of  a  partnership  with  Ferdinand  Rodde- 
wig.  Removing  to  Davenport  they  opened  a  grocery  store  at  No.  224  West  Sec- 
ond street,  but  soon  afterward  Mr.  Steffen  purchased  the  interest  of  his  partner 
and  carried  on  the  business  alone.  Five  years  later  he  became  connected  with 
the  grain  trade  and  was  very  successful  in  that  venture,  which  constituted  the 
nucleus  of  his  more  recently  acquired  fortune.  On  the  7th  of  September,  1879, 
he  purchased  the  dry-goods  business  of  M.  Weidemann  and  placed  it  upon  a 
profitable  footing,  so  that  at  the  end  of  three  years  he  extended  the  scope  of  his 
activities  by  adding  to  the  retail  a  wholesale  department.  In  1876  he  erected 
the  August  Steffen  building,  which  at  that  time  was  the  largest  business  block 
in  Davenport.  He  continued  the  management  of  the  business  along  new  lines 
until  about  three  years  prior  to  his  death,  when  he  closed  out  the  retail  depart- 
ment and  retired  from  active  life,  while  his  son,  August,  who  had  been  asso- 
ciated with  him  since  1883,  took  over  the  complete  management  of  the  whole- 
sale business.  The  stock  of  the  company  is  now  all  owned  by  the  heirs  of  our 
subject.  Mr.  Steffen  developed  his  trade  along  lines  of  natural  and  healthy 
expansion  and  the  business  from  the  outset  proved  profitable.  Not  only  as  a 
merchant  but  in  other  ways  was  he  connected  with  Davenport's  most  success- 
ful enterprises,  being  financially  interested  in  a  number  of  important  concerns. 
For  years  he  was  president  of  the  Davenport  Plow  Company  and  was  also  a 
director  of  the  First  National  Bank  from  its  organization  and  likewise  of  the 
Davenport  Savings  Bank.  The  soundness  of  his  judgment  made  his  cooperation 
in  these  concerns  a  valuable  factor. 

In  1856  Mr.  Steffen  was  married  to  Miss  Margarethe  Gehrlicher,  a  native 
of  Coburg,  Germany,  and  a  sister  of  E.  S.  Carl,  now  deceased,  who  was  cashier 
of  the  Citizens  National  Bank.  They  became  the  parents  of  seven  children,  of 
whom  four  are  living:  Meta,  the  wife  of  Dr.  Carl  Matthey;  Adele,  the  wife 
of  B.  F.  Auf derheide,  and  August,  all  of  Davenport ;  and  Alfred,  who  is  engaged 
in  the  brewing  and  malting  business.  The  pleasures  of  Mr.  Steffen's  life  were 
his  home  and  his  business.  In  his  home  he  was  kind,  indulgent  and  generous, 
finding  his  greatest  joy  in  the  companionship  of  his  wife  and  children.  Rel- 
atives and  friends  were  also  many  times  recipients  of  his  kindness  and  gener- 
osity and  to  public  charities  he  never  gave  grudgingly,  but  with  hearty  spirit  to 
render  efficient  aid  where  it  was  most  greatly  felt.  In  his  business  he  was  the 
soul  of  integrity.  In  fact  he  was  frank  and  outspoken  in  all  of  his  transactions 
and  conscientiously  honest,  he  despised  tricks  and  subterfuges  of  any  character. 
He  gave  liberally  to  the  support  of  many  enterprises  which  he  thought  worthy. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  939 

being  ever  ready  to  open  his  purse  for  public  improvements,  and  his  judg- 
ment in  such  matters  was  largely  depended  upon.  He  died  October  8,  1899, 
after  close  identification  with  the  interests  of  Davenport  for  more  than  forty 
years.  With  effort  unhampered  by  the  drawbacks  of  caste  or  class,  which  he 
would  have  known  in  his  native  land,  he  resolutely  put  forth  effort  that  brought 
him  to  a  prominent  position  in  commercial  circles  and  at  the  same  time  made  his 
activity  of  benefit  to  the  city. 


JAMES  H.  GREER. 


James  H.  Greer  is  a  representative  farmer  of  Sheridan  township,  owning  and 
operating  eighty  acres  of  land,  conveniently  located  three  miles  west  of  Eldridge. 
He  is  a  native  of  the  state  of  Indiana,  born  in  Dearborn  county,  June  29,  1847. 
His  parents  Nathan  and  Rebecca  Greer,  were  both  born  in  Pennsylvania.  In 
early  life  the  father  learned  the  brick  mason's  trade  and  during  the  pioneer  set- 
tlement of  Scott  county  made  his  way  to  this  section  and  followed  his  trade 
here.  In  1857  he  brought  his  family  to  Scott  county  and  purchased  a  quarter 
section  of  prairie  land  in  Sheridan  township.  He  at  once  set  to  work  to  improve 
the  place  and  erected  substantial  buildings  thereon.  After  getting  his  family 
comfortably  located  he  left  the  farm  in  charge  of  his  sons,  while  he  resumed 
work  at  his  trade,  which  he  followed  until  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1866.  The  mother  survived  for  a  long  period  and  was  called  to  her  final  rest 
in  1902,  when  she  had  reached  an  advanced  age.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nathan 
Greer  six  children  were  born:  Simon,  who  died  during  his  service  in  the  Civil 
war;  George,  who  has  also  passed  away;  James  H.  of  this  review;  Ford,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  about  seventeen  years ;  Agnes,  the  wife  of  James  Clark,  a 
resident  of  Colorado  Springs,  Colorado;  and  John,  who  graduated  from  Grin- 
hell  College  and  is  now  principal  of  a  high  school  in  Minneapolis,  Minnesota. 

James  H.  Greer  was  a  little  lad  of  about  nine  years  at  the  time  of  the  removal 
of  the  family  to  Scott  county  from  Indiana.  He  began  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  that  state  and  after  coming  to  Scott  county  resumed  his  studies  in 
the  public  schools,  while  later  he  entered  Grinnell  College  but  shortly  afterward 
his  father  became  ill  and  died.  It  was  then  imperative  that  the  son  return  home 
and  his  plans  were  necessarily  changed.  He  then  resumed  work  on  the  farm 
and  this  has  been  his  occupation  to  the  present  time. 

It  was  on  the  7th  of  December,  1875,  that  Mr.  Greer  was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  Madden,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Helen  (Spencer)  Madden.  They  were 
both  natives  of  England,  whence  in  1849  they  emigrated  to  the  new  world,  es- 
tablishing their  home  in  Winfield  township,  Scott  county,  and  it  was  here  that 
their  daughter  Mary  was  born  on  the  28th  of  September,  1854.  Their  family 
numbered  eleven  children,  namely:  Daniel,  deceased;  Margaret,  who  became 
the  wife  of  John  R.  Thompson  but  has  also  passed  away;  Nellie,  the  deceased 
wife  of  Christ  Marti;  William  S.  and  John  H.,  who  have  also  departed  this 
life;  Mary,  now  Mrs.  Greer;  Isabelle,  also  deceased;  James  G.,  who  makes  his 
hom'e  in  Winfield,  township;  Robert,  deceased;  George,  a  resident  of  Kansas; 


940  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

and  one  who  died  in  infancy.  The  parents  have  likewise  departed  this  Hfe,  the 
mother  passing  away  in  1881,  when  fifty-five  years  ,of  age,  while  the  father, 
surviving  for  only  a  few  short  years,  passed  away  in  1884,  when  sixty-five 
years  old. 

The  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Greer  has  been  blessed  with  two  daughters.  Nel- 
lie Estella  is  the  wife  of  John  J.  Dempster  and  the  mother  of  two  sons,  John 
G.  and  Keith  G.  Gertrude  is  the  wife  of  Frank  M.  Sherman  and  they  make 
their  home  in  Grinnell,  Iowa.  The  family  is  one  of  high  standing  and  respecta- 
bility in  Sheridan  township  and,  having  long  been  identified  with  its  interests, 
Mr.  Greer  takes  a  helpful  part  in  the  work  of  improvement  along  agricultural 
lines,  while  his  own  farm  is  indicative  of  his  enterprising  spirit. 


HARRY  J.  McFARLAND. 

On  the  roster  of  county  officials  in  Scott  county  appears  the  name  of  Harry  J. 
McFarland,  who  has  served  as  clerk  of  the  district  court  since  January  7,  1907, 
and  has  proven  a  faithful,  prompt  and  efficient  incumbent  in  that  position. 
Moreover,  he  is  numbered  among  the  worthy  native  sons  of  this  county,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Davenport  on  the  30th  of  May,  1871.  His  parents 
were  Daniel  and  Anna  (Toher)  McFarland.  His  father  was  born  in  County 
Tyrone,  Ireland,  and  left  his  native  land  at  the  age  of  six  years  accompanied 
by  his  father,  James  McFarland,  and  arrived  in  the  United  States  in  1854. 
After  a  short  stay  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  he  came  west  and  settled  at  Dav- 
enport, Iowa.  Entering  the  service  oi  the  Rock  Island  Railroad  Company,  he 
was  employed  in  the  capacity  of  car  inspector  at  the  Perry  street  passenger 
depot  for  twenty-five  years,  while  for  the  past  eleven  years  he  has  been  in  the 
service  of  the  Rock  Island  arsenal.  His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Anna  Toher,  was  a  native  of  Pottsville,  Pennsylvania,  and  came  of  Irish  par- 
entage. She  came  west  with  her  parents  at  an  early  age  and  received  her  educa- 
tion in  this  city.  They  reared  a  family  of  seven  children,  six  of  whom  still 
survive. 

Harry  J.  McFarland,  who  is  the  eldest  child  in  his  father's  family,  obtained 
his  preliminary  education  in  St.  Marguerite's  parochial  school  at  Davenport  and 
subsequently  attended  St.  Ambrose  College,  graduating  from  the  latter  institu- 
tion. He  likewise  attended  the  Iowa  Commercial  College  of  Davenport  and 
received  the  benefit  of  a  business  course.  After  putting  aside  his  text-books, 
he  secured  a  position  in  the  freight  department  of  the  Rock  Island  Railroad 
Company,  being  thus  employed  for  five  years.  Subsequently,  he  entered  the 
services  of  the  Western  Railway  Association  in  the  capacity  of  freight  inspector 
and  thus  acted  for  a  period  of  eight  years.  Since  attaining  his  majority,  he 
has  taken  a  deep  and  helpful  interest  in  politics  and  in  all  matters  of  public 
concern  and  is  one  of  the  most  universally  popular  young  men  in  Scott  county. 
His  fellow  townsmen,  recognizing  his  worth  and  ability,  have  called  him  to  var- 
ious positions  of  trust  and  responsibility,  and  he  has  ever  proven  himself  worthy 
of  the  confidence  reposed  in  him.     In  1902,  he  severed  his  connection  with  the 


H.  J.  i\I(?FARLAND 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  943 

Western  Railway  Association  and  accepted  the  position  of  deputy  clerk  of  the 
district  court  and  held  the  same  for  two  years.  A  change  in  administration 
produced  a  like  change  in  the  clerk's  office,  and  he  became  identified  with  the 
Guaranty  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  and  the  American  Security  Com- 
pany. In  1907,  he  was  elected  clerk  of  the  district  court  and  is  still  the  incum- 
bent in  that  position,  discharging  the  duties  devolving  upon  him  in  a  manner 
highly  satisfactory  to  all  concerned.  When  the  federal  court  was  established  in 
this  city  he  was  appointed  the  first  deputy  clerk  of  the  United  States  circuit 
and  district  courts  and  also  United  States  jury  commissioner  for  the  southern 
district  of  Iowa  and  still  holds  said  offices.  His  political  allegiance  is  unfalter- 
ingly given  to  the  cause  of  democracy.  When  the  Bank  of  Dixon,  of  Dixon, 
Iowa,  failed,  he  was  appointed  receiver  by  the  Hon.  Smith  McPherson,  judge 
of  the  United  States  courts.  After  the  crash,  when  there  was  not  a  dollar  in 
sight  and  it  looked  as  if  the  depositors  would  lose  all  their  savings,  he  by  skill- 
ful management  succeeded  in  collecting  sufficient  assets  of  the  bank  to  pay  fifty 
cents  on  the  dollar  to  the  depositors.  He  also  acted  as  receiver  for  the  Schicks 
Express,  Transfer  &  Storage  Company,  likewise  for  the  Benadom  Sanitarium 
Company,  both  of  which  cases  he  settled  with  satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 

Fraternally,  Mr.  McFarland  is  prominently  identified  with. the  Elks,  the 
Woodmen  of  the  World,  Knights  of  Columbus,  Western  Catholic  Union,  Dav- 
enport Turner  Society  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hiberians.  He  served  four 
terms  as  counsel  commander  of  Carnival  Camp,  No.  i.  Woodmen  of  the  World, 
and  three  terms  as  grand  knight  of  Loras  Council,  No.  532,  Knights  of  Colum- 
bus. In  August,  1909,  he  was  honored  by  being  selected  as  delegate  to  the 
national  convention  by  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  at  Mobile,  Alabama.  Through- 
out the  county  in  which  his  entire  life  has  been  spent  he  is  most  widely  and  favor- 
ably known,  having  ever  displayed  a  genial  cordiality  and  an  unfailing  courtesy 
that  have  won  for  him  manv  friends. 


DAVIS  THOMAS. 


Davis  Thomas,  a  retired  farmer  now  living  in  McCausland  and  one  of  the 
honored  veterans  of  the  Civil  war,  was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania, 
November  13,  1833.  His  parents  were  William  and  Jane  Thomas.  The  former 
was  a  teamster  by  occupation  and  as  there  were  no  railroads  in  the  early  days 
he  engaged  in  teaming  between  Philadelphia  and  Pittsburg  and  at  length  met 
with  an  accidental  death,  being  killed  by  his  team. 

Davis  Thomas  is  indebted  to  the  public-school  system  of  his  native  county 
for  the  educational  opportunities  which  he  enjoyed.  After  leaving  school  he 
learned  the  stone-mason's  trade  but  never  followed  it  to  any  great  extent.  The 
opportunities  of  the  growing  western  country  attracted  him  and  in  1855  he  came 
to  Scott  county  in  company  with  Ed  Robinson,  being  at  that  time  twenty-two 
years  of  age.  He  entered  the  employ"  of  Mr.  Robinson  and  worked  for  him 
as  a  farm  hand  until  1861. 


944  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Mr.  Thomas  responded  to  the  country's  call  for  troops,  enlisting  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  C,  Second  Iowa  Cavalry,  at  Davenport,  on  the  14th  of  August, 
1 86 1.  The  regiment  was  fully  organized  about  September  ist  at  Davenport  and 
was  mustered  in  two  weeks  later.  The  troops  were  in'  training  at  Camp  Mc- 
Clellan  and  Camp  Jo  Holt  at  Davenport  until  December  10,  1861,  when  the  regi- 
ment removed  to  Benton  Barracks,  proceeding  thence  to  Birds  Point,  February 
17,  1863.  They  participated  in  the  expedition  against  Thompson's  forces  from 
the  25th  to  the  29th  of  February,  moved  to  New  Madrid,  Missouri,  March  4th, . 
and  took  part  in  the  action  there  on  the  13th  and  14th  of  that  month  and  also  In 
the  operations  at  Island  No.  10  from  the  i6th  of  March  to  the  i8th  of  April. 
Then  came  the  expedition  to  Fort  Pillow,  Tennessee,  and  from  the  i8th  until 
the  22d  of  April  they  were  at  Hamburg  Landing,  Tennessee.  With  the  regiment 
Mr.  Thomas  took  part  in  the  action  at  Birmingham,  April  24;  at  Monterey, 
April  28-9;  the  advance  on  and  siege  of  Corinth  from  the  29th  of  April  to  the 
30th  of  May.  They  were  at  Glendale  May  8th  and  Farmington  the  following 
day  and  in  the  expedition  to  Boonville  covering  the  28th  and  30th  of  May. 
Then  came  the  occupation  of  Corinth;  later  the  battle  of  Tuscumbia  Creek, 
and  of  Blackland,  near  Baldwin,  on  the  6th  of  June ;  the  reconnaissance  to  Gun- 
town,  Baldwin,  etc.  June  9-10;  Boonville,  July  i;  Brown  Springs,  July  21; 
Rienzi,  August  26;  Peytons  Mills,  September  19;  luka,  September  19-20;  the 
battle  of  Corinth,  October  2-4;  pursuit  to  Ripley,  November  2;  Grant's  cen- 
tral Mississippi  campaign  from  November,  1862,  until  January,  1863,  includ- 
ing Warshaw  creek,  November  6,  1862;  the  reconnaissance  from  La  Grange, 
November  8  and  9;  Coldwater,  November  8;  Hudsonville,  November  9;  the 
reconnaissance  to  Holly  Springs,  November  12  and  14;  the  expedition  to  Rip- 
ley, November  19  and  20;  the  engagement  at  Ripley,  November  20;  Waterford, 
November  29-30;  Tallahatchie  river,  November  30;  about  Oxford,  December 
1-8;  Yocona  river  and  Springdale  bridge,  December  3;  Water  Valley,  December 
4;  Coffeeville,  December  5;  the  expedition  against  Mobile  and  Ohio  Railroad, 
December  14-19;  Ripley,  December  23-25;  Prairie  Station,  February  21, 
1863;  expedition  to  Mount  Pleasant,  April  5-7;  Pontotoc,  April  19;  Palo 
Alto  and  Okolona,  April  21-22;  Birmingham,  April  24;  scout  from  La 
Grange  into  northern  Mississippi,  April  29  to  May  5;  expedition  to  Panola, 
May  11-15;  Walnut  Hill  and  Pigeon  Roost,  May  14;  Tullahoma,  May  15;  ex- 
pedition to  Senatobia,  May  21-28;  Senatobia,  May  23;  Hernando,  May  28; 
operations  in  west  Mississippi,  June  15-22;  near  Holly  Springs,  June  16-17; 
Coldwater  bridge,  June  18;  Matthews  ferry,  Coldwater  river,  June  20;  Jackson, 
July  13;  La  Grange,  July  16;  expedition  from  Memphis  to  Grenada,  August  14- 
23;  Grenada,  August  17;  expedition  to  Hernando,  October  lo-ii;  operations 
on  Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad,  November  3-5;  Collierville,  and  Cold- 
water,  November  3 ;  Moscow,  November  5 ;  operations  against  Lee's  attack  on 
Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad,  November  28  to  December  10;  SaUsbury, 
December  5 ;  Wolf  Bridge,  near  Moscow,  December  3-4 ;  pursuit  of  Forest, 
December  22-30;  ColHerville,  December  17-28;  at  Memphis  until  February  5, 
1864;  Smith's  raid  from  Collierville  to  Okolona,  February  11-26;  Wall  Hill, 
February  12;  West  Point,  February  20-21;  Ellis  Bridge  and  Okolona,  February 
21 ;  Ivy  Hill,  near  Okolona,  February  21 ;  Smith's  expedition  to  Tupelo,  July 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  945 

S-21;  near  Sibley»  July  7;  Camargo's  Cross  Roads,  near  Harrisburg,  July  13; 
Tupelo,  July  14-15;  Oldtown  creek,  July  15;  Smith's  expedition  to  Oxford,  Au- 
gust 1-20;  and  Shoal  Creek,  Alabama,  November  16-20,  1864;  Butlers  Creek, 
November  22;  Campbellsville  and  Lynnville,  November  24;  in  front  of  Colum- 
bia, November  24-27;  Lawrenceburg,  November  27;  Mount  Carmel,  Novem- 
ber, 29;  battle  of  Nashville,  December  15-18;  pursuit  of  Hood,  December  17- 
28;  West  Harpeth  River,  December  17;  Spring  Hill,  December  18;  Ruther- 
ford Creek,  December  19 ;  Lawrenceburg,  December  22 ;  Lynnville  and  Richland 
Creek,  December  24;  Richland  Creek  and  Kings  Gap,  near  Pulaski,  December 
25;  at  Huntsville  and  Florence,  Alabama,  Eastport,  Mississippi,  Gravella 
Springs,  Alabama,  and  Selma,  Alabama,  until  June,   1865. 

At  the  close  of  his  term  Mr.  Thomas  returned  to  the  north,  being  mustered 
out  at  Davenport,  in  October,  1864.  He  then  took  up  farming  and  bought  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Princeton  township,  which  he  cultivated  for  five 
years.  He  then  sold  that  property  and  invested  in  eighty  acres  in  the  same 
township,  making  his  home  thereon  until  February,  1900,  when  he  retired  from 
active  business  life  and  took  up  his  abode  in  McCausland,  where  he  has  since 
lived,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil. 

Mr.  Thomas  was  married  September  12,  1861,  to  Miss  Jane  Hire,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Daniel  and  Jane  Hire,  who  were  among  the  first  settlers  of  Scott  county, 
coming  to  Iowa  with  their  family  when  Mrs.  Thomas  was  five  years  of  age,  her 
birth  having  occurred  in  Indiana,  June  3,  1831.  Her  father  made  the  journey 
with  teams  and  drove  cattle  all  the  way.  He  had  covered  wagons  and  at  places 
forded  the  streams.  On  reaching  his  destination  he  settled  in  Princeton  town- 
ship. The  land  was  all  prairie,  hardly  a  furrow  having  been  turned  or  an  im- 
provement made  in  that  section  of  the  county.  Mr.  Hire  built  a  double  log 
cabin  and  for  a  month  Madison  Pineo  occupied  a  portion  of  it  until  his  house  was 
finished.  Mr.  Hire  made  the  first  wagon  track  to  Princeton  in  1837  and  was 
closely  identified  with  the  early  substantial  development  of  the  county.  He 
made  two  trips  to  California  with  ox-teams  and  his  various  experiences  made 
him  well  acquainted  with  the  conditions,  hardships  and  environment  as  well  as 
with  the  pleasures  of  pioneer  life.  Both  he  and  his  wife  died  in  this  county. 
Their  daughter  Jane  was  twice  married  and  by  her  first  union  had  one  son, 
John  S.  Underwood,  of  Princeton  township,  who  married  Clara  De  Boise,  and 
has  two  children,  Altha  and  George.  The  former  married  Edward  Hebley, 
of  Butler  township,  and  they  have  one  child,  Vesington,  so  that  Mrs.  Thomas 
is  a  great-grandmother.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  have  been  born  three 
sons.  Charles  E.,  of  South  Dakota,  is  married  and  has  two  children,  Julia 
and  Davis.  Harry  is  at  home.  Jesse  R.,  of  Dubuque,  is  married  and  has  two  chil- 
dren, Gladys  and  Olla. 

Mr.  Thomas  belongs  to  the  Grand  Army  of.  the  Republic  and  maintains 
pleasant  relations  with  his  old  army  comrades,  taking  delight  in  the  camp  fires 
and  other  meetings  which  again  bring  the  boys  in  blue  together.  He  is  as  true 
and  loyal  to  his  country  today  as  when  he  followed  the  old  flag  on  southern 
battlefields.  Mrs.  Thomas  is  with  one  exception  the  oldest  permanent  resident 
of  Scott  county,  coming  here  shortly  after  the  arrival  of  Captain  Clarke,  of 
Buffalo.    Here  she  has  remained  continuously  since  and  she  can  well  remember 


946  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

the  time  when  Indians  were  frequently  seen  in  the  neighborhood  and  when  deer 
roamed  at  will  over  the  prairie,  which  in  June  was  starred  with  millions  of  wild 
flowers  and  in  December  was  covered  with  one  dazzling  and  unbroken  sheet  of 
ice.  She  has  lived  to  witness  many  notable  changes  as  the  county  has  become 
thickly  settled  and  its  lands  have  been  taken  up  and  improved  for  the  purpose  of 
man's  support. 


L.  M.  FISHER. 


The  Fisher  family,  in  both  the  lineal  and  collateral  branches,  is  distinctively 
American  in  that  it  has  been  represented  in  New  England  from  early  colonial 
days.  Among  its  members  were  those  who  valiantly  served  in  the  Revolutionary 
war.  Maturin  L.  Fisher,  the  father  of  L.  M.  Fisher,  was  a  native  of  Danville, 
Vermont,  and  on  coming  to  Iowa  in  1849  settled  in  Clayton  county.  He  had 
previously,  however,  been  a  resident  of  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  and  while  there  residing  occupied  the  position  of  postmaster  for  ten 
or  twelve  years.  He  was  a  strong  man  in  his  connection  with  public  interests  and 
an  ardent  democrat.  Coming  to  Iowa,  he  won  for  himself  a  place  of  prominence 
in  the  public  life  of  the  state  and  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  upon  its 
political  history.  For  two  sessions  he  was  president  of  the  Iowa  senate  and  in 
1857  was  superintendent  of  public  instruction.  The  previous  year  the  state  had 
gone  republican  but  Mr.  Fisher  was  among  those  who  succeeded  in  reversing 
the  vote  in  1857,  gaining  a  decided  victory  for  the  democratic  forces.  He  oc- 
cupied an  eminent  position  among  the  statesmen  of  that  day  and  continued  an 
influential  factor  in  public  life  for  many  years.  On  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
war  he  was  appointed  on  the  commission  to  negotiate  a  war  loan  and  defend 
bonds  of  the  state.  While  there  were  those  opposed  to  him  politically,  there 
were  none  who  questioned  the  patriotism  of  his  motives  nor  the  honesty  of  his 
convictions.  In  early  manhood  he  wedded  Caroline  Pratt,  a  native  of  Worcester, 
Massachusetts,  who  was  born  in  the  same  house  in  which  occurred  the  birth  of 
Bancroft,  the  historian.  She  passed  away  in  1862  and  Mr.  Fisher,  surviving  for 
about  seventeen  years,  died  on  the  5th  of  February,  1879. 

L.  M.  Fisher,  whose  name  introduces  this  record,  was  a  pupil  in  the  Clayton 
county  schools  through  the  period  in  which  he  accquainted  himself  with  the 
fundamental  principles  of  knowledge.  He  afterward  entered  the  Wisconsin  State 
University,  from  which  he  was  graduated  with  honors  in  1872.  Determining 
upon  the  practice  of  law  as  a  life  work,  he  next  entered  the  law  department  of 
the  University  of  Iowa  and  in  1873  was  graduated  as  valedictorian  of  his  class. 
Choosing  Davenport  as  the  scene  of  his  professional  labors,  he  has  continued 
through  thirty-six  years  as  a  member  of  the  bar  of  this  city  and  is  recognized 
as  one  of  the  ablest  lawyers  of  Scott  county.  He  is  at  home  in  all  departments 
of  the  law,  from  the  minutiae  in  practice  to  the  greater  topics  wherein  is  in- 
volved the  consideration  of  the  ethics  and  the  philosophy  of  jurisprudence  and 
the  higher  concerns  of  public  policy.     In  argument  he  is  felicitous  and  clear. 


L.   M.   FISHKK 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  949 

thoroughly  in  earnest,  full  of  the  vigor  of  conviction,  yet  never  abusive  of  his 
adversaries.  His  political  allegiance  has  always  been  given  to  the  democratic 
party  and  for  years  he  was  an  active  worker  in  its  ranks,  but  in  the  latter  period 
has  devoted  his  time  almost  exclusively  to  his  practice.  He  was  city  attorney 
from  1885  until  1891  and  was  nominated  by  the  bar  convention  for  district  judge 
but  declined  the  honor.  In  1906  he  was  named  by  his  party  as  candidate  for 
judge  of  the  superior  court. 

On  the  17th  of  October,  1883,  Mr.  Fisher  was  married  to  Miss  Laura  Provost, 
a  native  of  Montreal,  Canada,  and  their  children  are  Maturin  L.,  Harriet  P. 
and  Laura  M.  The  elder  daughter  is  a  graduate  of  Vassar  College,  of  1907. 
The  family  are  prominent  socially  and  Mr.  Fisher  is  a  splendid  representative 
of  the  class  of  lawyers  who,  holding  to  the  highest  standard  of  professional 
ethics,  maintain  that  the  counsel  should  aid  the  court  in  the  administration  of 
justice  and  ever  avoid  leading  the  court  astray  in  a  matter  of  fact  or  law.  He 
gives  to  his  client  the  service  of  great  talent,  unwearied  industry  and  com- 
prehensive learning  and  is  an  able,  faithful  and  conscientious  minister  in  the 
temple  of  justice. 


JURGEN  KAHLER. 


Jurgen  Kahler  is  numbered  among  the  representative  American  citizens  who 
claim  Germany  as  the  place  of  their  nativity  and  who  in  this  country  sought 
and  found  opportunities  for  advancement  in  business  lines.  Born  on  the  is- 
land of  Fehmarn,  Schleswig-Holstein,  on  the  nth  of  November,  1857,  he  is 
a  son  of  Hans  J.  and  Katharine  ( Mildenstein)  Kahler,  the  former  a  laborer 
by  occupation.  The  parents  are  both  now  deceased,  their  entire  lives  having 
been  spent  in  the  old  country.  In  their  family  were  six  children,  namely :  Henry  ; 
Nicholas,  deceased;  Mrs.  Dorothy  Brogen,  of  Nebraska;  Martha,,  who  wedded 
P.  H.  Simpson,  a  resident  of  Kansas;  Jurgen,  of  this  review;  and  Hans,  of 
Kansas.  The  entire  family  with  the  exception  of  the  parents  emigrated  to  Amer- 
ica, the  eldest  son,  Henry,  being  the  first  to  come  to  the  new  world.  He  arrived 
in  the  United  States  in  1866  and  came  to  Iowa,  residing  in  Davenport  for  some 
time. 

Jurgen  Kahler  was  reared  in  the  place  of  his  nativity,  obtained  his  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  near  his  home  and  remained  a  resident  of  the  father- 
land until  after  his  marriage.  In  1883,  however,  thinking  to  find  in  the  ad- 
vantages offered  by  the  new  world  better  opportunity  for  advancement  in  busi- 
ness lines,  he  left  home  and  country  and  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America,  mak- 
ing his  way  at  once  to  Iowa.  He  was  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  two  chil- 
dren, the  family  home  being  first  established  in  Durant.  There  he  worked  as  a 
laborer  for  about  six  years  and  then  became  identified  with  agricultural  pursuits 
in  the  capacity  of  renter,  being  thus  engaged  for  twelve  years.  Throughout 
that  period,  however,  he  had  been  imbued  with  the  desire  to  some  day  carry  on 
an  independent  enterprise  in  which  his  efforts  might  more  directly  benefit  him- 
self, and  so,  when  he  had  acaimulated  sufficient  capital  to  justify  such  a  step, 


950  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

he  purchased  the  farm  upon  which  he  now  resides,  to  the  development  of  which 
he  has  since  directed  his  energies.  He  owns  the  entire  southwest  quarter  of 
section  19,  Cleona  township,  with  the  exception  of  the  right  of  way  granted 
to  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific  Railroad  Company.  Through  his  industry 
and  perseverance  it  has  been  brought  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  under 
his  wise  and  careful  management  has  become  one  of  the  well  improved  farming 
properties  of  the  township.  Most  of  the  buildings  which  stand  upon  the  place 
were  erected  by  him  and  include  an  attractive  modern  residence  and  substantial 
and  commodious  barns  and  outbuildings,  all  in  excellent  condition.  He  is  en- 
gaged in  general  farming  and  stock-raising  and  both  branches  of  his  business 
are  proving  gratifying  sources  of  remuneration,  for  he  is  up-to-date  and  pro- 
gressive in  his  methods  and  manifests  good  business  ability  and  wise  judgment 
in  the  conduct  of  his  affairs. 

In  1881,  in  Germany,  Mr.  Kahler  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Dorothy 
Herman,  whose  birth  occurred  on  the  28th  of  November,  1855,  on  the  same 
island  upon  which  her  husband  was  born.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Hans  and 
Louisa  (Bockwoldt)  Herman,  who  came  to  the  United  States  about  two  or 
three  years  after  the  arrival  of  our  subject.  The  father  has  now  passed  away, 
while  the  mother  survives  and  makes  her  home  in  Durant.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Kahler  have  been  born  eleven  children,  all  born  in  this  country  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  two  eldest.  They  are  as  follows :  Katharine,  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Kraft,  of  Cleona  township;  Matilda,  the  wife  of  Peter  Ruhser,  of  Cedar 
county;  Hans;  Nicholas,  a  resident  of  Durant;  Herman,  of  Cleona  township; 
Emil,  making  his  home  in  Nebraska;  and  Frieda,  Fritz,  Christina,  Alma  and 
Helena,  all  yet  under  the  parental  roof.  Politically  Mr.  Kahler  is  identified 
with  the  republican  party,  giving  stalwart  support  to  the  principles  of  that  or- 
ganization, although  the  honors  and  emoluments  of  public  office  have  never  held 
any  attractions  for  him.  Although  born  across  the  water  and  still  maintaining 
a  love  for  the  land  of  his  birth,  his  interests  center  in  the  United  States  and  he 
is  thoroughly  identified  with  American  life  and  institutions,  Scott  county  hav- 
ing no  more  loyal  citizen  than  this  adopted  son,  who  is  a  credit  alike  to  the 
land  of  his  nativity  and  that  of  his  adoption.  He  has  never  had  occasion  to 
regret  his  determination  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  new  world,  for  here,  where  in- 
dividual effort  is  unhampered  by  caste  or  class,  he  has  forged  his  way  upward  in 
the  business  world  and  is  numbered  among  the  substantial  and  representative  agri- 
culturists of  Cleona  township. 


J.  H.  C.  PETERSEN. 


Perhaps  no  man  in  Davenport  has  done  more  toward  advancing  the  mer- 
cantile interests  of  the  city  than  J.  H.  C.  Petersen,  who  has  now  retired  from 
active  life  and  lives  in  the  enjoyment  of  well  earned  rest  at  No.  510  West  Sixth 
street.  He  was  born  in  Germany  and  as  a  young  man  crossed  the  Atlantic  in 
i860,  determined  to  prove  the  truth  of  the  reports  which  he  heard  concerning 
the  opportunities  of  the  new  world  and  hoping  that  he  might  secure  advantages 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  951 

which  would  lead  to  substantial  progress  in  business  lines.  He  came  direct  to 
Scott  county  and  his  limited  financial  resources  made  it  imperative  that  he  se- 
cure immediate  employment.  For  a  year,  therefore,  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand 
but  regarded  this  only  as  an  initial  step  to  broader  and  more  important  labor. 
In  1862  he  turned  his  attention  to  merchandising  and  in  that  field  continued  for 
a  long  period,  his  labors  being  attended  with  a  most  gratifying  measure  of  suc- 
cess. The  beginning  was  a  humble  one  and  for  a  few  years  he  was  associated 
with  a  partner,  to  whom  he  later  sold  his  interest.  In  the  meantime  the  business 
had  been  substantially  developed  and  his  experience  had  brought  him  valuable 
knowledge  concerning  the  best  methods  of  conducting  mercantile  interests.  In 
1872  he  established  business  independently,  being  then  located  at  No.  219  Sec- 
ond street.  The  growth  of  his  trade  enabled  him  later  to  include  No.  220  Second 
street  as  a  part  of  his  store  and  still  later  he  utilized  the  building  at  No.  217- 
2\yy2  Second  street.  His  operations  embraced  many  fields  of  activity.  No  po- 
tential demand  of  his  patrons  was  unnoticed  and  while  his  own  enterprise  grew 
in  size  it  was  also  advancing  mercantile  progress  throughout  Davenport.  In 
time  it  became  one  of  the  foremost  mercantile  establishments  of  the  city  and 
largely  set  the  standard  for  activity  in  his  especial  field.  He  is  recognized  as 
one  who  has  contributed  much  toward  the  city's  financial  prosperity  and  com- 
mercial interests  and  up  to  the  time  of  his  retirement  was  regarded  as  one  of 
the  most  prominent  and  honored  merchants  here. 

In  1844  Mr.  Petersen  wedded  Miss  Johanna  Elsbeth  Hansen.  They  became 
the  parents  of  ten  children,  five  of  whom  are  deceased.  The  living  are :  M.  D., 
W.  D.,  Johanna  Fridericke  Luetje;  H.  F.  and  Marie  Bush.  The  mother  died  in 
1892  but  the  father  still  survives  and  is  now  eighty-nine  years  of  age.  He  en- 
joys good  health  for  one  of  his  years  and  feels  that  life  has  given  much  to  him 
in  pleasure  and  success.  When  he  came  to  this  section  of  the  state  Davenport 
was  a  small  town  and  he  has  watched  with  interest  and  satisfaction  its  growth 
and  development  and  is  numbered  among  those  who  have  contributed  to  its 
progress  and  improvement. 


ASMUS  WOLF. 


Asmus  Wolf,  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  is  a  retired  agriculturist  of  Daven- 
port and  still  owns  three  hundred  acres  of  fine  farming  land  in  Butler  town- 
ship. His  birth  occurred  in  Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  20th  of  September,  1839, 
his  parents  being  Andes  and  Elizabeth  Wolf.  The  father  followed  farming 
in  that  country.  Asmus  Wolf  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native 
land  and  after  putting  aside  his  text-books  acquainted  himself  with  the  butcher- 
ing business.  In  1861,  when  a  young  man  of  twenty-two  years,  he  crossed  the 
ocean  to  the  United  States,  landing  at  New  York,  whence  he  came  direct  to 
Davenport,  Iowa. 

After  working  as  a  farm  hand  for  six  months  he  enlisted  for  service  in 
the  Union  army,  joining  Company  B,  Sixteenth  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry,  at 
Davenport  on  the  26.  of  November,  1861.    With  that  regiment  he  went  to  St. 


952  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Louis,  where  he  remained  for  about  a  week  and  subsequently  participated  in 
the  battle  of  Shiloh,  where  he  was  slightly  injured  by  a  ball.  The  regiment  next 
went  to  Corinth,  Mississippi,  where  they  expected  another  battle  but  the  rebels 
had  left  during  the  night.  They  remained  in  that  vicinity  about  six  months, 
marching  to  different  places,  and  then  took  part  in  the  two  days'  battle  at  Corinth. 
Afterward  they  went  to  Memphis,  Tennessee,  and  there  boarded  a  steamer  for 
Vicksburg,  participating  in  the  engagement  at  that  place.  Subsequently  Mr. 
Wolf  reenlisted  in  Company  B  for  three  years'  service  and  went  to  Meridian, 
Mississippi,  where  on  the  7th  of  February,  1864,  he  was  taken  prisoner  while 
foraging  in  company  with  three  other  men.  They  were  sent  to  the  Cahaba  prison 
in  Alabama,  where  they  were  incarcerated  for  two  months,'  on  the  expiration 
of  which  period  they  were  taken  to  Andersonville  and  there  imprisoned  for  five 
months,  enduring  many  and  severe  hardships.  For  twenty-three  days  they  were 
compelled  to  sleep  on  the  bare  ground.  From  Andersonville  they  were  removed 
to  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  where  they  were  kept  in  the  jail  yard  and  also 
in  a  stockade  at  the  fair  grounds  for  a  time.  They  were  then  sent  to  Florence, 
North  Carolina,  and  their  lot  was  no  better  there  than  it  had  been  at  Anderson- 
ville, but  Mr.  Wolf  finally  escaped  the  enemy  by  pretending  illness  and  went 
back  to  Charleston,  where  he  took  a  boat  for  Baltimore,  Maryland.  Obtaining 
a  three  months'  furlough,  he  returned  to  Davenport  and  when  his  leave  of  ab- 
sence had  expired  rejoined  his  regiment,  but  hostilities  were  brought  to  a  close 
about  that  time  and  he  was  mustered  out  on  the  19th  of  July,  1865.  His  military 
record  is  one  of  which  he  has  every  reason  to  be  proud,  for  he  proved  a  valiant 
and  faithful  soldier,  never  faltering  in  the  performance  of  any  task  assigned 
him. 

Soon  after  returning  from  the  war  Mr.  Wolf  was  married  and  for  about  a 
year  he  worked  in  the  vicinity  of  Davenport.  He  then  bought  eighty  acres  of 
land  in  Butler  township,  where  he  made  his  home  for  two  years,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  disposed  of  the  property  and  purchased  another  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Butler  township,  residing  thereon  from  1871  until 
1898.  In  that  year  he  put  aside  the  active  work  of  the  fields  and  took  up  his  abode 
in  Davenport,  where  he  has  since  lived  retired  in  the  enjoyment  of  well  earned 
rest.  As  his  financial  resources  increased  he  bought  more  land  from  time  to  time 
and  he  yet  owns  three  hundred  acres  in  Butler  township.  His  agricultural  in- 
terests were  carefully  managed  and  he  has  long  been  numbered  among  the  sub- 
stantial and  respected  citizens  of  the  county. 

Mr.  Wolf  has  been  married  twicfe.  On  the  26th  of  August,  1865,  he  wedded 
Miss  Kathrina  Buck,  a  daughter  of  Jergen  and  Kathrina  Buck.  This  union  was 
blessed  with  six  children.  Alvipa,  the  eldest,  married  Christ  Petersen,  of  Daven- 
port, and  became  the  mother  of  seven  children,  namely;  Lulu;  Arthur;  Engeba, 
who  is  deceased;  Walter;  Asmus;  Viola;  and  LeRoy.  Ferd,  who  is  now  de- 
ceased, wedded  Miss  Alvina  Miller,  by  whom  he  had  four  children:  Delma, 
Ruman,  Howard  and  Lulu.  Theresa,  who  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Herman 
Carsens,  of  Davenport,  now  has  seven  children,  as  follows :  Willus,  Max  Hilda 
Ferd,  Thekla,  Paul  and  Erma.  Amanda,  the  wife  of  John  Henry,  of  McCaus- 
land,  Butler  township,  is  also  the  mother  of  seven  children,  namely:  Blanche 
Alonzo,  Ruth,  Margaret,  John,  Benjamin  and  an  infant.     Ernest,  living  at  Long 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  953 

Grove,  wedded  Miss  Anna  Litsher,  by  whom  he  has  two  children,  Inez  and 
Bernard.  Thomas  is  a  resident  of  Butler  township.  Mrs.  Kathrina  Wolf,  whose 
birth  had  occurred  in  Germany  on  the  9th  of  October,  1848,  was  called  to  her 
final  rest  on  the  3d  of  August,  1898,  and  lies  buried  in  Butler  township.  On  the 
4th  of  April,  1900,  Mr.  Wolf  was  again  married,  his  second  union  being  with 
Pauline  Priest,  who  was  born  in  1852.  Her  parents,  Hans  H.  and  Kathrina 
(Mottis)  Priest,  came  to  this  country  from  Germany  in  1850  and  took  up  their 
abode  in  Pleasant  Valley  township,  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  they  built  a  rock 
house  which  is  still  standing.  Hans  H.  Priest  passed  away  in  May,  1882,  and 
his  wife  died  the  following  August.  They  became  the  parents  of  six  children, 
three  of  whom  pa-ssed  away  in  Germany.  The  others  are  as  follows:  Mary, 
who  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Godfrey  Henry  and  is  now  deceased ;  Doris, 
the  widow  of  Asmus  Rohlf  and  Mrs.  Wolf.  The  last  named  has  also  been  mar- 
ried twice,  her  first  husband  being  Herman  Rohde,  by  whom  she  had  four  chil- 
dren :  Richard  and  Herman,  both  of  whom  are  residents  of  Davenport ;  and  two 
who  are  deceased. 

Mr.  Wolf  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  men  and  measures  of  the  re- 
publican party.  While  living  in  Butler  township  he  served  as  road  supervisor, 
township  trustee  and  in  other  positions  of  public  trust.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
United  Veterans  Union.  Coming  to  the  United  States  in  early  manhood,  he 
made  good  use  of  the  opportunities  afforded  in  a  land  unhampered  by  caste  or 
class  and  in  his  adopted  county  has  steadily  worked  his  way  upward  to  a  posi- 
tion of  prominence.  The  period  of  his  residence  in  Scott  county  now  covers 
almost  a  half  century  and  the  favorable  regard  entertained  for  him  by  his  fellow 
townsmen  is  proof  that  his  life  record  has  been  an  honorable  one. 


ALBERT  WERNER. 


Albert  Werner,  the  well  known  and  capable  postmaster  of  Walcott,  who 
for  many  years  was  closely  identified  with  the  business  interests  of  this  town, 
is  numbered  among  the  residents  of  Scott  county  who  claim  Germany  as  the 
place  of  their  nativity,  his  birth  occuring  in  Pommern  in  1853.  His  parents  were 
Frederick  and  Caroline  (Mailing)  Werner,  who  were  also  natives  of  Germany. 
The  father,  who  was  born  in  Pommern  in  1813,  was  a  soldier  in  the  German 
army  prior  to  his  leaving  the  fatherland,  and  in  1862  came  to  America,  landing 
at  New  York.  He  arrived  here  while  the  country  was  in  the  midst  of  civil  war 
and  at  once  took  up  the  cause  of  the  Union,  organizing  a  company  in  New  York. 
He  went  to  the  front  as  its  captain  and  did  valiant  duty  until  the  time  of  his 
death,  it  being  supposed  he  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg. 

Reared  and  educated  in  his  native  country,  Albert  Werner  came  to  America 
when  twenty  years  of  age  and  made  his  way  direct  to  Iowa,  arriving  in  Walcott 
in  1873.  For  about  seventeen  years  he  was  here  engaged  in  the  blacksmith's 
trade,  at  the  expiration  of  which  period  he  became  identified  with  industrial 
pursuits,  deahng  in  implements  of  all  kinds,  buggies  and  furniture.  In  addition 
to  this  he  also  conducted  a  plumbing  enterprise  and  both  branches  of  his  busi- 


954  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

ness  proved  most  profitable.  Industry,  excellent  executive  ability  and  careful 
management  were  salient  elements  in  his  business  career  and  he  won  a  most 
gratifying  measure  of  success,  his  business  steadily  increasing  in  volume  and  im- 
portance with  the  passing  of  the  years.  In  1891,  however,  he  was  appointed  post- 
master of  Walcott  and  he  withdrew  from  business  life  in  order  to  take  up  the 
duties  of  his  new  position.  He  has  since  remained  in  that  ofifice,  proving  a 
most  excellent  official,  his  record  ever  being  such  as  has  not  only  brought  honor 
to  himself  but  has  reflected  credit  upon  his  constituents.  He  is  known  in 
financial  circles  as  a  director  in  the  Walcott  Savings  Bank  and  is  the  owner  of 
a  farm  in  Cleona  township  and  also  a  quarter  section  in  North  Dakota,  all  of 
his  various  interests  proving  a  source  of  most  gratifying  remuneration  which 
has  placed  him  among  the  substantial  and  prosperous  citizens  of  the  community. 
It  was  in  1877  that  Mr.  Werner  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Moeller, 
a  daughter  of  Gotthard  Moeller,  a  farmer  residing  in  Cleona  township.  Unto 
this  union  have  been  born  two  children:  Alma,  still  at  home;  and  Ernest,  who 
married  Anna  Riessen,  of  Walcott.  Fraternally  Mr.  Werner  is  a  member  of 
lodge  No.  316,  K.  P.,  of  Walcott,  and  in  politics  he  is  a  stalwart  republican.  Prior 
to  his  appointment  as  postmaster  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  city  council 
and  for  two  terms  was  also  a  school  director,  the  cause  of  education  finding  in 
him  a  warm  champion.  Preeminently  a  public-spirited  citizen,  although  born 
across  the  water  he  is  as  closely  identified  with  the  interests  of  this  country 
as  the  native  born  American,  and  he  is  not  only  a  credit  to  the  land  of  his  na- 
tivity but  also  to  the  land  of  his  adoption.  In  business  he  combined  his  sturdy 
native  talents  with  the  more  American  spirit  of  progress  and  the  result  was  a 
very  successful  career.  In  public  office  he  has  been  true  to  every  trust  re- 
posed in  him  and  efficient,  conscientious  and  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duties,  so  that  he  ranks  today  among  Walcott's  most  representative  and  valued 
citizens. 


ADOLPH  P.  ARP. 


Adolph  P.  Arp  is  well  known  as  a  leading  stockman  and  farmer  of  Lincoln 
township,  being  the  proprietor  of  the  Lincoln  Stock  Farm,  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres,  situated  on  section  2.  Here  he  has  engaged  in  raising  some  of  the 
finest  stock  that  has  been  produced  in  the  county  and  as  proof  of  his  business 
ability  and  enterprising  spirit  it  has  been  cited  that  he  has  been  actively  con- 
nected with  the  promotion  of  several  commercial  interests  of  importance.  He 
was  born  on  the  farm  which  is  yet  his  home,  December  7,  1875,  and  is  a  son 
of  Detlef  and  Bertha  (Weise)  Arp,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Schleswig- 
Holstein,  Germany,  the  father's  birth  having  there  occurred  January  i,  1831, 
while  his  wife  was  born  on  the  23d  of  March,  1838.  Detlef  Arp  acquired  his 
education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  country  and  in  his  youthful  days  worked 
on  his  father's  farm,  but  the  favorable  reports  which  he  heard  concerning 
America  and  its  opportunities  awakened  in  him  a  desire  to  seek  his  fortune  on 
this  side  the  Atlantic.  Accordingly,  when  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  bade  adieu 
to  home  and  friends  and  sailed  for  New  Orleans,  whence  he  made  his  way  up 


S) 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  957 

the  river  to  Davenport.  After  reaching  Scott  county  he  was  employed  in  various 
ways,  early  securing  a  job  on  the  Rock  Island  railway  near  Walcott.  He  was 
afterward  employed  as  a  farm  hand  and  he  also  owned  and  operated  a  threshing 
machme,  bemg  engaged  throughout  the  community  to  thresh  the  crops  of  the 
various  farmers.  About  i860  he  and  Claus  Horst  purchased  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land,  which  constitutes  a  part  of  what  is  now  the  Lincoln  Stock 
Farm.  There  they  began  keeping  bachelor's  hall  while  devoting  their  energies 
to  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of  the  place.  The  land  was  productive 
praine,  which  they  cultivated  together  for  several  years  and  during  that  time 
erected  a  number  of  substantial  farm  buildings  on  the  place.  Later  Mr.  Horst 
was  married  and  the  two  men  then  divided  their  interests,  each  taking  eighty 
acres.  Mr.  Arp  then  continued  to  live  alone  until  March  2,  1868,  when  he  was  mar- 
ried and  brought  his  bride  to  the  farm  which  he  had  already  cultivated  for  a 
number  of  years.  Subsequently  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  adjoining 
from  James  Long  and  later  bought  the  other  eighty-acre  tract  from  Mr.  Horst, 
so  that  his  farm  embraced  two  hundred  and  forty  acres.  Year  by  year  he  car- 
ried on  the  work  of  the  farm  with  gratifying  success  until  1899,  when  he  re- 
tired and  removed  to  Eldridge,  where  for  ten  years  he  made  his  home,  enjoying 
the  fruits  of  his  former  toil.  There  he  died  October  31,  1909.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Turners  Society  of  Eldridge,  and  there  was  also  an  interesting  mili- 
tary chapter  in  his  life  record,  for  he  was  one  of  the  veterans  of  the  war  of 
1848-50  between  Holstein  and  Denmark.  For  a  year  he  had  survived  his  wife, 
who  died  October  8,  1908.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children:  Claus, 
Johannes,  Herman,  Edward,  William,  Adolph,  Emma  and  Emiel.  All  are  de- 
ceased with  the  exception  of  our  subject,  Adolph  P.,  who  is  the  sixth  in  order 
of  birth. 

Adolph  P.  Arp  has  spent  his  entire  life  on  the  farm  which  is  yet  his  home, 
so  that  he  knows  every  acre  upon  the  old  place  that  is  endeared  to  him  through 
the  memories  of  boyhood  as  well  as  the  association  of  later  years.  He  attended 
the  district  schools  in  his  youth  and  supplemented  his  early  training  by  a  course 
in  Duncan's  Business  College  at  Davenport  and  also  by  a  course  in  the  agricul- 
tural department  of  Ames  College.  Putting  aside  his  text-books,  he  took  up 
the  active  work  of  the  farm,  to  which  he  has  since  devoted  his  energies,  and  in 
connection  with  the  tilling  of  the  soil  he  has  always  followed  stock-raising, 
handling  thoroughbred  red  polled  cattle.  He  has  learned  how  to  best  utilize  time 
and  effort  so  that  substantial  results  follow  his  labors,  and  as  he  has  met  suc- 
cess in  his  undertakings  he  has  extended  his  investments,  becoming  a  stockholder 
in  the  Eldridge  Savings  Bank,  the  Eldridge  Elevator,  which  is  a  farmers'  eleva- 
tor, and  in  the  Scott  County  Mercantile  Company  at  Davenport,  of  which  he  is 
one  of  the  directors.  He  is  a  man  of  notable  business  abihty  and  carries  for- 
ward to  successful  completion  whatever  he  undertakes. 

On  the  29th  of  November,  1899,  Mr.  Arp  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Laura  P.  Schneckloth,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Silka  Schneckloth,  who  were 
early  German  settlers  of  this  county.  Her  father  was  a  little  lad  of  seven  years 
when  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States  and  became  a  resident  of 
Iowa.  He  died  June  7,  1902,  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight  years,  and  is  still  survived 
by  his  widow,  who  yet  resides  in  Davenport.    Mrs.  Arp  was  born  on  her  father's 


958  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

farm  in  Lincoln  township  and  by  her  marriage  has  become  the  mother  of  two 
children,  Roma  A.  and  Alvin  D.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arp  are  hospitable  people  who 
always  extend  a  cordial  welcome  to  their  many  friends.  They  are  both  native 
citizens  of  Scott  county  and,  having  long  resided  here,  have  a  wide  circle  of 
acquaintances.  Mr.  Arp  is  now  filling  the  office  of  township  clerk  and  has 
served  in  that  capacity  for  several  terms  and  also  has  served  as  president  of  the 
school  board.  He  belongs  to  West  View  Grange,  No.  2034,  of  which  he  is 
master,  and  is  deeply  interested  in  this  organized  effort  to  promote  agricultural 
interests. 


CHARLES  LAWRENCE  BAREWALD,  M.  D. 

Prominent  among  the  physicians  and  surgeons  of  Davenport  and  this  section 
is  Dr.  Charles  Lawrence  Barewald,  one  of  Iowa's  native  sons,  his  birth  having 
occurred  in  Muscatine  county  on  the  9th  of  September,  1869.  Of  German  par- 
entage, he  is  a  son  of  Frederick  and  Matilda  (Wiese)  Barewald,  both  natives  of 
the  fatherland.  The  father  came  to  the  United  States  when  about  thirty  years 
of  age,  locating  in  Muscatine  county,  Iowa,  where  he  engaged  in  the  harness 
business  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1872.  The  parents  were  married 
in  the  United  States,  and,  appreciating  the  opporttmities  offered  in  this  country 
for  their  children,  inculcated  lessons  of  honesty,  sobriety  and  patriotism  which 
have  borne  excellent  fruit. 

Reared  in  the  county  of  his  nativity,  at  the  usual  age  Dr.  C.  L.  Barewald 
became  a  pupil  in  the  public  schools  and,  continuing  through  consecutive  grades, 
completed  his  preliminary  training  by  graduation  from  the  high  school  at  Wil- 
ton Junction,  Iowa,  and  later  received  his  B.  S.  degree  at  the  Norton  Normal 
and  Scientific  Academy  at  that  place.  He  then  entered  the  medical  department 
of  the  University  of  Iowa,  graduating  therefrom  in  1891,  and  immediately 
thereafter  opened  an  office  for  practice  in  Muscatine,  where  he  remained  for 
two  years,  after  which  he  came  to  Scott  county,  locating  in  Buffalo  in  1893. 
Ten  years  were  there  devoted  to  the  general  practice  of  medicine,  at  the  expira- 
tion of  which  time  he  came  to  Davenport  in  order  that  he  might  be  in  constant 
touch  with  his  duties  as  county  physician,  to  which  office  he  had  been  elected 
on  the  1st  of  January,  1904.  In  that  official  capacity  he  had  charge  of  the  regu- 
lar medical  work  of  the  county  hospital  and  the  emergency  work  of  the  jail  and 
police  station.  .  These  duties  were  at  all  times  faithfully  performed  and  with 
credit  to  his  skill  and  humanity.  In  the  meantime  he  had  become  well  known 
as  a  most  capable  and  proficient  physician  and  surgeon,  and  when,  after  setving 
in  the  capacity  of  county  physician  for  three  and  a  half  years,  he  returned  to  his 
private  practice  he  was  accorded  a  liberal  patronage  which  has  continued  to 
grow  in  extent  and  importance.  From  the  first  he  has  been  highly  successful, 
impressing  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact  with  his  trustworthy  char- 
acter, his  earnestness,  zeal  and  scrupulous  regard  for  the  ethics  of  his  profes- 
sion. He  has  proven  himself  skillful  in  diagnosis,  sure  in  prescription,  thought- 
ful and  tactful  in  attendance  and  prompt  and  efficacious  in  emergency.    He  has 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  959 

not  only  sought  to  extend  his  knowledge  and  efficiency  by  continued  study  and 
research,  but  keeps  in  touch  with  the  advance  made  in  the  medical  world  through 
his  membership  in  the  Scott  County  and  State  Medical  Associations. 

In  March,  1893,  Dr.  Barewald  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Grace  Urban, 
a  native  of  Chicago  and  a  lady  of  excellent  traits  of  character,  who  occupies  a 
high  place  in  social  circles  in  Davenport.  Although  a  large  private  practice  de- 
mands his  time  and  talents,  leaving  little  opportunity  for  the  amenities  of  life, 
Dr.  Barewald  nevertheless  finds  time  to  keep  up  his  interest  in  things  municipal 
and  social,  and  holds  membership  in  Wilton  Lodge,  No.  167,  A.  F.  &  A.  M., 
while  he  also  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity  and  other  societies. 
Early  in  life  he  became  interested  in  the  politics  of  the  country  and,  forming  his 
own  opinions  and  rules  of  conduct,  has  given  stalwart  allegiance  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  republican  party  since  age  conferred  upon  him  the  right  of  fran- 
chise. Public-spirited  and  loyal  in  his  citizenship,  he  has  ever  been  a  worker 
for  the  best  interests  of  Davenport  and  Scott  county  along  both  professional 
and  civic  lines,  and  his  adopted  city  has  profited  by  his  efforts  in  her  behalf  and 
accords  him  a  place  of  prominence  in  the  forefront  of  her  valued  and  representa- 
tive citizens. 


HIRAM  PRICE. 


Hiram  Price  was  born  in  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  January  10, 
1810.  He  worked  on  his  father's  farm  in  boyhood,  attending  school  during  the 
winter  months.  He  was  a  great  reader,  borrowing  books  of  neighbors  and  thus 
acquiring  an  education.  In  1844  he  removed  to  Iowa,  locating  in  Davenport, 
where  he  opened  a  store.  In  1847  he  was  chosen  school  fund,  commissioner 
and  a  year  later  was  elected  recorder  and  treasurer  of  Scott  county,  holding  the 
position  eight  years.  Mr.  Price  was  a  radical  advocate  of  temperance  and  was 
one  of  the  founders  of  the  order  of  "The  Sons  of  Temperance."  He  was  one  of 
the  framers  of  the  first  bill  for  the  prohibition  of  the  liquor  traffic  in  the  state, 
which  was  enacted  into  law  by  the  fifth  general  assembly  in  1854.  He  was  the 
editor  of  the  Temperance  Organ,  a  state  paper  devoted  to  prohibition.  He  had 
been  a  democrat  in  politics  up  to  the  time  of  the  attempt  to  force  slavery  into  Kan- 
sas, when  he  left  that  party  and  was  one  of  the  organizers  and  founders  of  the 
republican  party  of  Iowa.  Upon  the  enactment  of  the  state  bank  law  Mr. 
Price  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Davenport  branch  and  was  the  second 
president  of  the  state  bank  officers. 

When  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  began  he  assisted  in  raising  the  money  to 
enable  Governor  Kirkwood  to  equip  the  first  two  Iowa  regiments.  He  was  the 
first  paymaster  of  Iowa  troops  and  was  untiring  in  his  support  and  assistance  to 
the  governor  in  raising  men  and  money  to  meet  the  calls  of  the  president.  In 
1862  he  was  elected  by  the  republicans  of  the  second  district  to  congress  and  for 
six  years  was  one  of  the  ablest  members  of  the  house.  He  was  an  earnest  ad- 
vocate of  the  most  energetic  war  measures  and  of  legislation  to  strengthen  the 
credit  of  the  goverrmient. 


960  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Mr.  Price  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Soldiers  Orphans  Home.  In 
1876  he  was  again  elected  to  congress  and  served  until  1880.  In  1881  he  was 
appointed  by  the  president  commissioner  of  Indian  affairs,  in  which  position 
he  served  with  distinguished  ability  for  four  years.  He  made  many  reforms 
where  abuses  had  grown  up  in  dealing  with  the  Indians.  He  was  one  of  the  pio- 
neers in  railroad  building  in  Iowa.  In  1853,  when  the  first  railroad  was  being  built 
from  Chicago  toward  Iowa,  Mr.  Price  was  chosen  to  traverse  the  counties  on 
the  projected  line  through  the  state  to  the  Missouri  river  to  create  an  interest 
among  the  people  and  towns.  In  1869  when  a  railroad  was  projected  from 
Davenport  in  a  northwesterly  direction  Hiram  Price  was  elected  president  of 
the  company  which  constructed  the  road.  One  of  his  last  public  acts  before 
removing  to  Washington  was  to  endow  a  free  reading  room  in  the  public  library 
of  Davenport,  his  old  home.  He  was  a  life-long  and  prominent  member  of  the 
Methodist  church.    He  died  in  Washington,  D.  C,  May  30,  1901. 


HENRY  E.  RONGE. 


Henry  E.  Ronge,  county  superintendent  of  schools  of  Scott  county,  was  born 
in  Davenport,  March  9,  i860,  a  son  of  Charles  F.  C.  and  Elizabeth  Katherine 
(Ruge)  Ronge,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany.  The  father  was  bom 
in  July,  1828,  and  came  from  Mecklenburg  to  the  new  world  in  1857.  Establish- 
ing his  home  in  Davenport,  he  was  numbered  among  the  worthy  citizens  here  and 
was  accounted  an  influential  man  among  those  of  his  own  nationality.  His  death 
occurred  in  the  year  1899.  The  family  numbered  four  children,  of  whom  Henry 
is  the  eldest.  The  others  are :  Mrs.  Emma  Kuehl,  who  was  formerly  a  teacher 
in  the  public  schools  of  this  city ;  Edward  C. ;  and  Lizzie,  who  was  at  one  time 
a  public-school  teacher  and  died  in  1896  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years. 

Henry  E.  Ronge  completed  the  public-school  course  by  graduation  from  the 
high  school  with  the  class  of  1878.  He  also  received  instruction  in  the  Iowa  State 
University  through  the  summer  terms  and  thus  qualified  for  teaching.  He  took 
up  that  profession  in  1878  and  was  connected  with  the  rural  schools  of  Butler 
township  until  1892.  In  that  year  he  became  principal  of  the  schools  of  Buffalo 
and  was  afterward  principal  of  the  schools  of  Pleasant  Valley  and  Walcott. 
Early  in  the  year  1909  he  abandoned  the  profession  of  teaching,  however,  and 
went  upon  the  road  for  the  Davenport  Roofing  Company  but  on  the  death  of 
the  county  superintendent  of  schools,  W.  D.  Wells,  Mr.  Ronge  was  offered  the 
appointment  to  fill  out  the  unexpired  term  and  accepted,  as  the  work  was  con- 
genial and  offered  to  him  a  good  field  in  which  to  do  valuable  service  for  the 
interests  of  public  education.  He  is  well  fitted  for  the  position  and  already  there 
have  been  heard  many  favorable  comments  concerning  the  work  that  he  has 
done  in  connection  with  the  office. 

Professor  Ronge  spent  two  years  in  business  in  Florida  as  his  health  was  poor. 
He  found  the  southern  clime  beneficial  and  returned  much  improved.  He  was 
married  in  1906  to  Miss  Mary  M.  Hess,  a  native  of  Davenport,  and  in  this  city 
they  have  many  warm  friends  in  the  more  intelligent  and  cultured  social  circles. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 


I  niaiUKy   ue  bCOTT  COUNTY  963 


Professor  Ronge  is  a  charter  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodge  and  is  also 
a  member  of  Fraternal  Lodge,  221,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  He  has  directed  his  efforts 
in  those  lines  of  life  demanding  strong  intellectuality  and  offering  an  unlimited 
field  for  advancement,  and  with  high  ideals  he  has  done  good  work  for  the  bene- 
fit of  the  public  schools. 


JOHN  H.  STOUFFER. 


John  H.  Stouffer  has  gained  a  creditable  place  in  financial  circles,  serving  at 
the  present  time  as  the  cashier  of  the  Walcott  Savings  Bank,  and  is  also  closely 
identified  with  the  business  and  political  interests  of  the  community.  He  was 
born  in  Muscatine  county,  Towa,  on  the  3d  of  February,  1867,  and  is  a  son  of 
John  and  Caroline  (Hill)  Stouffer,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  They  came  to 
Iowa  at  an  early  date  and  continued  to  make  their  home  in  Muscatine  county 
until  the  father's  death,  when  the  mother  removed  to  Moline,  Illinois,  and  later 
came  to  Walcott. 

John  H.  Stouffer  was  reared  at  home  and  acquired  his  early  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  Moline  and  Walcott,  while  later  he  pursued  a  course  of  study 
at  Duncan's  Business  College  in  Davenport.  Thus  well  equipped  for  the  prac- 
tical and  responsible  duties  of  business  life,  he  started  out  to  earn  his  own 
livelihood  as  bookkeeper  in  the  employ  of  the  Stockdale  &  Dietz  Company.  He 
remained  with  that  firm  until  1899,  in  which  year  he  was  elected  cashier  of 
the  Walcott  Savings  Bank,  continuing  in  this  capacity  to  the  present  time.  The 
bank  was  organized  in  1893  with  a  capital  of  thirty  thousand  dollars,  H.  C.  Kohl 
being  appointed  its  first  cashier.  Since  his  connection  with  the  institution  its 
business  has  so  increased  that  on  May  i,  1908,  its  capital  was  extended  to  sixty 
thousand  dollars,  its  deposits  amounting  to  eight  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
dollars.  The  policy  of  the  house  is  safe  and  conservative  and  under  its  present 
efficient  management  has  become  one  of  the  sound  and  substantial  financial  in- 
stitutions of  the  county,  its  patronage  being  large  and  of  an  important  charac- 
ter. Mr.  Stouffer's  ability,  accuracy  and  fidelity  have  constituted  him  an  ex- 
cellent official  and  his  uniform  courtesy  and  prompt  attention  to  all  who  have 
business  with  the  bank  have  made  him  very  popular.  Although  he  is  deeply 
interested  in  the  affairs  of  the  bank  with  which  he  is  connected  and  is  ever  faith- 
ful in  the  performance  of  his  duties,  nevertheless  he  has  had  time  to  direct  his 
attention  into  other  channels  and  has  become  identified  with  the  fire  insurance 
business,  being  agent  in  Walcott  for  several  large  insurance  companies.  He  has 
been  very  successful  in  this  enterprise  and  in  the  conduct  of  his  afifairs  typifies 
the  progressive  spirit  of  the  times,  his  diligence  and  labor  constituting  him  a 
representative  factor  in  the  business  life  of  the  town. 

On  the  Sth  of  September,  1894,  in  Walcott,  Mr.  Stouffer  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Bertha  Hinz,  a  daughter  of  Louis  Hinz,  the  vice  president 
of  the  Walcott  Savings  Bank,  and  unto  this  union  have  been  born  three  chil- 
dren, namely :  Lloyd  H.,  Verona  N.  and  Elmore  J.  Mr.  Stouffer  is  well  known 
and  prominent  in  fraternal  circles,  being  a  member  of  Walcott  Lodge,  No.  312, 


964  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

K.  P.;  Modern  Brotherhood  of  America;  and  Walcott  Lodge,  No.  6,  Highland 
Nobles.  He  has  ever  taken  an  active  and  helpful  interest  in  community  affairs 
and  has  been  called  to  fill  positions  of  trust  and  honor.  For  some  time  he  was 
a  member  of  the  city  council  and  is  now  serving  as  city  clerk,  having  been  the 
incumbent  in  that  office  since  March,  1899.  He  is  president  of  the  school  board 
and  the  cause  of  education  finds  in  him  a  warm  friend.  At  the  time  of  the  in- 
stallation of  the  waterworks  system  in  Walcott  he  was  one  of  the  principal 
movers  and  has  cooperated  in  many  other  measures  which  have  been  of  per- 
manent and  substantial  benefit  to  the  community.  He  has  become  well  and 
favorably  known  in  this  county  as  a  man  of  sterling  character  and  worth,  for 
in  business  he  has  made  an  unassailable  reputation  and  in  private  life  has 
gained  that  warm  personal  regard  which  arises  from  the  possession  of  those 
traits  which  in  every  land  and  clime  command  confidence  and  admiration. 


ALFONS  LUDWIG  HAGEBOECK. 

Alfons  Ludwig  Hageboeck,  dependent  upon  his  own  resources  for  his  edu- 
cational opportunities  in  advance  of  those  offered  by  the  public  schools,  has 
throughout  his  entire  life  had  been  actuated  by  a  laudable  ambition  that  has  brought 
him  not  only  success  in  a  material  way  but  also  that  broader  culture  which  en- 
riches life.  Davenport  has  benefited  not  only  by  his  intense  and  well  directed 
activities  in  commercial,  industrial  and  professional  circles,  but  also  by  his  ad- 
vocacy and  support  of  the  movements  which  promote  intellectual  and  aesthetic 
culture,  bringing  into  life  the  highest  of  art  and  literature.  A  native  son  of 
Davenport,  Dr.  Hageboeck  was  born  on  the  14th  of  March,  1867,  and  while 
spending  his  boyhood  days  in  the  home  of  his  parents,  Gustav  and  Anna  Hage- 
boeck, he  enjoyed  the  educational  advantages  offered  by  the  pubUc  schools  but, 
unsatisfied  with  that,  his  laudable  ambition  in  educational  lines  prompted  him 
to  work  his  way  through  the  State  University  by  teaching.  He  won  his  pro- 
fessional degree  from  that  institution  in  1889  but  still  ambitious  for  further 
training  that  would  promote  his  efiiciency  in  his  efforts  to  alleviate  human  suf- 
fering and  check  the  ravages  of  disease,  he  went  abroad  and  spent  two  years  in 
post-graduate  work  in  Berlin,  Vienna  and  Paris,  at  the  same  time  acting  as 
correspondent  for  the  Philadelphia  Medical  News  and  doing  other  journalistic 
work. 

Upon  his  return  to  Davenport  in  1891  he  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his 
profession,  making  a  specialty,  however,  of  surgery.  During  the  years  of  his 
active  practice  he  made  six  trips  to  Europe  in  the  interests  of  his  profession, 
gaining  broad  knowledge  in  visiting  the  leading  clinics  of  the  old  world  and  in 
receiving  instruction  under  some  of  the  most  eminent  physicians  and  surgeons 
of  London,  Munich,  Paris  and  Vienna.  He  has  always  kept  in  touch  with  the 
old-world  masters  of  surgery  and  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  skillful 
surgeons  not  only  of  Davenport  but  of  Iowa  and  the  entire  middle  west.  His 
success  along  professional  lines  is  the  result  of  the  penetration  of  his  mind 
and  the  skill  of  his  hands.     He  is  cool,  logical,  unflinching  and  determined,  but 


hem;y  e.  R(.ix(:iE 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  965 

his  dominant  trait  is  his  resourcefulness.  He  is  a  tireless  worker  and  his  devo- 
tion to  his  profession,  combined  with  his  zeal  and  ambition,  led  to  his  constant 
study  of  everything  bearing  upon  this  branch  of  scientific  knowledge.  He  sup- 
plied his  office  with  the  latest  equipment  known  to  medical  and  surgical  science 
and  a  contemporary  biographer  said  of  him :  "His  years  of  experience  have  not 
only  added  to  his  wisdom  and  his  skill  but  have  deepened  his  sympathies  until 
his  work  of  relieving  suffering  seems  a  religion  rather  than  a  business.  Like 
all  of  the  best  men  of  his  profession,  he  gives  constantly  of  his  efforts  without 
expectation  of  compensation.  He  has  the  practical  humanitarianism  of  the 
physician  who  loves  his  work  and  self-sacrifice  has  become  an  unconscious  part 
of  his  life."  Dr.  Hageboeck  continued  in  active  practice  until  1907,  when  his 
own  impaired  health  forced  him  to  put  aside  the  arduous  duties  of  the  profession. 
Since  then  he  has  spent  over  two  years  abroad  but  has  recently  returned  to  his 
native  country  and  resumed  active  connection  with  various  business  interests, 
for  while  widely  known  as  a  physician  and  surgeon,  he  is  also  a  successful 
business  man  whose  labors  have  constituted  an  important  element  in  the  com- 
mercial and  industrial  development  of  the  city. 

Dr.  Hageboeck  has  fostered  various  industrial  enterprises  becoming  one  of 
the  leading  manufacturers  of  the  three  cities.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  and 
the  first  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Davenport  Locomotive  Works,  one  of 
the  most  rapidly  growing  industries  of  the  city,  and  at  the  present  writing  he  is 
vice  president  and  in  charge  of  the  commercial  management  of  the  business.  He 
was  also  president  of  the  Newcomb  Loom  Company,  the  product  of  which  is 
widely  known;  president  of  the  Whitehead  Company;  and  at  present  is  presi- 
dent of  the  American  Pneumatic  Action  Company;  vice  president  of  Andrews 
Chemical  Company;  and  a  director  in  various  other  enterprises.  His  real-estate 
interests  in  the  city  are  large  and  include  a  number  of  residences,  the  Hageboeck 
flats  and  the  Hageboeck  business  block,  and  from  his  realty  holdings  he  derives 
a  substantial  annual  income. 

On  the  23d  of  October,  1892,  Dr.  Hageboeck  was  married  to  Miss  Ida 
Pauline  Haller,  a  daughter  of  Louis  and  Margaret  (LadehoflE)  Haller.  Their 
two  children  are  Alfons  Edward  and  William  Peter.  Dr.  Hageboeck  is  con- 
nected with  various  fraternal  and  social  organizations,  while  in  more  strictly 
medical  lines  he  is  connected  with  all  the  medical  societies,  has  been  president  of 
the  Scott  County  Medical  Society  and  at  one  time  was  chairman  of  the  State 
Medical  Society.  He  belongs  to  the  Contemporary,  Golf,  Automobile  and  Out- 
ing Qubs,  was  one  of  the  promoters  of  the  Commercial  Qub  and  is  affiliated  with 
the  Masons  and  the  Elks.  He  is  fond  of  golf  and  other  manly  outdoor  sports 
and  takes  great  deUght  in  motoring.  His  business  and  private  interests,  how- 
ever, have  never  excluded  his  active  participation  in  affairs  relative  to  the 
welfare  of  the  city.  He  has  served  as  a  trustee  of  the  Carnegie  library  and  of 
the  Techentin  Free  Bed  in  St.  Luke's  Hospital  and  has  been  and  is  a  patron 
of  various  charitable  and  public  interests  of  the  city.  He  has  the  fine  perception 
and  sound  judgment  of  a  man  of  large  affairs  and  his  record  is  a  matter  of 
pride  to  Davenport,  while  his  labors  have  been  of  the  utmost  value  to  the  city. 
To  his  personal  friends  his  chief  charm  lies  in  the  breadth  of  his  interests  and  in 
spite  of  his  busy  life  he  is  a  man  of  broad  culture.    A  sincere  lover  of  books. 


966  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

fluent  in  German  and  French,  his  Hbrary  indicates  the  keenest  discrimination  in 
selection.  He  has  for  years  taken  great  dehght  in  the  study  of  continental  liter- 
ature and  he  is  also  a  patron  of  art  whose  knowledge  thereof  ranks  him  as  a  con- 
noisseur. In  his  travels  abroad  he  has  come  into  contact  with  the  best  that 
the  world  has  produced  in  the  plastic  as  well  as  the  painter's  art  and  a  reten- 
tive memory  makes  him  rich  in  the  possession  of  those  things  which,  once  seen, 
can  never  be  taken  from  us.  In  all  of  his  life  he  has  never  been  willing  to 
choose  the  second  best  but  has  sought  that  advancement  which  brings  us  to  the 
highest  and,  never  self-centered,  his  life  closely  touches  the  general  interests  of 
society  and  its  influence  has  ever  been  along  the  lines  of  progress  and  improve- 
ment. 


GENERAL  ADDISON  H.  SANDERS. 

Addison  H.  Sanders  was  born  on  the  13th  of  September,  1823,  in  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio.  His  education  was  begun  in  a  printing  office  of  his  native  city  and 
completed  at  Cincinnati  College.  In  1845  and  again  in  1846  he  came  to  Daven- 
port where  his  brother,  Alfred,  was  struggling  to  put  his  Gazette  on  a  paying 
basis.  During  each  of  these  visits  he  stayed  several  months  taking  editorial 
charge  of  the  paper  and  thus  relieving  his  overworked  brother  so  that  he  might 
bring  the  business  department  into  better  condition.  When  the  city  had  grown 
large  enough  to  demand  a  daily  paper,  Addison  H.  Sanders  removed  to  Daven- 
port, in  October,  1856,  took  editorial  charge  of  the  Daily  Davenport  Gazette  and 
continued  in  that  position  until  he  entered  the  Union  army.  At  the  beginning  of 
the  Civil  war  no  newspaper  in  Iowa  had  wider  infl.uence  than  the  Daily  Gazette 
of  Davenport. 

Early  in  1861  Addison  H.  Sanders  was  commissioned  aid  to  Governor  Kirk' 
wood,  serving  with  Judge  Baldwin  of  Council  Bluffs  and  later  in  the  year  he  was 
placed  in  command  of  Camp  McClellan,  at  Davenport,  where  the  Union  volun- 
teers were  mustering  for  the  organization  of  regiments  and  for  drill.  The  Six- 
teenth Regiment  was  organized  early  in  the  winter  of  1862  and  Governor  Kirk- 
wood  was  so  impressed  with  the  excellent  work  and  superior  qualifications  of 
Addison  H.  Sanders  that  he  offered  him  the  position  of  colonel  of  the  new  regi- 
ment. But  having  observed  the  disadvantage  of  placing  inexperienced  officers 
at  the  head  of  new  regiments,  he  declined  the  command,  urging  the  selection  of 
a  regular  army  officer  for  the  place.  The  governor  and  General  Baker  realized 
the  wisdom  of  such  a  selection  and  Captain  Alexander  Chambers  of  the  Eighteenth 
United  States  Infantry  was  appointed  colonel  and  Mr.  Sanders  was  commis- 
sioned lieutenant  colonel.  The  regiment  received  its  "baptism  of  fire"  at  the 
desperate  and  bloody  battle  of  Shiloh  and  at  Corinth  Lieutenant  Colonel  San- 
ders was  wounded  very  severely.  He  did  gallant  service  during  the  war,  often 
in  command  of  the  regiment.  At  the  battle  of  Atlanta,  July  22,  1864,  Colond 
Sanders  was  taken  prisoner,  suffering  everything  but  death  in  the  Confederate 
prison,  and  when  exchanged  was  so  low  with  starvation  and  fever  that  for  a 
long  time  his  recovery  was  doubtful. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  967 

On  the  2d  of  April,  1865,  General  Sanders  was  discharged  from  the  service 
for  disability,  having  been  brevetted  brigadier  general  for  gallant  conduct  on 
many  battlefields.  Upon  his  return  home  he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Dav- 
enport. In  1870  he  was  appointed  by  President  Grant  secretary  of  Montana 
territory  and  became  acting  governor.  In  1872  he  was  appointed  registrar  of  the 
United  States  land  office  for  Montana.  He  returned  to  his  old  home  at  Davenport, 
where  for  many  years  he  was  engaged  in  editorial  work  on  several  of  the 
daily  papers.  As  a  writer  General  Sanders  for  a  third  of  a  century  ranked 
among  the  ablest  in  the  state.  He  is  now  enjoying  the  reminiscent  twilight  of 
a  long  and  active  life  in  his  latest  home  in  sunny  Georgia. 


SEVERIN  SCHINDLER. 

Severin  Schindler,  deceased,  who  for  many  years  was  identified  with  min- 
ing and  agricultural  interests  in  Scott  county,  was  born  in  Baden,  Germany,  on 
the  2d  of  September,  1835.  There  he  was  reared  and  educated  and  in  1854 
came  to  America,  thinking  in  this  country  to  find  better  opportunities  for  busi- 
ness advancement  than  were  offered  in  the  old  world.  He  located  first  in  Penn- 
sylvania, where  he  was  engaged  in  farming  and  coal  mining  for  about  twenty- 
two  months,  and  then  removed  to  Pomeroy,  Ohio,  where  he  worked  in  the  roll- 
ing mills,  stone  quarries  and  salt  mines  until  the  spring  of  1858.  He  then  went 
to  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  and  soon  after  settled  in  Minersville,  Illinois,  where 
he  was  employed  in  the  mines  for  some  time.  Subsequently  he  came  to  Scott 
county,  locating  in  Buffalo,  where  he  mined  for  Captain  W.  L.  Clark,  a  Mr. 
Langley  and  Captain  LeRoy  Dodge.  Later  he  opened  up  a  mine  of  his  own, 
which  he  operated  for  two  years,  and  then,  in  1870,  settled  upon  a  farm  in  Buf- 
falo township,  where  he  continued  to  make  his  home  until  the  time  of  his  death. 
The  property  consisted  of  ninety  acres  of  land,  upon  which  he  carried  on  gen- 
eral agricultural  pursuits,  and  in  this  line  of  activity  he  was  very  successful,  as 
he  had  ever  been*  in  his  various  other  business  enterprises,  industry,  energy  and 
perseverance  being  his  salient  characteristics. 

On  the  1st  of  March,  1859,  Mr.  Schindler  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Emma  Weaver,  a  native  of  Hessen,  Germany,  and  a  daughter  of  Otto  and  Ka- 
trina  Weaver,  also  born  in  the  fatherland.  Unto  this  union  were  born  three 
children,  two  daughters  and  one  son,  namely:  Rosa,  the  wife  of  Charles  Brus, 
of  Blue  Grass  township;  and  Anna  and  John,  still  under  the  parental  roof. 
Mr.  Schindler  was  called  to  his  final  rest  on  the  8th  of  June,  1903,  and  his  death 
was  the  occasion  of  deep  regret  not  only  in  the  home  where  he  had  been  a 
loving  father  and  husband,  but  also  in  the  community  where  he  had  gained  many 
friends  who  held  him  in  the  highest  respect  and  esteem  because  of  his  many  ex- 
cellent traits  of  character. 

John  Schindler,  the  son,  who  was  born  on  the  29th  of  December,  1871,  at- 
tended the  country  schools  near  his  father's  home  in  the  acquirement  of  an 
education,  and  has  always  remained  upon  the  home  farm,  wisely  choosing  as 
his  life  work  the  occupation  to  which  he  had  been  reared.     He  has  had  entire 


968  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

charge  of  the  homestead  since  the  death  of  his  father  and  has  never  married, 
devoting  his  time  to  the  care  of  his  widowed  mother  and  one  sister  who  still 
resides  at  home.  The  family  are  all  members  of  the  Catholic  church  and  oc- 
cupy a  high  place  in  the  social  circles  of  the  community,  while  in  politics  John 
Schindler  is  a  stalwart  republican.  The  honors  and  emoluments  of  ofifice,  how- 
ever, have  had  no  attraction  for  him,  as  he  prefers  to  concentrate  his  energies 
upon  the  conduct  of  his  business  affairs,  which,  capably  managed,  are  proving 
a  source  of  substantial  profit.  He  is  a  young  man  who,  having  passed  his  entire 
life  within  the  borders  of  Buffalo  township,  has  gained  a  circle  of  friends  which 
is  almost  coextensive  with  the  circle  of  his  acquaintances  and  is  numbered  among 
the  progressive  and  enterprising  agriculturists  of  the  locality. 


GEORGE  W.  BAWDEN. 

The  history  of  the  Davenport  bar  contains  no  more  illustrious  name  than  that 
of  George  W.  Bawden,  whose  professional  integrity  and  honor  were  unquestioned, 
while  his  skill  and  power  in  the  conduct  of  litigated  interests  are  evidenced  by 
the  court  records,  which  chronicle  many  cases  that  he  won  through  his  elocu- 
tion, logic  and  correct  application  of  the  law.  He  was  born  in  Norristown, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1859,  and  when  but  two  years  of  age  was  brought  to  Daven- 
port by  his  parents.  Theodore  Roosevelt  has  said  that  "the  best  type  of  Ameri- 
can citizens  are  those  of  eastern  birth  and  western  training,"  and  such  was  the 
life  of  Mr.  Bawden,  who  in  the  environment  of  a  growing  western  city  spent 
his  youthful  days,  acquiring  his  education  in  its  public  schools,  his  studies  being 
continued  until  he  completed  the  high  school  course.  He  determined  upon  the 
practice  of  law  as  his  life  work  and  to  this  end  entered  the  Iowa  State  University, 
in  which  he  completed  the  law  course  and  was  graduated.  Following  his  ad- 
mission to  the  bar  he  returned  to  Davenport  and  entered  the  office  of  C.  A. 
Ficke,  with  whom  he  remained  for  a  short  time,  in  1880.  He  had  but  just  at- 
tained his  majority  when  he  entered  upon  the  practice  of  law  and,  with  the 
energy  and  determination  of  young  manhood,  he  sought  to  prove  his  strength 
in  the  legal  field  in  competition  with  lawyers  of  broad  experience  and  twice  his 
years.  He  went  to  Muscatine  and  took  advantage  of  a  legal  opening,  and  con- 
tinued as  a  representative  of  the  bar  in  that  city  until  October,  1895,  when  he 
returned  to  Davenport  and  entered  upon  practice  here  in  connection  with  the 
late  Julius  Lischer,  under  the  firm  name  of  Lischer  &  Bawden.  In  1901  the 
admission  of  a  third  partner  led  to  the  adoption  of  the  firm  name  of  Lischer, 
Bawden  &  Neal,  which  was  retained  until  the  death  of  the  senior  partner  in  1902, 
after  which  the  firm  of  Bawden  &  Thueman  was  organized.  Mr.  Bawden  be- 
came recognized  as  a  conscientious  and  able  lawyer,  devoting  himself  to  the 
interests  of  his  clients  yet  never  forgetting  for  a  moment  that  there  were  certain 
things  which  he  owed  to  his  own  self-respect  and  to  the  righteous  administration 
of  the  law. 

He  rendered  capable  service  to  his  city  through  two  terms'  connection  with 
the  council  as  representative  from  the  fifth  ward.    He  declined  to  serve  longer. 


GEO] ;(;!•:   W.    r.AWKKN 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  971 

although  his  constituents  wished  to  retain  him  in  office,  and  he  also  declined  to 
accept  the  candidacy  for  mayor.  For  one  year  he  was  a  citizen  member  of  the 
board  of  health.  His  political  support  was  always  given  to  the  republican  party, 
of  which  he  was  one  of  the  local  leaders,  his  opinions  carrying  weight  in  its 
councils.  He  eagerly  embraced  every  opportunity  to  aid  in  the  city's  develop- 
men  and  progress  and  he  gave  not  only  valuable  legal  counsel  but  also  the  en- 
thusiasm of  a  patriotic  man  toward  securing  the  building  of  the  Iowa  Ill- 
inois Interurban  line  from  Davenport  to  Clinton.  As  counsel  for  the  Iowa  & 
Illinois  Railroad  he  piloted  that  company  through  the  legal  entanglements  that 
beset  the  securing  of  a  franchise  and  again  and  again  appeared  before  the  city 
council  to  argue  contested  points. 

Mr.  Bawden  was  married  in  1885  to  Miss  Jennie  Eldridge,  a  daughter  of 
J.  M.  Eldridge,  one  of  the  best  known  and  most  honored  residents  of  Daven- 
port to  the  time  of  his  death.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bawden  had  three  sons :  Albert  R., 
George  Ray  and  Harry.  The  death  of  Mr.  Bawden  occurred  on  the  23d  of 
March,  1905.  He  was  a  devoted  member  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  be- 
longed to  the  Davenport  Turner  Society  and  was  one  of  the  most  esteemed 
members  of  the  Scott  County  Bar  Association.  His  ability  and  integrity  as  a 
lawyer  were  recognized  by  all,  his  honesty  being  one  of  his  strongest  characteris- 
tics. He  would  never  urge  a  client  into  a  suit  for  the  sake  of  the  fees,  but  on 
the  contrary  hesitated  in  taking  any  case  unless  he  was  assured  of  the  justice  of 
the  case — a  course  from  which  there  are  too  many  professional  lapses.  No  rep- 
resentative of  the  bench  and  bar  has  been  more  honored  by  the  legal  fraternity 
of  Davenport,  not  only  because  of  his  professional  honor  and  ability  but  also  on 
account  of  his  personal  worth  in  all  life's  relations. 


C.  B.  SNYDER. 


The  great  development  which  has  marked  the  passage  of  years  in  this  county 
and  state  has  been  witnessed  and  participated  in  by  C.  B.  Snyder,  who  came 
with  his  parents  to  Aliens  Grove  township  twenty-six  days  before  Iowa  was 
admitted  to  statehood.  On  the  last  day  of  November,  1846,  after  dark,  the 
family  crossed  the  Mississippi  river,  on  the  old  horse  ferry  that  was  then  in 
use,  and  located  one  mile  east  of  where  the  town  of  Dixon  now  stands.  There 
was  little  at  that  time,  however,  to  indicate  the  future  growth  of  this  section 
of  the  state,  but  the  father  believed  that  he  was  not  making  a  mistake  in  locating 
here.  Years  have  proved  the  correctness  of  his  choice,  both  in  the  case  of  his 
own  achievements  and  those  of  his  son,  C.  B.  Snyder. 

The  latter  was  born  in  Huron  county,  Ohio,  near  Chicago  Junction,  May 
18, 1838,  a  son  of  Simon  and  Susannah  (Jacobs)  Snyder.  The  parents  were  both 
natives  of  Pennsylvania,  the  father  of  Mount  Bethel,  and  the  mother  of  Phila- 
delphia. They  were  married  in  Tompkins  county,  New  York,  however,  for 
there  Mr.  Snyder,  who  was  following  the  tanners'  trade  at  that  time,  had  built 
a  tannery.  Later  they  removed  to  Huron  county,  Ohio,  and  thence  to  Scott 
county,  Iowa,  where  the  remaining  years  of  their  lives  were  spent.    Here  Mr. 


972  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Snyder  followed  farming  with,  such  profit  that  before  he  divided  his  property 
among  his  children  he  was  possessed  of  several  hundred  acres.  Seven  children 
had  been  granted  to  him  and  his  wife.  Ephraim  is  deceased.  Roswell  B.  and 
Richard  J.  were  drowned  in  the  Wapsie  river  in  1848.  Rudolph  S.  enlisted, 
'August,  1861,  in  Company  C,  Second  Iowa  Cavalry,  serving  until  the  close  of 
the  Civil  war.  He  is  now  a  resident  of  Dixon.  C.  B.  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
Daniel  enlisted  in  the  Second  Iowa  Cavalry  and  served  during  three  years  of  the 
Civil  war.  He  is  now  living  in  Grand  Mound,  Clinton  county,  Iowa.  John  is 
a  resident  of  Aliens  Grove  township.  He  was  strong  in  supporting  the  principles 
of  the  republican  party  in  the  early  days  and  was  a  Methodist  in  religious  be- 
Hef. 

C.  B.  Snyder  was  about  eight  years  of  age  when  his  parents  came  to  Scott 
county,  where  he  has  since  resided,  living  upon  the  homestead  in  Aliens  Grove 
township  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty-five,  when  he  engaged  in  agriculture 
for  himself.  He  then  bought  the  three  hundred  and  thirty  acres  in  Liberty 
township  adjoining  the  corporate  limits  of  the  town  of  Dixon,  which  has  since 
been  his  home.  Now  it  is  highly  cultivated  but  the  improvements  and  even 
the  cultivation  of  the  greater  part  of  it  are  the  result  of  Mr.  Snyder's  own  ef- 
forts, for  much  of  the  land  he  had  had  to  be  broken  when  it  came  into  his  pos- 
session. Many  large  and  handsome  buildings  adorn  the  ground,  including  a 
commodious  dwelling  house  and  ample  accommodation  for  the  shelter  of  his 
stock,  to  which  he  has  given  much  of  his  attention.  Indeed,  Mr.  Snyder  chal- 
lenges any  man  in  the  state  to  exhibit  a  finer  herd  of  cattle  than  the  ninety  head 
which  are  his  at  present.  They  are  full  blooded  polled  Angus  stock,  started 
from  imported  animals,  and  as  he  has  been  making  a  specialty  of  breeding  this 
strain  for  the  past  twenty  years,  he  has  as  excellent  cattle  of  that  kind  as  may 
be  procured.  Until  the  past  year,  Mr.  Snyder  also  made  a  specialty  of  raising 
sheep,  but  he  has  now  forsaken  that  industry.  He  has  made  a  fine  reputation 
for  himself  as  a  stockman  and  farmer  and  has  won  a  large  and  substantial  rev- 
enue in  compensation  for  his  labors. 

While  of  necessity  so  much  of  his  time  has  been  given  to  his  private  con- 
cerns, Mr.  Snyder  has  not  failed  to  devote  many  years  to  the  service  of  his  fel- 
low citizens,  by  whom  he  has  been  several  times  honored  with  evidences  of  their 
confidence  in  him  and  his  ability.  During  the  administration  of  Abraham  Lin- 
coln he  was  postmaster  of  Dixon.  He  also  served  as  township  trustee  for  two 
terms,  acted  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  a  number  of  years,  was  a  member  of  the 
township  school  board  and  its  president  for  a  long  period  and  was  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  education  of  Dixon.  Under  Governor  Stone  he  held  a  com- 
mission as  second  lieutenant,  which  has  never  been  recalled,  and  for  a  short  time 
he  also  held  a  commission  under  Adjutant  General  Baker. 

On  the  1st  of  February,  1863,  Mr.  Snyder  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Harriett  Irene  Haile,  who  was  born  in  Liberty  township,  this  county,  February 
10,  1843,  three  years  before  Iowa  became  a  state.  Her  parents  were  James  and 
Elizabeth  (Heller)  Haile,  who  were  natives  of  Brookline,  Massachusetts,  and 
Ohio  respectively.  In  1835  they  came  to  Iowa,  where  they  were  married  and 
passed  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Haile  ran  the 
old  Wilson  ferry  at  Davenport,  when  it  was  operated  by  horse  power.     Three 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  973 

children  were  born  to  him  and  his  wife,  namely:  Mrs.  Snyder;  Charles  of  Os- 
kaloosa,  Iowa ;  and  Cornelius,  who  died  young. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snyder  have  had  thirteen  children:  Charles  D.  a  resident 
of  Parma,  Idaho ;  James  Smith,  who  went  to  Alaska  during  the  excitement  at- 
tendant upon  the  discovery  of  gold  there  and  has  not  been  heard  from  since; 
John  F.,  of  Alfalfa,  Washington ;  Ella,  the  wife  of  S.  M.  Skelton,  of  Caldwell, 
Idaho;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  E.  T.  Fox,  of  Parma,  Idaho;  Mary,  the  wife  of 
M.  E.  Bowling,  of  Davenport;  Henry,  of  Dixon;  Lee  H.,  an  engineer  upon  the 
Rock  Island  Railroad,  who  makes  his  home  in  Rock  Island,  lUinois;  Rudolph, 
the  United  States  inspector  of  stock  at  Lemoore,  California ;  Edith  and  Edna, 
twins,  the  former  the  wife  of  J.  H.  Smith,  of  Washta,  Iowa,  the  latter  at  home ; 
Raymond,  who  lives  in  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  where  he  is  in  the  employ  of  the 
Great  Northern  Railroad;  Maude  H.,  a  bookkeeper  in  Davenport;  and  Nancy, 
who  was  an  orphan  reared  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snyder  and  is  now  the  wife  of 
B.  U.  Shaw,  of  Big  Hole  Valley,  Montana. 

Mr.  Snyder  has  always  been  a  republican  and  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church  of  Dixon,  in  which  he  is  a  trustee  and  elder.  Among  his  other  com- 
mercial interests  he  is  connected  with  the  M.  V.  Boies  Company,  of  Davenport, 
the  first  undertaking  firm  established  in  the  city,  which  for  more  than  thirty  years 
has  been  conducted  under  the  same  name.  Mr.  Snyder  is  now  its  president, 
proving  himself  as  able  a  man  of  business  as  a  successful  farmer.  The  long 
years  of  his  life  have  been  attended  with  prosperity  and  he  enjoys  the  unbounded 
respect  and  esteem  of  his  associates  and  friends. 


LOUIS  BROCKMANN. 

Louis  Brockmann  has  retired  from  active  farming  and  now  in  his  declining 
years  is  able  to  look  back  over  a  well  spent  life.  His  present  residence  is  in  El- 
dridge.  His  birthplace  was  Mecklenburg,  Germany,  his  natal  day  being  April 
13,  1839,  and  his  parents  Frederick  and  Doris  Brockmann.  The  father  was  in 
the  Napoleonic  wars,  his  service  including  the  year  1813.  He  was  one  of  the 
town  officials  and  a  prominent  member  and  officer  in  the  Lutheran  church.  He 
did  not  leave  his  native  land  and  departed  this  life  in  1858. 

Mr.  Brockmann  secured  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Germany  and  in 
course  of  time  married.  In  1866,  some  years  after  the  death  of  his  father,  he 
came  to  America  with  his  wife  and  mother.  They  landed  upon  the  eastern  coast 
and  then  after  some  consideration  came  to  Davenport,  Iowa.  Mr.  Brockmann 
looked  about  him  for  some  means  of  livelihood  and  secured  work  as  a  farm  laborer. 
As  soon  as  opportunity  presented  he  rented  land  in  Butler  township  and  pros- 
pered steadily,  in  1880  finding  himself  in  a  position  to  buy  a  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  near  Long  Grove.  It  was  while  living  upon  this  property 
that  his  mother  died.  In  1895  Mr.  Brockmann  and  his  family  removed  to  a 
farm  in  another  part  of  Scott  county.  He  added  to  his  property  by  purchasing 
eighty  acres  in  Princeton  township  but  subsequently  sold  all  his  farming  land 


974  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

and  bought  property  in  Eldridge,  to  which  he  removed  upon  his  retirement  in 
1901. 

Previous  to  his  coming  to  the  United  States,  Mr.  Brockmann  married  Miss 
Eliza  H'agen,  November  i,  1865.  Three  children  were  born  to  this  union:  Hugo, 
of  Princeton  township,  who  married  Emma  Koch  and  has  three  children,  Ma- 
mie, Hilda  and  Viola ;  Carl,  a  resident  of  Hickory  Grove  township,  who  married 
Laura  Meyer  and  has  three  children,  Lona,  Mildred  and  Arnold ;  and  Meta,  who 
is  now  Mrs.  Herman  Holtz  and  has  a  daughter,  Wilma. 

Mr.  Brockmann's  success  has  come  entirely  through  his  own  efforts  and  it 
has  been  considerable  in  view  of  the  fact  that  he  came  to  America  with  no 
capital.  Nothing  is  more  intimately  associated  with  the  prosperity  of  a  nation 
than  its  agricultural  interests  and  as  a  progressive  and  representative  agriculturist 
he  has  added  to  the  sum  total  of  American  well  being. 


JULIUS  C.  VOGT. 


Julius  C.  Vogt  is  now  living  retired  in  the  village  of  Mount  Joy,  but  he  was 
for  a  number  of  years  actively  identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of  Sheridan 
township,  where  he  owns  one  hundred  and  seventy  acres  of  land.  A  native  of  Scott 
county,  he  has  passed  his  entire  life  in  this  section  of  Iowa,  and  as  he  looks  at 
the  success  which  has  attended  his  labors  on  the  farm,  he  has  no  reason  to  regret 
that  he  remained  in  a  locaHty  whose  soil  is  so  fertile. 

He  was  born  in  Sheridan  township.  May  2,  1862,  and  is  a  son  of  Christian  and 
Cathrina  Vogt,  both  natives  of  Holstein,  Germany.  The  father  was  born  May 
22,  1822,  and  the  mother  March  5,  1823.  In  the  land  of  his  birth  Christian  Vogt 
received  a  fair  common-school  education  and  gained  some  experience  as  a  farmer. 
When  about  twenty-fiVe  years  of  age  he  married  and  shortly  afterward,  accom- 
panied by  his  wife,  embarked  upon  the  ocean  voyage  to  America,  reaching  New 
York,  July  4,  1847.  He  came  immediately  to  Scott  county,  and  as  he  had  a  little 
money  he  bought  three  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  prairie  land  in  Sheridan  town- 
ship, for  which  he  paid  one  dollar  and  a  quarter  an  acre.  He  broke  the  soil, 
built  a  house,  made  other  improvements  and  engaged  in  general  farming  with  such 
success  that  about  1870  he  was  able  to  add  one  hundred  and  forty-six  acres  to 
the  original  purchase.  He  had  experienced  many  of  the  hardships  of  pioneer 
life  but  had  derived  from  his  diligent  cultivation  of  his  fields  a  large  income  and 
consequaitly  in  1885  felt  he  was  justified  in  removing  to  Davenport  to  spend 
the  rest  of  his  life  in  retirement.  There  his  death  occurred  March  31,  1905. 
When  admitted  to  citizenship,  he  espoused  the  cause  of  the  republican  party  and 
ever  gave  stanch  allegiance  to  it.  He  was  not  an  office  seeker,  however,  although 
as  road  supervisor  and  in  other  capacities  he  rendered  the  community  efficient 
service,  his  record  ever  being  one  which  commanded  universal  respect.  His  wife 
had  died  about  two  years  before  him,  her  death  having  occurred  April  11,  1903. 
They  were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  namely:  William,  of  Grinnell,  Iowa; 
Louisa,  the  deceased  wife  of  Hugo  Stange;  Adolph,  who  has  also  passed  away; 


Mli.   AND   MRS.   JULITS   ('     VOCT 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  975 

Emily,  the  wife  of  J.  B.  Frahm,  of  Davenport;  Henry,  deceased;  Alvena,  who 
resides  in  Davenport;  and  Julius  C,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Julius  C.  Vogt  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Sheridan  township  and  has  been 
identified  with  its  agricultural  pursuits  from  the  time  he  was  able  to  assist  in 
plowing,  cultivating  or  harvesting.  When  of  suitable  age  he  became  a  pupil  in 
the  district  school  near  his  home,  therein  deriving  that  fundamental  training 
that  fitted  him  for  later  responsibilities.  After  he  put  aside  his  text-books  he 
operated  the  home  farm  in  conjunction  with  his  father  until  1885,  when  he  mar- 
ried and  assumed  the  full  burden  of  its  care,  for  Mr.  Vogt,  Sr.,  retired  then  and 
removed  to  Davenport.  For  almost  a  quarter  of  a  century  after  that  date  Julius 
Vogt  devoted  all  his  time  and  thought  to  cultivating  the  one  hundred  and  seventy 
acres  which  are  his  and  with  each  year  saw  a  substantial  increase  in  the  value  of 
the  harvests  he  reaped,  for  he  spared  no  labor  and  made  a  thorough  study  of  the 
soil  so  that  he  obtained  the  best  results  possible.  At  the  same  time  he  managed 
his  affairs  with  sound  business  judgment  that  conserved  his  resources  and  made 
possible  his  retirement  to  Mount  Joy,  in  November,  1909.  Although  so  sig- 
nally successful  as  a  farmer,  he  was  not  blind  to  advantages  to  be  gained  through 
connection  with  the  financial  world  and  accordingly  secured  stock  in  the  Farm- 
ers &  Mechanics  Bank,  of  Davenport. 

On  the  26th  of  March,  1885,  Mr.  Vogt  was  married  to  Miss  Amelia  Kuehl, 
like  her  husband  a  native  of  Sheridan  township  and  a  daughter  of  Claus  and 
Elizabeth  (Thomson)  Kuehl.  Her  father  was  born  December  3,  1830,  and  died 
May  s,  1.892,  while  her  mother  was  born  October  5,  1837,  and  died  March  24, 
igoS.  They  came  to  Scott  county  in  the  early  years  of  its  settlement,  and  both 
are  now  deceased.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vogt  have  been  born  five  children,  as 
follows:  Christ,  who  is  at  home;  Emil,  who  married  Miss  Blanch  Muhs  and 
lives  on  the  old  homestead ;  Henry  and  Carl,  who  are  twins  and  live  at  home ; 
and  Hilda,  also  at  home. 

Since  age  conferred  upon  him  the  right  of  franchise,  Mr.  Vogt  has  stanchly 
supported  the  democratic  party,  on  whose  ticket  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of 
township  trustee.  For  nine  years  he  discharged  the  duties  devolving  upon  him 
while  serving  in  that  capacity.  At  present  he  is  residing  in  Mount  Joy,  in  a 
pleasant  home  he  built  in  1909,  where  a  generous  hospitality  is  extended  by  both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vogt  to  their  large  circle  of  friends.  He  belongs  to  the  Turner 
Society  in  Eldridge. 


JOHN  B.  MICLOT. 

John  B.  Miclot,  assistant  street  commissioner,  is  as  his  name  indicates,  of 
French  origin,  although  a  native  of  Davenport,  where  he  was  born  August  12, 
1863.  His  parents  were  Joseph  M.  and  Julie  (Nathan)  Miclot,  the  father's 
birthplace  being  in  France,  where  he  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  a  good  educa- 
tion and  a  thorough  musical  training.  Upon  coming  to  the  land  of  the  stars  and 
stripes  and  settling  in  Davenport  he  secured  employment  upon  what  is  now  a 
part  of  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific  Railroad.    Later  he  engaged  in  the 


976  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

grocery  business  on  Brady  street  and  proved  sufficiently  successful  to  continue 
in  it  for  eighteen  years.  He  enjoyed  a  short  retirement  from  business  prior  to 
his  death,  which  occurred  November  i8,  1901.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was 
born  on  Brady  street  where  Trinity  church  now  stands.  Her  father,  Bryan  Na- 
than, was  one  of  Davenport's  oldest  settlers,  arriving  here  in  1838  when  the 
town  was  in  a  decidedly  primitive  condition.  Mr.  Miclot,  Sr.,  was  survived  by 
his  wife  less  than  a  year,  her  death  occurrring  May  18,  1902. 

John  B.  Miclot  was  educated  in  St.  Anthony's  school  and  crossed  the  thres- 
hold of  his  business  career  as  a  printer.  Later  he  took  up  the  trade  of  molder, 
continuing  in  it  for  several  years,  and  finally  accepting  a  position  with  the  Bet- 
tendorf  Manufacturing  Company.  Here  for  six  years  he  climbed  steadily  up- 
ward and  was  successively  foreman,  assistant  and  superintendent.  He  then  en- 
tered the  employ  of  the  Bettendorf  Axle  Company,  where  he  gave  his  services 
for  nine  years.  He  severed  this  association  to  make  an  entire  change  of  busi- 
ness and  commenced  dealing  in  real  estate  and  insurance,  in  which  his  fair  methods 
and  keenness  of  perception  have  enabled  him  to  acquire  a  fine  clientage. 

On  October  11,  1893,  Mr.  Miclot  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lizzie 
Gallagher,  of  Long  Grove,  Iowa,  a  daughter  of  James  and  Bridget  (McDonald) 
Gallagher,  the  father  a  prominent  farmer.  They  reside  at  329  East  Thirteenth 
street,  which  property  they  own. 

Mr.  Miclot  is  a  man  of  force  and  one  who  stands  high  in  the  esteem  of  his 
fellowmen.  He  has  numerous  social  affiliations.  Of  the  Catholic  faith,  he  holds 
membership  with  the  Knights  of  Columbus  and  the  Sacred  Heart  Society  and 
is  also  identified  with  the  Modern  Woodmen,  the  Eagles  and  the  Red  Men. 


H.  J.  FLICK. 


One  of  the  well  known  citizens  of  Dixon  is  H.  J.  Flick,  who  for  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century  has  been  the  agent  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul 
Railroad  at  this  point.  On  his  arrival  in  Scott  county  there  was  little  to  indicate 
the  presence  of  a  village  at  the  place  where  Dixon  is  now  located  nor  that  it 
would  become  so  prosperous  a  community.  Not  only  has  Mr.  Flick  witnessed 
its  growth  and  development  but  has  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  his  ef- 
forts have  contributed  no  small  share  toward  producing  this  state  of  affairs. 

He  was  born  in  Somerset  county,  Pennsylvania,  January  26,  1838,  a  son  of 
George  and  Eliza  (Shult^)  Flick,  both  natives  of  the  same  county.  The  father 
was  of  Hungarian  parentage,  while  the  maternal  grandparents  were  of  Pennsyl- 
vanian  nativity.  In  1853  George  Flick  moved  his  family  to  Columbiana  county, 
Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  and  stock  raising.  A  well  deserved  success 
attended  his  efforts  and  the  last  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  Ohio  in  the  en- 
joyment of  a  substantial  income.  Eight  children  were  born  to  him  and  his  wife: 
Mary,  now  the  widow  of  John  Brough,  of  Cleveland;  Sarah,  who  became  the 
wife  of  Lewis  Bleum,  both  now  deceased;  H.  J.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch; 
Chauncey  William,  who  died  in  Columbiana  county,  Ohio,  and  served  valiantly 
in  the  Civil  war  as  a  member  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Fourth  Ohio  Volunteer 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  977 

Infantry ;  Norman,  who  served  for  almost  four  years  in  the  heavy  artillery  and 
died  in  Salem,  Ohio ;  Ellen  Minerva,  the  wife  of  Daniel.  Richey,  who  resides  near 
Salem,  Ohio;  Wilson,  who  died  at  the  age  of  four  years;  and  Catherine,  who 
died  in  infancy. 

H.  J.  Flick  removed  with  his  parents  to  Salem,  Columbiana  county,  Ohio, 
in  1853,  and  there  was  employed  in  the  mail  service  for  two  years.  Later  he 
engaged  in  farm  work  under  the  direction  of  his  parents  and  then  became  in- 
terested in  the  oil  wells  in  Beaver  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  remained  there, 
however,  but  one  year,  coming  April  19,  1867,  to  Davenport  and  the  following 
day  to  Dixon,  where  he  joined  a  brother-in-law,  Thomas  Graham.  After  work- 
ing upon  his  farm  for  several  years  he  became  the  agent  for  the  railroad  which 
was  then  known  as  the  Davenport  &  St.  Paul  but  which  has  now  been  incorporated 
into  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  systems.  It  was  upon  the  26th  of 
January,  1872,  that  he  assumed  his  duties,  which  he  has  discharged  with  such 
satisfaction  that,  though  he  desired  to  resign  his  position,  the  railroad  would  not 
permit  it.  Accordingly,  as  his  own  health  necessitated  his  relinquishing  the 
heavier  duties,  he  engaged  another  to  perform  the  work  which  was  entrusted  to 
him.  In  the  years  that  he  has  been  agent  he  has  also  done  considerable  work  upon 
the  construction  of  the  railroad,  in  more  than  one  way  contributing  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  Dixon.  He  has  always  been  particularly  interested  in  the  welfare 
of  this  community  and  when  it  was  incorporated  into  a  village  in  the  spring  of 
1909  he  became  one  of  the  aldermen. 

In  1861  Mr.  Flick  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Jackson,  who  was 
born  in  Columbiana  county,  Ohio,  June  28,  1829.  Her  parents  were  John  and 
Roxanna  Jackson,  natives  of  England  and  Northumberland  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, respectively.  Three  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Flick: 
Carrie  A.,  the  wife  of  Marion  Fitzgibbon,  of  Mount  Vernon,  New  York ;  Joseph 
H.,  who  is  Hving  in  Chicago  and  is  a  railroad  constructor;  and  Charles  E.,  who 
is  engaged  in  the  same  business  in  Illinois.  The  sons  were  started  in  life  with 
one  dollar  in  their  pockets  but  they  have  proved  successful  business  men  and 
are  now  well  advanced  along  the  road  to  success,  having  followed  in  their  father's 
footsteps  both  as  to  occupation  and  as  to  the  means  for  getting  ahead.  These  in 
the  case  of  the  older  man  have  proved  most  efficacious  for  he  has  so  ordered 
his  life  that  his  employers,  who  have  had  perhaps  the  best  opportunity  of  dis- 
covering his  character,  are  determined  to  keep  him  upon  their  payroll. 


ERNST  ZOLLER. 


Ernst  Zoller,  president  of  the  Independent  Brewing  &  Malting  Company,  of 
Davenport  was  born  in  California,  May  10,  1859,  a  son  of  Ernst  and  Amelia 
(Guisler)  Zoller.  The  father  was  born  in  Germany,  and  came  to  Davenport  in 
1848,  but  after  a  short  stay,  became  infected  with  the  gold  fever  of  1849,  and 
went  to  California,  which  remained  his  home  until  1859.  Having  attained  suc- 
cess in  his  mining  ventures,  he  returned  to  Davenport,  where  he  embarked  in  a 


978  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

brewing  enterprise  at  Black  Hawk,  in  a  small  way,  thus  continuing  until  his 
death  in  1874.    His  widow  survived  him  until  1906. 

Ernst  Zoller,  Jr.,  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  about  1885  engaged 
in  the  malt  production  business  in  conjunction  with  his  brothers  August  and 
Charles.  In  1890  they  resumed  the  operation  of  their  father's  brewery  at 
Black  Hawk.  In  1895,  they  felt  justified  in  establishing  themselves  in  Daven- 
port, where  they  organized  the  Independent  Brewing  &  Malting  Company,  with 
Ernst  Zoller  as  president  and  Herman  Zoller  as  vice  president.  The  business  has 
been  remarkably  profitable.  Many  additions  and  improvements  have  been  made 
to  the  plant  and  offices,  which  are  fully  equipped  in  the  most  modern  manner. 
Recently  a  new  building  has  been  added,  three  hundred  and  eighty  by  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet.  The  business  is  extensive  and  covers  a  wide  territory,  Mr. 
Zoller  himself  traveling  considerably  to  look  after  the  orders  of  their  most  im- 
portant customers.  Mr.  Zoller  is  a  director  of  the  Union  Savings  Bank  and  in- 
terested in  other  concerns  here. 

In  1880  Mr.  Zoller  was  married  to  Amelia  Green,  and  they  have  three  chil- 
dren: Fred,  who  is  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  company;  Etta;  and  Lillie. 
Mrs.  Zoller  died  in  1895,  and  later  Mr.  Zoller  married  her  sister  Lina.  Mr. 
Zoller  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  is  popular  in  his  lodge.  He  is  a 
good  citizen,  honorable  in  business  methods,  and  possesses  a  number  of  warm, 
personal  friends. 


WILLIAM  POHLMANN,  JR. 

Although  William  Pohlmann,  Jr.,  has  been  proprietor  of  the  Iowa  Steam  Laun- 
dry for  only  about  a  year  he  has,  in  this  brief  period,  built  up  the  trade  until-  his 
is  one  of  the  important  concerns  of  this  character  in  Davenport.  He  comes  of 
German  parentage,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Davenport,  December  30,  1871, 
a  son  of  William  and  Margaret  (Ehlers)  Pohlmann,  the  former  born  in  Holstein, 
Germany,  and  the  latter  near  that  place.  The  father  was  reared  and  educated  in 
his  native  land  and  there  learned  the  tailor's  trade.  He  came  to  America  in  the 
hope  that  he  might  better  earn  a  livelihood  for  himself  and  family  in  the  new  world 
than  he  could  in  his  own  country.  After  spending  some  time  in  New  York,  he  con- 
tinued his  journey  westward  and  became  a  pioneer  settler  of  Davenport.  He  is 
still  living  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-four  years,  and  his  wife  also  survives  at 
the  age  of  seventy-six  years. 

William  Pohlmann,  Jr.,  was  reared  under  the  parental  roof  and  acquired  his 
elementary  education  in  the  common  schools,  while  later  he  fitted  himself  for 
a  business  career  by  pursuing  a  course  in  a  commercial  college.  His  first  business 
undertaking  was  with  the  Citizens  National  Bank  of  Davenport  and  after  a  service 
of  many  years  this  bank  was  consolidated  with  the  German  Savings  Bank  and 
Mr.  Pohlmann  continued  with  the  new  enterprise,  serving  in  all  about  twenty-two 
years  with  the  two  concerns.  He  was  one  of  the  bank's  most  trusted  employes 
and  no  doubt  could  have  remained  indefinitely  but  at  the  end  of  that  time,  be- 
coming imbued  with  a  desire  to  engage  in  an  independent  venture  he  purchased 


WILLIAM  POHLMANN,  JR. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  981 

the  Iowa  Steam  Laundry  and  continued  business  at  the  old  stand.  The  business 
soon  developed  into  a  growing  and  profitable  enterprise,  so  that  it  became  neces- 
sary to  seek  more  spacious  and  commodious  quarters  and  Mr.  Pohlmann  now  oc- 
cupies the  upper  floor  of  the  building,  both  floors  being  utilized  in  the  conduct  of 
the  laundry.  It  is  fitted  with  the  best  machines  of  modern  type,  while  thirty  em- 
ployes are  required  for  carrying  on  the  work.  The  business  has  already  increased 
fifty  per  cent  since  it  has  been  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Pohlmann,  which  is 
a  strong  indication  of  his  capabilities  and  powers  and  if  this  increase  has  been 
possible  in  one  year's  time,  no  doubt  the  years  to  come  will  bring  added  success. 

Mr.  Pohlmann  was  married  on  the  14th  of  May,  1902,  to  Miss  Anna  Price,  who 
is  a  representative  of  one  of  the  oldest  families  of  Davenport,  being  a  daughter  of 
James  and  Mary  Price,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  this  city.  Her  paternal  grand- 
parents settled  there  in  1841.  The  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Wales,  while  his 
wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Ann  Dyke,  was  born  in  England.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Pohlmann  have  two  interesting  little  sons :  William,  the  third  bearing  that 
name;  and  Richard. 

Mr.  Pohlmann  is  a  Mason  and  also  belongs  to  the  Turner  society  and  to  the 
Davenport  Schuetzen  Association.  Always  having  the  one  aim  in  view — that  of 
becoming  established  in  business  for  himself — he  carefully  saved  his  earnings  until 
the  opportunity  was  presented  that  he  might  carry  out  his  plans  and  although  he 
has  been  numbered  among  the  independent  business  men  of  Davenport  for  only  a 
brief  period  he  has  already  gained  a  prominent  place  in  this  rank. 


J.  T.  GASSELING. 


J.  T.  Gasseling,  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  and  stockmen  of  Hickory 
Grove  township,  was  born  on  the  place  where  he  now  lives  February  10,  1862,  a 
son  of  John  Herman  and  Hannah  Marie  (Kemper)  Gasseling.  The  former 
was  born  in  Holland,  November  23,  1823,  and  when  about  thirty-one  years  of 
age  came  to  the  United  States.  For  about  six  months  he  worked  in  a  lumber 
yard  in  New  York  and  then  in  the  spring  of  1855  came  to  Iowa,  finding  employ- 
ment in  a  sawmill  in  Davenport.  He  remained  at  that  occupation  only  two 
months,  however,  when  he  hired  out  as  a  farm  hand  for  one  hundred  and  twenty 
dollars  a  year  and  board.  The  next  year  he  worked  by  the  month,  receiving 
twenty  dollars  during  the  summer  and  thirteen  dollars  during  the  winter.  In 
this  way  he  continued  to  live  for  some  time,  until  he  had  saved  enough  to  warrant 
his  engaging  in  farming  for  himself.  Accordingly  in  partnership  with  Will 
Goering  he  rented  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  for  one  year,  pay- 
ing three  dollars  an  acre  for  it,  and  at  the  expiration  of  that  period  leased  it  for 
five  years.  In  1863  the  partnership  was  dissolved  and  Mr.  Gasseling  bought 
the  farm,  continuing  its  operation.  The  following  year  he  bought  eighty  acres 
more,  so  that  he  held  a  tract  of  two  hundred  acres  in  Hickory  Grove  township. 
It  remained  his  home  until  May  21,  1900,  when  he  passed  away. 

In  Davenport,  in  1861,  John  Herman  Gasseling  wedded  Miss  Hannah  Marie 
Kemper,  a  native  of  Germany  and  unto  them  were  bom  nine  children:  J.  T., 


982  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Johanna,  the  widow  of  Theodore  Mollenbeck,  of 
Davenport;  Maggie,  the  wife  of  John  Mollenbeck,  of  Hickory  Grove  township; 
Mary,  the  wife  of  WilHam  Goering  of  Hickory  Grove  township;  Elizabeth,  the 
wife  of  Harry  Goering,  of  Davenport  township;  Barney,  a  resident  of  Hickory 
Grove  township;  Adelaide,  the  wife  of  Antone  Mollenbeck,  of  the  same  town- 
ship; Herman,  who  died  July  9,  1906;  and  Henry,  who  passed  away  at  the 
age  of  sixteen  years.    Mrs.  Gasseling  died  June  21,  1908. 

Having  been  reared  in  Hickory  Grove  township,  J.  T.  Gasseling  has  passed 
all  of  his  life  here  and  has  devoted  his  energies  to  farming.  Until  he  was  twenty- 
six  years  of  age  he  worked  for  his  parents  and  after  he  attained  his  majority 
received  a  share  of  the  result  of  his  labor.  In  1888  he  married  and  began  farm- 
ing for  himself.  He  continued  to  operate  his  father's  place,  a  part  of  which  he 
now  owns,  although  as  the  years  brought  him  success  he  added  to  his  heritage 
until  now  he  is  in  possession  of  two  hundred  and  ten  acres  on  section  32,  Hickory 
Grove  township.  In  connection  with  his  purely  agricultural  interests  he  con- 
ducts a  stock  farm,  making  a  specialty  of  shorthorn  cattle,  of  which  he  has  a 
herd  of  about  seventy  head,  and  he  also  gives  particular  attention  to  the  breeding 
of  Belgian,  Percheron  and  Hackney  horses,  owning  a  registered  stallion.  He 
has  won  a  well  deserved  success  and  has  the  good  will  of  his  associates. 

In  1888  Mr.  Gasseling  was  married  to  Miss  Jennie  Goering,  who  was  born 
in  Blue  Grass  township,  this  county,  in  September,  1861,  a  daughter  of  Henry 
and  Mary  (Robinson)  Goering.  Four  daughters  have  been  born  of  this  union: 
Mary,  Lillian,  Blanche  and  Bernice. 

Mr.  Gasseling  has  always  been  a  life-long  democrat  and  has  been  active  in 
political  and  local  affairs.  For  a  number  of  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the 
central  committee,  for  the  past  twelve  years  he  has  been  school  director  and 
for  ten  years  has  been  clerk  of  the  township.  He  also  fulfilled  the  duties  of  road 
supervisor  for  a  long  period,  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  three  years,  and 
is  at  present  county  supervisor,  having  been  reelected  after  his  first  term  of 
three  years  to  serve  an  equal  period.  In  short  he  is  a  man  of  influence  in  Hickory 
Grove  township.  Successful  in  his  private  concerns,  he  has  also  exhibited  a 
commendable  amount  of  public  spirit,  and  the  citizens  who  have  placed  reliance 
upon  his  integrity  and  ability  have  had  no  occasion  to  regret  their  choice. 


J.  C.  TEUFEL,  M.  1>. 


Although  Dr.  J.  C.  Teufel,  of  Buffalo,  is  one  of  the  younger  representatives 
of  the  medical  fraternity,  he  has  already  built  up  a  good  patronage  and  is  demon- 
strating his  ability  in  the  line  which  he  has  chosen  as  his  life  work.  Born  in 
Muscatine  county,  Iowa,  October  21,  1880,  he  is  a  son  of  John  and  Otilda  (Wiese) 
Teufel,  both  of  whom  are  natives  of  Germany,  the  former  born  in  Tuttlingen, 
Wurtemberg,  December  27,  1849,  ^-nd  the  latter  in  Arnsfeld,  West  Prussia,  Sep- 
tember 23,  1844.  The  father  came  as  a  young  man  to  America,  arriving  in  the 
new  world  in  April,  1868,  and  shortly  afterward  he  located  in  Muscatine  county 
and  engaged  in  the  hotel  business  at  Moscow.     He  was  married  December  17, 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  983 

1870,  to  Mrs.  Otilda  (Wiese)  Barewald,  who  had  come  here  in  1865  when  a 
young  girl.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Teufel  still  reside  in  Muscatine  county,  the  father 
now  living  retired. 

Dr.  Teufel  of  this  review  has  two  brothers:  WiUiam,  of  Blue  Grass;  and 
Herman,  of  Durant.  He  also  has  two  half  brothers :  C.  L.  Barewald,  a  prac- 
ticing physician  of  Davenport ;  and  Albert  Barewald,  of  Tipton,  this  state.  The 
only  sister,  Regina,  is  the  wife  of  George  Marolf,  of  Moscow,  Iowa. 

Dr.  Teufel  at  the  usual  age  entered  the  public  schools  of  Muscatine  county 
and  completed  his  course  by  graduation  from  the  Wilton  high  school  with  the 
class  of  1900.  In  the  meantime,  after  due  consideration,  he  had  decided  upon 
the  practice  of  medicine  as  a  Hfe  work  and  to  this  end  entered  the  Iowa  State 
University  College  of  Medicine,  graduating  from  that  institution  of  learning  with 
the  class  of  June,  1904.  Immediately  thereafter  he  went  to  Davenport,  where 
for  one  year  he  acted  as  assistant  county  physician,  and  in  June,  1905,  came  to 
Buffalo,  where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  general  practice.  Of  a  studious  na- 
ture, he  is  not  content  to  sit  idle  but  during  his  leisure  moments  peruses  his 
books  that  he  may  learn  more  of  the  principles  and  methods  of  medical  science. 
He  has  already  built  up  a  good  practice,  which,  if  the  present  is  any  criterion  to 
go  by,  will  increase  materially  as  the  years  pass.  He  has  served  as  both  city  and 
township  health  officer. 

Dr.  Teufel  was  reared  and  baptized  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran  church  but 
attends  the  Methodist  church  at  the  present  time.  He  is  a  Mason,  belonging  to 
Fraternal  Lodge,  No.  221,  at  Davenport,  and  he  likewise  belongs  to  Banner  Lodge, 
1^0. 16,  K.  P.,  at  Buffalo.  He  is  medical  examiner  of  the  latter  organization  as  well 
as  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  at  Buffalo,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
Royal  Neighbors,  New  York  Mutual  Life,  Pennsylvania  Mutual,  Guaranty  Mu- 
tual of  Davenport,  and  was  elected  supreme  medical  director  of  Industrial  Work- 
ers Benefit  Association.  In  the  line  of  his  profession  he  holds  membership  with 
the  American  Medical  Association,  the  Iowa  State  Medical  Society  and  the  Scott 
County  Medical  Society. 


REV.  N.  J.  PEIFFER. 


Rev.  N.  J.  Peiffer,  priest  in  charge  of  St.  Peter's  church  at  Buffalo,  is  num- 
bered among  the  younger  members  of  the  clergy  in  Scott  county,  his  birth  hav- 
ing occurred  on  the  20th  of  June,  1881,  at  Keokuk,  Iowa.  As  the  name  indi- 
cates, he  is  of  German  descent,  his  parents  being  Nicholas  and  Anna  R.  Peiffer, 
both  natives  of  Prussia,  where  the  former  was  born  on  the  2Sth  of  January, 
1837,  and  the  latter  on  the  26th  of  January  of  the  same  year.  The  father  came 
to  America  in  1851,  locating  in  Iowa,  where  he  later  purchased  a  farm  and  was 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  for  a  number  of  years.  It  was  in  this  state  that 
he  was  united  in  marriage  on  the  17th  of  December,  1859,  and  here  his  family 
was  reared.  The  subject  of  this  review  has  eight  brothers,  all  living,  six  of 
whom  follow  the  occupation  of  farming,  while  the  other  two  are  engaged  in  the 


984  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

hardware  business  at  Harper,  Iowa.     He  also  has  three  sisters,  one  of  whom, 
Mary  Theresa,  makes  her  home  with  him. 

Father  Peiffer  received  his  early  education  in  St.  Francis  Seminary,  near 
Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  and  later,  having  decided  upon  the  ministry  as  his  chosen 
life  work,  completed  his  studies  in  St.  Paul's  Seminary  at  St.  Paul,  Minnesota. 
He  was  graduated  from  that  institution  with  the  class  of  1905  and  was  ordained 
to  the  priesthood  on  the  loth  of  June  of  the  same  year.  Returning  to  his  native 
state,  he  held  several  temporary  charges  in  Iowa,  and  then  went  to  Davenport 
as  the  assistant  of  Monseigneur  Nierman,  with  whom  he  remained  until  1908. 
In  July  of  that  year  he  came  to  Bufifalo  as  pastor  of  St.  Peter's  church,  being  the 
first  resident  priest  appointed  to  take  charge  of  that  parish.  This  church  had 
been  built  by  Monseigneur  Nierman  in  the  year  1878  and  previous  to  the 
arrival  of  Father  Peiffer  services  had  been  held  by  visiting  priests  and  fathers. 
Although  he  has  been  at  this  place  for  only  a  short  time,  he  has  nevertheless 
built  up  a  very  good  congregation  and  under  his  supervision  the  work  of  the 
church  has  been  well  organized  in  various  departments.  It  was  through  his 
efforts  that  the  new  and  handsome  parsonage  was  built,  the  structure  being  com- 
pleted on  the  1st  of  August,  1909,  and  he  has  been  a  source  of  stimulation  along 
other  lines  of  endeavor  as  well.  In  connection  with  the  church  at  Buffalo  he 
also  has  charge  of  the  parish  at  Keota,  Keokuk  county,  Iowa,  holding  services 
there  on  the  second  and  fourth  Sunday  of  every  month.  He  is  a  man  of  literary 
taste  and  scholarly  habits,  and  his  studies  and  labors  are  continually  promoting 
his  efficiency.  He  has  become  very  popular  in  this  community  and  is  much  be- 
loved by  his  flock,  who,  although  he  is  still  young  in  years,  come  to  him  with 
matters  of  temporal  as  well  as  spiritual  guidance  and  find  in  him  a  helper  and 
friend. 


JOHN  STOLTENBERG. 

John  Stoltenberg,  chief  of  the  fire  department  of  Davenport  and  a  man  of 
unusual  strength  of  character  and  purposeful  methods,  was  born  here,  January 
7,  1863,  a  son  of  Henry  and  Mary  (Jehring)  Stoltenberg,  both  natives  of  Ger- 
many. The  father  came  to  Davenport  in  the  'sos,  establishing  himself  in  a 
butchering  business,  in  which  he  prospered.  However,  when  his  adopted  country 
had  need  of  his  services,  he  enlisted  in  the  Second  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry  and 
served  until  honorably  discharged.  Returning  home,  he  resumed  his  business 
and  continued  to  follow  the  butcher's  trade  until  his  death  in  1889. 

John  Stoltenberg  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  the  city,  after  which 
he  was  engaged  in  various  lines  of  business.  At  one  time  he  worked  on  a 
river  steamer  and  again  was  in  the  employ  of  a  railroad.  On  May  22,  1884,  he 
joined  the  Davenport  fire  department  and  rose  successively  on  merit  through  the 
various  grades  of  promotion  until  he  was  made  chief  August  15,  1906,  to  the  en- 
tire satisfaction  of  the  department  and  the  people  of  the  city  generally.  Since 
he  joined  the  department  it  has  been  revolutionized.  He  was  one  of  the  sixteen 
men  employed  when  he  entered  it,  now  he  has  forty-six  men  under  him,  and  the 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 


985 


appliances  of  today  bear  but  little  resemblance  to  those  with  which  he  and  his 
companions  were  expected  to  fight  fires  in  those  early  days.  The  present  equip- 
ment of  men  and  appliances  is  so  complete  as  to  make  the  department  the  best 
in  this  part  of  the  state. 

In  March,  1890,  Mr.  Stoltenberg  married  Meta  Ramm,  who  was  born  in 
Davenport  a  daughter  of  John  Ramm.  They  have  two  daughters:  Mary  and 
Hattie  Mr  Stoltenberg  belongs  to  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  and  the  Frater- 
nal Order  of  Eagles.  He  is  a  man  who  understands  his  work  thoroughly,  having 
passed  through  all  of  the  positions,  and,  being  brave  and  resourceful,  he  is  the 
best  man  that  could  be  found  to  head  the  department  which  conserves  the  safety 
of  the  people  of  so  large  a  city  as  Davenport. 


GEORGE  T.  BAKER. 


Prompted  by  laudable  ambition  at  the  outset  of  his  career  George  T.  Baker 
has  advanced  steadily  until  he  is  now  one  of  the  most  prominent  men  of  Daven- 
port and  few  men  of  this  city  are  deserving  of  higher  regard.  He  was  born  in 
Iowa  county,  Iowa,  July  9,  1857.  His  father,  A.  W.  Baker,  who  was  a  native 
of  Connecticut,  born  in  1820,  came  to  Davenport  in  1853  and  the  following  year 
went  to  Iowa  county.  He  was  an  architect  and  builder  by  profession,  but  as 
his  health  had  failed  he  bought  a  large  tract  of  land  and  engaged  extensively  in 
farming  and  stock  raising.  He  was  a  successful  man  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  Iowa  county,  1869,  when  he  was  less  than  fifty  years  of  age. 
His  wife,  who  was  Miss  Freelove  M.  Kenyon  in  her  maidenhood,  was  also  a 
native  of  Connecticut  and  is  still  living  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-nine. 

George  T.  Baker  received  his  education  at  a  private  school  and  later  attended 
the  Iowa   State  University,  whence  he  entered  Cornell  University.     There  he 
specialized  in  civil  engineering  and  after  completing  a  special  course  entered  the 
employ  of  the  Rock  Island  Railroad,  with  whom  he  remained  for  five  years.  From 
1885  to  1888  he  was  engaged  by  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  Railroad  Com- 
pany to  locate  land  and  assist  in  the  construction  of  the  road  from  Kansas  City  to 
Chicago.    The  following  year  he  was  chief  engineer  of  the  Soo  &  Southwestern. 
Later   he  became   chief   engineer   of   high  bridges   at   Muscatine,    Clinton   and 
Winona  until  1892,  when  with  others  he  organized  the  Edwards  &  Walsh  Con- 
struction Company  of  Davenport,  which  has  now  passed  out  of  existence.     Since 
1898  Mr.  Baker  has  been  vice  president  and  general  manager  of  the  Tri  City 
Construction  Company,  which  is  one  of  the  most  important  and  prosperous  of 
the  many  similar  firms  engaged  in  business  in  this  city,  its  success  being  in  no 
small  measure  due  to  Mr.  Baker's  ability,  wide  experience  and  business  acumen. 
He  is  also  president  of  the  West  Davenport  Improvement  Company  and  vice 
president  of  the  Davenport  Wagon   Company,   while  he  is  interested  in   the 
street  car  lines  of  Clinton,  Iowa,  in  the  lumber  regions  of  the  south  and  farm 
lands  of  Oklahoma. 

Although  so  many  years  have  been  devoted  to  interests  akin  to  the  profes- 
sion of  civil  engineering  Mr.  Baker  has  not  been  loathe  to  engage  in  wider  fields 


986  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

of  activity,  and  with  a  large  and  commendable  public  spirit  has  identified  him- 
self closely  with  the  public  affairs  of  Davenport  and  Scott  county.  In  recognition 
of  his  ability  and  sterling  character  the  people  of  Scott  county  elected  him  their 
representative  in  the  Iowa  state  legislature  from  1895  to  1897  and  at  the  ex- 
piration of  his  term  there  he  was  chosen  as  mayor  of  Davenport.  Two  years  of 
his  administration,  those  of  1898  to  1900,  were  marked  by  a  government  of  a 
character  which  may  not  soon  be  duplicated  here  or  elsewhere.  Many  improve- 
ments were  inaugurated  and  malpractices  abandoned.  In  1900  he  was  the  dele- 
gate at  large  to  the  democratic  convention  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  and  is  now 
a  member  of  the  state  board  of  education. 

When  he  was  just  embarking  upon  his  career,  which  has  been  so  singularly 
successful  in  1879,  Mr.  Baker  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Clare  I.  Poole,  a 
native  of  New  York.  Three  daughters  have  been  born  to  them :  Ethel  M.,  Georgia 
E.  and  Sue  A.  The  eldest  is  the  wife  of  L.  H.  Brandt  and  Sue  A.  is  now  Mrs. 
R.  C.  Williamson.  Mr.  Baker  belongs  to  the  college  fraternity.  Beta  Theta 
Pi,  to  several  of  the  Masonic  bodies  and  to  the  Elks.  One  of  the  most  progres- 
sive and  public  spirited  of  men  by  education  and  experience,  he  is  fitted  to  do 
big  things  and  through  the  years  of  his  life  has  proved  that  few  opportunities 
have  escaped  him  which  he  did  not  make  steppingstones  to  a  larger  future.  As 
Davenport  has  profited  most  widely  from  his  abilities  she  regards  him  proudly 
as  one  of  her  finest  citizens. 


JOHN  AND  AUGUST  KRESS. 

One  of  the  spacious  and  well  tilled  farms  of  Bufifalo  township  is  that  which 
is  operated  by  the  brothers,  John  and  August  Kress,  both  natives  of  Scott  county. 
The  former  was  born  December  25,  1867,  the  latter  August  15,  1857.  The 
father,  who  was  born  in  Hesse,  Germany,  in  1830,  came  to  Buffalo  in  i860  and 
there  he  began  the  mining  of  coal.  For  about  two  decades  he  continued  in  this 
business,  although  in  the  meantime  he  had  purchased  farming  property,  later 
giving  his  attention  to  its  cultivation  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  active 
life.  He  met  with  well  merited  success  so  that  in  1904,  when  his  death  occurred, 
he  was  possessed  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  some  of  the  richest  land 
in  Iowa.  Mr.  Kress  had  married  Miss  Theresa  Weber,  who  was  also  a  native 
of  Germany,  her  birth  having  occurred  in  1837.  Of  the  children  born  to  them 
three  sons  and  two  daughters  still  survive.  Two  are  the  subjects  of  this  re- 
view; one  daughter,  Amelia,  makes  her  home  with  them,  another,  Margaret, 
is  the  wife  of  William  Kolway,  of  Buffalo  township ;  and  the  other  son  is  Severin 
Kress,  a  farmer  of  Buffalo  township. 

John  and  August  Kress  were  pupils  in  the  district  schools  of  Scott  county,  in 
which  they  obtained  a  training  in  the  fundamental  branches  of  English  educa- 
tion that  prepared  them  for  the  practical  responsibilities  of  life.  They  also  worked 
upon  the  home  farm  from  early  boyhood  days,  learning  well  the  secrets  of  tilling 
the  soil,  and  the  invaluable  lessons  of  industry  and  frugality.  When  their  father 
decided  to  lay  aside  the  more  onerous  of  his  cares,  he  consigned  the  operation  of 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 


987 


the  place  to  them,  and  upon  his  death  it  came  into  their  possession.  They  have 
cuhivated  Its  fields  with  a  success  that  places  them  among  the  more  prosperous 
of  the  farmers  of  Bufifalo  township,  while  the  record  of  their  days  spent  in  hon- 
est toil  has  gamed  for  them  the  respect  of  their  neighbors  and  friends. 

The  home  of  the  brothers  is  presided  over  by  their  sister,  Amelia,  who  is 
a  good  housekeeper  and  a  gracious  hostess.  They  are  members  of  the  Catholic 
church,  while  since  their  young  manhood  they  have  given  their  support  in  po- 
litical matters  to  the  democratic  party.  The  greater  part  of  their  lives  having 
been  spent  upon  the  farm  on  which  they  now  live,  they  are  well  and  favorably 
known  in  this  community. 


J.  A.  SAIITH. 

J.  A.  Smith  is  a  market  gardener,  owning  twenty-eight  acres  of  land  in  Le 
Claire  township,  which  is  devoted  to  the  raising  of  vegetables,  his  specialty  being 
onions.  He  is  a  native  of  Blair  county,  Pennsylvania,  born  December  27,  1847, 
of  the  marriage  of  George  and  Frances  (Bosweir)  Smith,  in  whose  family  were 
two  sons  and  a  daughter,  the  younger  brother  of  our  subject  being  Sidney  C,  a 
resident  of  Blair  county,  while  the  sister,  Mary  Jane,  died  in  1865.  The  father 
worked  in  the  woolen  mills  of  the  east  and  died  in  early  life,  leaving  the  children 
to  be  reared  by  the  mother,  who  survived  until  1899. 

J.  A.  Smith  lived  at  home  to  the  age  of  nineteen  years  and  during  this  period 
acquired  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Blair  county.  He  also  worked  for 
a  time  at  farm  labor  in  the  east  but,  beHeving  that  the  west  offered  better  oppor- 
tunities to  the  ambitious  young  man,  in  the  spring  of  1866  he  journeyed  to  Scott 
county  and  for  two  years  worked  by  the  month  for  different  farmers  of  this  sec- 
tion. He  then  rented  land,  which  he  operated  on  his  own  account  and  in  1900 
purchased  the  place  where  he  now  lives.  This  tract  comprises  twenty-eight  acres 
and  is  pleasantly  located  in  Le  Claire  township  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi 
river.  He  has  made  many  improvements  on  the  place  in  the  way  of  substantial 
outbuildings  and  a  comfortable  residence,  and  he  gives  his  time  to  raising  garden 
products,  making  a  specialty  of  onions.  He  disposes  of  his  vegetables  in  the  city 
market,  where  he  finds  a  ready  sale. 

Mr.  Smith  was  married  March  2,  1869,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Kath- 
erine  Ann  Bealer,  a  daughter  of  Christopher  and  Susan  (Akerman)  Bealer,  of 
Scott  county.  Five  children  have  been  born  of  this  union.  Lettie  is  the  wife  of 
J.  L.  Brown  and  the  mother  of  three  children :  Paul  R.,  Claud  C.  and  Hazel  D. 
Frank  H.,  a  resident  of  Le  Claire,  wedded  Miss  Mary  Morrie,  by  whom  he  has 
four  children :  Mildred,  Verna  M.,  George  and  Erma.  Calvin,  the  third  member 
of  the  family,  wedded  Miss  Mary  Graham  and  lives  in  Le  Claire  township.  They 
have  five  children :  Bertha  M.,  Ralph  R.,  Earl  A.,  Delma  and  Howard  Taft.  Bert 
G.  and  Flossie  M.,  the  other  members  of  the  Smith  family,  are  at  home. 

Mr.  Smith  endorses  by  his  vote  the  principles  and  policy  of  the  republican 
party  and  has  served  as  school  director  and  road  supervisor  of  Le  Claire  town- 
ship.    His  fraternal  relations  connect  him  with  the  Court  of  Honor.     Having 


988  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

come  to  Scott  county  during  its  early  development,  he  has  seen  many  change^  as 
this  district  has  assumed  its  present  appearance  of  advanced  civilization  and 
feels  that  he  made  no  mistake  in  coming  here  in  .early  days  to  cast  in  his  lot  with 
the  settlers  of  Le  Claire  township. 


HENRY  T.  HAHN. 


Holstein,  Germany,  has  surrendered  numerous  of  her  sons  and  daughters  to 
Scott  county,  Iowa,  and  among  them  were  the  parents  of  Henry  T.  Hahn,  one  of 
Hickory  Grove  township's  prominent  agriculturists.  They  were  Wulff  and  Mar- 
garetha  (Stoltenberg)  Hahn,  the  father  born  in  Wiesch,  Holstein,  January  14, 
1813,  and  the  mother  in  Vebargen  in  the  same  duchy,  July  31,  1820.  While  yet 
residents  of  the  fatherland  they  were  married  and  in  1847  they  came  to  America, 
arriving  in  New  Orleans  and  making  the  rest  of  the  journey  by  water.  They  had 
one  child  at  that  time.  The  father  took  up  farming  and  spent  his  active  years  in 
this  vocation.  Beside  the  home  place  in  Davenport  township  he  also  possessed 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Tama  county,  Iowa,  together  with  some 
property  in  the  state  of  Washington  and  in  Hickory  Grove  township,  Scott  county, 
owning  two  hundred  acres.  He  also  owned  milling  stock  in  Davenport.  After  a 
useful  and  prosperous  career,  he  and  his  wife  removed  to  the  city,  where  they  were 
permitted  to  enjoy  a  well  earned  rest.  After  a  devoted  married  life  of  many  years 
it  was  indeed  fitting  that  they  should  be  united  in  death,  the  mother  passing  away 
August  3,  1894,  and  the  father  surviving  only  until  the  14th  of  the  same  month. 

They  were  the  parents  of  the  following  eight  children:  Ida  Kruse,  deceased; 
Katherine,  the  wife  of  Charles  Kahler,  of  Davenport;  Minnie,  wife  of  T.  F. 
Blunck,  of  Davenport;  Henry  T.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Emma,  the  widow  of 
C.  L.  Suksdorf,  of  Davenport;  Augusta,  the  wife  of  Paul  Seberine,  of  Davenport; 
Johannes,  who  died  at  the  age  of  ten  years ;  and  Julia,  the  wife  of  Georgfe  Klindt, 
of  Davenport.  The  father  enjoyed  the  respect  of  his  associates  and  among  the 
trusts  imposed  upon  him  was  that  of  township  trustee. 

The  birth  of  Henry  T.  Hahn  occurred  July  17,  1853,  while  his  parents  were 
residing  on  their  farm  in  Davenport  township,  and  there  he  resided  up  to  1882, 
when  he  removed  to  Hickory  Grove  township,  where  he  still  makes  his  home.  His 
farm,  a  well  improved  property  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  is  located  on  sec- 
tion 36  and  is  devoted  to  general  farming  and  stock  raising.  As  additional  prop- 
erty interests  Mr.  Hahn  owns  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and  seventy-one  acres  in 
Washington  county,  Iowa. 

On  April  5,  1881,  Mr.  Hahn  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emma  E.  Lage, 
also  a  native  of  Holstein,  born  in  Schoenberg,  November  6,  1858,  her  parents  being 
C.  H.  and  Dorothea  (Sitan)  Lage.  Her  father  died  in  Germany,  but  her  mother 
came  to  America  in  1880,  two  years  after  her  daughter  had  taken  up  her  home  in 
this  country.  The  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hahn  has  been  blessed  by  the  birth  of 
seven  children  as  follows:  Hertha,  who  died  in  infancy;  Wilma;  Grover;  Zoe; 
Hilda,  the  wife  of  Wilbert  Frye,  living  near  Independence,  Iowa;  Bruno;  and 
Vera. 


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HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  993 

Mr.  Hahn  places  his  political  confidence  in  the  democratic  party  and  in  evi- 
dence of  his  good  citizenship  are  the  several  public  trusts  which  have  been  im- 
posed upon  him.  He  served  twelve  years  as  school  director  and  nine  years  of 
that  time  as  president  of  the  school  board;  four  years  as  township  trustee,  in 
which  capacity  he  is  at  present  serving;  one  term  as  justice  of  the  peace;  and  he 
has  also  served  on  the  grand  and  petit  juries.  As  to  his  affiliations,  he  holds 
membership  in  the  Maysville  branch  of  the  Modern  Brotherhood  of  America, 
and  the  Walcott  Lodge  of  Knights  of  Pythias.  His  desire  to  do  all  in  his  power 
to  advance  every  cause  contributing  to  the  public  welfare  is  generally  recognized 
and  admired. 


JULIUS  T.  HALLER,  M.  D. 

Dr.  Julius  T.  Haller,  a  native  of  Davenport,  was  born  October  20,  1878. 
His  father,  William  Haller,  was  of  German  birth  and  came  to  Davenport  in 
the  '50s,  while  his  mother,  who  was  Miss  Anna  Rohlf,  before  her  marriage,  was 
bom  in  Scott  county. 

Reared  in  the  city  of  his  birth.  Dr.  Julius  T.  Haller  attended  the  public 
schools  from  which  he  passed  to  the  high  school,  where  his  preparation  for  col- 
lege was  completed.  After  his  graduation  from  the  secondary  school  he  was 
enrolled  as  a  pupil  of  the  University  of  Chicago,  from  which  he  received  his 
B.  S.  degree  in  the  spring  of  1901.  The  following  fall  he  entered  the  medical 
department  of  Johns  Hopkins  University  of  Baltimore,  Maryland.  The  subse- 
quent four  years  were  spent  in  diligent  study  and  finally  in  1905  the  degree  of 
doctor  of  medicine  was  conferred  upon  him.  That  same  year  he  came  to  Dav- 
enport, and  engaged  in  active  practice.  In  the  years  that  have  elapsed,  few  as 
they  have  been.  Dr.  Haller  has  proved  that  he  is  a  young  man  of  ability,  of 
ambition,  and  entitled  to  success.  He  has  won  the  confidence  of  those  who  have 
come  in  contact  with  him  and  his  patients  have  found  him  skillful,  painstaking, 
and  sympathetic.  He  belongs  to  the  Scott  County,  the  Iowa  State,  and  the 
American  Medical  Associations,  while  he  obtains  his  social  relaxation  in  com- 
pany with  his  brother  Elks. 


JA'MES  MADISON  BOWLING. 

No  history  of  Davenport  would  be  complete  without  detailed  and  specific  ref- 
erence to  James  Madison  Bowling,  long  connected  with  its  business  interests  in 
mercantile  lines.  He  came  to  the  city  when  it  was  a  small  and  unimportant  town 
and  took  active  part  in  shaping  its  commercial  development  and  at  the  same  time 
cooperated  in  many  movements  for  its  upbuilding  along  other  lines.  He  was  born 
in  Virginia  and  was  a  son  of  Jeremiah  Bowling,  a  representative  of  one  of  the 
first  families  of  that  state— first  not  only  by  reason  of  priority  of  residence  but 


994  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

also  owing  to  that  prominence  which  arises  from  fidelity  and  helpfulness  in  citi- 
zenship. 

James  Madison  Bowling  continued  his  residence  in  the  Old  Dominion  through 
the  period  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  and  during  that  time  acquired  his  education. 
After  putting  aside  his  text-books  he  turned  his  attention  to  merchandising  and 
in  young  manhood  he  came  to  Davenport  to  follow  his  early  business  training  here. 
He  first  became  connected  with  George  L.  Davenport  and  they  were  numbered 
among  the  pioneer  merchants  of  the  city,  whose  labors  were  an  effective  force 
in  advancing  the  early  commercial  progress  of  Davenport.  On  his  arrival  here 
Mr.  Bowling  also  took  up  government  land  in  Blue  Grass  township,  after  which 
he  returned  to  the  Old  Dominion  and  was  there  married.  With  his  bride  he  then 
came  again  to  Iowa  and  here  they  reared  their  family  of  nine  children,  namely: 
George  Davenport ;  Margaret  V. ;  Sarah  C. ;  Henry,  who  was  killed  in  the  Civil 
war ;  Cornelia  M. ;  Jane  Alberta,  who  has  also  departed  this  life ;  Laura  E. ;  John 
C. ;  and  Emery,  who  died  in  infancy. 

As  stated,  James  Madison  Bowling,  following  his  removal  to  the  middle  west, 
became  connected  with  George  L.  Davenport  in  a  mercantile  enterprise.  The 
Bowlings  were  also  connected  with  the  Davenports  through  marriage  ties,  for 
Colonel  Davenport  wedded  a  sister  of  Jeremiah  Bowling.  With  many  events  of 
early  prominence  that  left  their  impress  upon  the  history  of  the  city,  James  Madi- 
son Bowling  was  connected.  His  intelligence  and  wise  judgment  made  him  a 
leader  in  matters  of  public  thought  and  action  and  at  all  times  he  manifested  an 
unselfish  devotion  to  the  public  good  and  cooperated  in  matters  of  general  benefit 
from  an  unselfish  desire  to  promote  the  progress  of  the  community  and  thus  aid 
in  the  upbuilding  of  the  state.  His  upright  life  was  in  harmony  with  his  profes- 
sions as  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  He  was  president  of  the  Old  Set- 
tlers Society  and  no  citizen  of  the  community  was  held  in  higher  or  more  heart- 
felt esteem  and  regard  than  James  M.  BowHng. 


RUDOLPH   ARP. 


That  the  rich  soil  of  Iowa  offers  to  the  agriculturist  possibilities  unexcelled 
by  any  and  unequaled  by  many  another  state  in  the  Union,  is  proven  in  the  fact 
that  so  many  of  her  native  sons  who  have  been  reared  to  farm  life  have,  upon 
starting  out  to  make  their  own  way  in  the  world,  remained  within  her  borders. 
This  is  true  of  Rudolph  Arp,  who  was  born  on  the  place  which  is  now  his  home, 
July  15,  1874,  a  son  of  Hans  and  Abel  (Vieths)  Arp,  in  whose  family  were  the 
following  named:  Alvena,  the  wife  of  Henry  Untiedt,  a  resident  of  Jackson 
county,  Minnesota;  Cecelia,  the  wife  of  Henry  Stender,  who  is  mentioned  else- 
where in  this  work ;  Henry,  a  resident  of  New  Liberty,  Iowa ;  Agnes,  the  wife  of 
George  Dietz,  of  Manning,  Carroll  county,  this  state;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Edward 
Puck,  a  resident  of  Cleona  township;  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Conrad  Dietz,  also  of 
Manning;  and  Rudolph,  of  this  review. 

The  last  named,  the  youngest  in  the  family,  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  and 
acquired  his  education  in  the  common  schools.     He  is  today  the  owner  of  three 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  995 

hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land,  forty  acres  of  which  constituted  the  old  home- 
stead farm  upon  which  he  was  reared.  On  the  farm  are  found  two  sets  of  build- 
ings, some  of  which  were  erected  by  the  father,  while  the  others  have  been  built 
by  Mr.  Arp  of  this  review.  He  is  extensively  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 
raising,  making  a  close  study  of  his  work,  so  that  he  obtains  the  best  results.  He 
is  hkewise  a  stockholder  in  the  Farmers  Elevator  at  Walcott  and  in  the  Security 
Bank  of  Davenport. 

Mr.  Arp  chose  as  a  companion  and  helpmate  for  the  journey  of  life  Miss 
Louisa  Schlichting,  whom  he  wedded  February  15,  1899.  Mrs.  Arp  was  born  in 
Blue  Grass  township,  Scott  county,  August  21,  1880,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Margaret  (Hoist)  Schlichting,  who  were  both  natives  of  Schleswig,  Germany, 
the  former  born  January  23,  1836,  while  the  latter's  birth  occurred  on  the  28th  of 
November,  1834.  The  father  was  a  little  lad  of  ten  years  when  he  accompanied 
his  parents  to  the  new  world,  and  the  mother  accompanied  her  parents  to  America 
in  1858,  and  two  years  later,  in  i860,  she  was  married  to  Thomas  Schlichting. 
He  became  a  well-to-do  farmer,  owning  at  the  time  of  his  death  a  section  of  land 
in  Blue  Grass  township,  this  being  divided  into  several  farms.  Unto  him  and 
his  wife  were  born  three  daughters  and  three  sons  but  the  sons  all  died  in  infancy. 
The  daughters  are :  Clara,  the  wife  of  Willie  Soenke,  a  resident  of  Blue  Grass 
township;  Bertha,  the  wife  of  Louis  Otto,  of  Davenport;  and  Louisa,  the  wife 
of  Rudolph  Arp.  Both  the  parents  are  now  deceased,  the  mother  passing  away 
December  11,  1899,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years,  while  the  father,  surviving  for 
only  about  five  years,  departed  this  life  November  14,  1904,  when  sixty-eight  years 
old. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arp  have  been  born  three  sons  and  two  daughters :  Ray- 
mond, Hilda,  Leona,  Arthur  and  Rudolph.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arp  have  spent 
their  entire  lives  in  Scott  county  and  are  therefore  well  known  in  the  section 
where  they  make  their  home.  In  his  business  dealings  Mr.  Arp  is  always  found 
honorable  and  upright  and  he  commands  the  respect  and  high  regard  of  his  fel- 
low citizens. 


GEORGE  H.  BLANCHARD. 

There  are  found  in  the  business  world  men  who  seem  equal  to  every  emer- 
gency and  who  are  fitted  to  keep  pace  with  the  world's  progress.  Such  a  man  is 
George  H.  Blanchard,  president  of  Blanchard  Brothers,  Incorporated,  manufac- 
turers of  and  dealers  in  advertising  novelties.  He  was  born  in  St.  Louis,  May  23, 
1873,  and  is  a  son  of  John  H.  and  Emma  (Barker)  Blanchard.  The  son  at  the 
usual  age  entered  the  public  schools  of  his  native  city  and  was  there  reared  to 
years  of  maturity.  After  putting  aside  his  text-books  he  became  connected  with 
a  lithographing  company,  wherein  he  learned  the  business  in  principle  and  detail. 
He  then  came  to  Davenport  in  1,900  and  organized  the  Tri  City  Lithographing 
Company,  which  was  the  beginning  of  his  business  connection  here.  He  was 
connected  with  that  firm  for  about  seven  years  but  in  the  meantime  had  organized 
the  firm  of  Blanchard  Brothers,  Incorporated,  managing  both  interests  for  some 


996  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

time.  However,  about  three  years  ago  he  severed  his  connection  with  the  former 
and  is  now  giving  his  entire  time  to  the  latter,  acting  as  its  efficient  president. 
They  are  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  advertising  novelties,  such  as  pencils, 
pen  holders  and  various  other  devices,  which  are  sold  throughout  the  entire  coun- 
try. Mr.  Blanchard's  powers  of  management  and  executive  control  have  led 
him  to  an  important  position  in  the  business  circles  of  Davenport.  Studying  the 
question  of  advertising  from  every  possible  standpoint,  he  has  sought  to  give  to 
the  public  a  means  of  advertisement  that  is  not  only  attractive  but  is  of  practical 
use  as  well  His  brother,  John  H.  Blanchard,  who  formerly  traveled  in  the  inter- 
ests of  the  house,  is  likewise  proving  himself  capable  of  handling  the  interests  to 
which  he  is  now  bending  his  energies,  while  he  is  also  acting  as  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  firm.  He  located  permanently  in  Davenport  five  years  ago  and 
the  two  sisters,  E.  Josephine  and  Delia  M.,  also  make  their  home  here. 

Mr.  Blanchard  was  married  on  the  23d  of  May,  1908,  to  Miss  Margaret 
Brown,  a  daughter  of  Mark  and  Luella  (Muckle)  Brown.  They  have  an  inter- 
esting little  son,  Robert  O.,  who  is  the  light  and  life  of  the  household. 

Mr.  Blanchard  is  prominent  in  Masonic  circles,  being  a  member  of  that  or- 
der. Choosing  a  particular  line  in  life,  he  has  sought  to  advance  along  that  lini 
until  he  has  found  place  among  the  substantial  business  men  of  Davenport.  He 
has  a  wide  acquaintance  here,  and  those  who  see  him  in  daily  associations  find 
him  a  most  pleasant  and  agreeable  gentleman. 


FREDERICK  DICKINSON  LETTS. 

It  is  a  recognized  fact  that  the  lawyer  is  more  prominent  in  public  affairs 
than  any  other  class  of  citizen.  This  is  due  to  causes  which  are  evident  and  need 
no  explanation,  for  the  qualities  which  fit  one  to  appear  before  the  bar  in  sup- 
port of  litigated  interests  also  qualify  the  individual  to  discuss  intelligently,  logi- 
cally and  conclusively  the  questions  of  vital  political  importance.  Frederick  Dick- 
inson Letts  is  numbered  among  the  members  of  the  Davenport  bar  who,  in  ad- 
dition to  professional  activity,  are  taking  a  prominent  part  in  promoting  the 
public  interests  of  the  city.  He  was  born  in  Ains worth,  Iowa,  April  26,  1875,  and 
is  a  son  of  David  G.  and  Hannah  (Gale)  Letts.  The  father  was  also  a  native 
of  this  state.  The  grandfather,  Nehemiah  Madison  Letts,  one  of  Iowa's  pioneers, 
came  from  Ohio  to  this  section  of  the  country  before  the  state  was  admitted  to 
the  Union  and  settled  at  and  founded  the  town  of  Letts,  which  was  so  named 
in  his  honor.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  was  closely  associated  with  the 
pioneer  development  of  the  community  in  which  he  made  his  home.  His  son, 
David  G.  Letts,  became  an  extensive  farmer  and  stockman  but  died  in  1884,  at 
the  age  of  forty  years.  His  widow,  a  native  of  Virginia,  still  survives.  They 
were  married  in  Muscatine,  Iowa,  in  1873,  but  afterward  became  residents  of 
Ainsworth. 

In  the  public  and  preparatory  schools  of  his  native  town  and  Fairfield,  Iowa, 
F.  Dickinson  Letts  pursued  his  education  and  was  graduated  from  Parsons 
College,  in  the  latter  city,  with  the  class  of  1897.    He  afterward  spent  one  year 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  997 

as  a  law  student  in  Columbia  University,  of  New  York  city,  and  completed  his 
[  law  course  m  the  Iowa  State  University,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1899. 
Soon  afterward  he  opened  an  office  in  Davenport  and  entered  upon  active  prac- 
tice, m  which  he  has  made  rapid  strides.  He  is  thorough,  patient  and  persever- 
ing and  his  understanding  of  legal  principles  is  being  continually  augmented  by 
his  readmg  and  research.  He  understands  that  the  greatest  work  of  the  lawyer 
is  done  in  his  office,  as  he  prepares  his  cases  for  the  court,  closely  investigating 
every  point  of  evidence  and  law  applicable  thereto. 

The  name  of  F.  D.  Letts  is  well  known  in  political  circles  and  he  is  in  demand 
as  a  campaign  speaker  of  the  republican  party.  His  activities  thus  far  have 
brought  him  no  official  reward  and  it  is  doubtful  if  he  has  any  ambition  in  that 
direction,  for  he  regards  the  practice  of  law  as  his  first  interest  and  is  devoted 
thereto.  Fraternally,  however,  he  is  well  known  and  is  an  exemplary  represen- 
tative of  the  Masonic  lodge,  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and 
the  Knights  of  Pythias.  He,  moreover,  belongs  to  two  college  fraternities,  the 
Beta  Theta  Phi  and  the  Phi  Delta  Phi.  He  is  also  connected  with  the  Business 
Men's  Association  and  the  Commercial  Club  and  is  an  agreeable  and  popular 
gentleman,  esteemed  by  the  representatives  of  the  bar  as  well  as  by  the  general 
public. 


HENRY  BECKER. 


Henry  Becker  was  well  known  as  a  representative  business  man  of  Scott 
county.  He  had  the  ability  to  discern  opportunities  that  others  passed  by  heed- 
lessly and  his  enterprise  and  laudable  ambition  prompted  him  to  take  advantage 
of  these  with  the  result  that  as  the  years  passed  he  won  substantial  and  gratifying 
success.  A  native  of  Prussia,  he  was  born  in  Solingen  about  the  year  1820  and 
his  youthful  days  were  passed  in  his  native  coui|J:ry,  where  he  was  an  interested 
witness  of  that  spirit  of  political  uprise  that  was  manifested  throughout  Europe 
and  had  its  culmination  in  Germany  in  the  revolution  of  1848. 

It  was  in  that  year  that  Mr.  Becker  came  to  America  to  enjoy  the  liberty  of- 
fered in  this  land.  For  four  years  thereafter  he  was  a  resident  of  St.  Louis  and 
then  came  t6  Scott  county,  settling  in  Le  Claire,  where  he  remained  until  his 
death.  In  1858  he  returned  to  Germany  and  after  a  short  visit  at  his  old  home 
and  among  the  friends  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  he  embarked  on  the  steamer 
Austria  for  America.  When  ten  days  out  this  steamer  took  fire  and  burned  to 
the  water's  edge.  Mr.  Becker  with  over  three  hundred  others  jumped  overboard. 
He  lost  all  of  his  possessions  save  his  money,  which  was  fastened  around  him 
in  a  belt.  When  he  came  to  the  surface  he  caught  hold  of  a  window  frame  that 
would  help  him  keep  afloat.  Later,  with  two  other  men,  he  took  hold  of  a  plank, 
eight  feet  long,  a  foot  wide  and  an  inch  and  a  half  thick.  To  this  the  men  clung 
for  three  and  a  half  hours,  at  the  end  of  which  time  they  were  picked  up  by  the 
French  bark  Maurice.  On  that  vessel  all  of  the  rescued  were  taken  to  the  island 
of  Fayal,  one  of  the  group  of  Azores.    After  remaining  there  for  nine  days  they 


998  .  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

were  taken  aboard  the  British  ship  Valorous  and  brought  to  the  United  States. 
It  was  an  experience  which  Mr.  Becker  never  forgot. 

Following  the  establishment  of  his  home  in  Le  Claire  he  was  here  married, 
and  at  his  death  left  a  wife  and  four  children.  A  few  years  before  his  demise  he 
retired  from  active  business  and  was  succeeded  by  his  two  sons.  He  was  pre- 
eminently a  business  man,  loyal,  energetic  and  determined.  At  the  time  of  the 
war  he  foresaw  the  rise  in  values  and,  taking  advantage  of  the  same,  won  wealth 
by  dealing  in  whiskey  and  cotton  goods.  In  all  of  his  business  undertakings  he 
manifested  the  keenest  discernment,  a  quality  which  is  too  often  lacking  and  leads 
to  failure.  In  matters  of  business  judgment,  however,  he  was  always  sound  and 
reliable  and  won  substantial  success,  enabling  him  to  leave  his  family  in  very  com- 
fortable financial  circumstances.  Following  his  demise  Mrs.  Becker  retained  her 
residence  in  Le  Claire  but  the  daughter.  Miss  Hilda  Becker,  has  now  made  her 
home  in  Davenport  for  some  time  and  has  a  wide  circle  of  acquaintances  here. 


EMMETT  M.  SHARON. 

The  specific  and  distinctive  ofifice  of  biography  is  not  to  give  voice  to  a  man's 
modest  estimate  of  himself  and  his  accomplishments  but  rather  to  leave  the  per- 
petual record  establishing  his  character  by  the  consensus  of  opinion  on  the  part 
of  his  fellowmen.  Throughout  Davenport  Emmett  M.  Sharon  is  spoken  of  in 
terms  of  admiration  and  respect.  His  life  has  been  varied  in  its  activity,  honor- 
able in  its  purpose  and  far-reaching  and  beneficial  in  its  effects^  and  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  and  in  his  relations  with  municipal  projects  he  has  left  an 
impress  upon  the  annals  of  the  city.  In  no  sense  a  man  in  public  life,  he  has 
nevertheless  exerted  an  immeasurable  influence  upon  Davenport's  welfare  and 
progress. 

A  native  son  of  New  York,  Emmett  M.  Sharon  was  born  near  Watertown 
in  Jefferson  county,  a  son  of  Thomas  S.  and  Mary  (Keon)  Sharon,  who  were 
natives  of  New  York  and  Ireland  respectively.  After  mastering  the  branches  of 
learning  taught  in  the  public  schools  of  Watertown,  Emmett  M.  Sharon  became 
a  student  in  Hamilton  College  at  Clinton,  New  York,  and  as  an  extra  course  pur- 
sued the  study  of  law  until  the  date  of  his  graduation  in  1875.  He  afterward 
continued  his  law  reading  under  the  direction  of  Judge  Bishop,  and  in  the  year 
1878  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Waterloo,  Iowa.  During  the  years  of  his  pro- 
fessional practice  he  has  been  continuously  connected  with  the  Iowa  bar.  Open- 
ing his  ofifice  in  Black  Hawk  county,  he  there  remained  until  1887,  during  which 
time  he  made  steady  progress  in  his  chosen  vocation  and  also  won  popularity 
among  his  fellow  citizens,  who,  recognizing  his  worth  and  devotion  to  the  public 
good,  called  him  to  the  office  of  mayor  of  Laporte  City.  His  administration  was 
businesslike  and  progressive  and  added  to  the  already  high  reputation  which 
he  enjoyed. 

Mr.  Sharon's  identification  with  the  Davenport  bar  dates  from  1887,  ^^  which 
year  he  opened  an  office  in  this  city,  and  his  conduct  of  litigated  interests  soon 
attracted  wide  attention,  evidencing  his  knowledge  of  the  law,  his  close  examina- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  1001 

tion  of  witnesses  and  his  thorough  understanding  of  the  facts  in  relation  to  the 
case.  Wit,  humor,  elocution  and  indisputable  logic  have  all  constituted  elements 
in  his  presentation  of  his  cases  before  the  courts  and,  while  he  has  ever  been 
loyal  to  his  clients'  interests,  he  has  never  forgotten  for  a  moment  that  he  owes  a 
still  higher  allegiance  to  the  majesty  of  the  law.  Called  by  popular  sufifrage  to 
the  office  of  city  attorney,  he  served  in  that  capacity  for  seven  years  and  was 
also  for  several  years  on  the  law  committee  of  the  State  Bar  Association. 

With  the  interests  of  Davenport  in  the  many  phases  of  municipal  life  Mr. 
Sharon  has  been  connected,  standing  as  a  stalwart  champion  of  all  measures 
and  projects  which  have  for  their  object  the  advancement  and  welfare  of  the 
city.  To  this  end  he  has  cooperated  with  the  Business  Men's  Association,  in 
which  he  holds  membership.  He  has  served  as  a  director  of  the  Commercial 
Club  and  of  the  Home  Building  Association  and  is  interested  in  numerous  busi- 
ness ventures  and  in  real-estate  investments.  Since  1906  he  has  been  a  member 
of  the  library  board.  His  judgment  is  sound,  his  enterprise  unfaltering  and 
therefore  his  business  activities  have  been  crowned  with  success. 

The  year  which  chronicled  Mr.  Sharon's  admission  to  the  bar  was  also  the 
year  of  his  marriage,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Ida  Bishop,  the  daughter 
of  his  former  law  preceptor.  Their  home  is  justly  celebrated  for  a  warm-hearted 
and  cordial  hospitality.  His  social  nature  finds  further  expression  in  his  member- 
ship with  the  knights  of  Columbus  and  the  Woodmen.  In  the  various  relations 
which  have  constituted  the  salient  features  of  his  life  he  has  measured  up  to 
the  full  standard  of  manhood  and,  recognizing  his  own  capacities  and  powers, 
has  so  directed  his  labors  that  others  have  benefited  thereby,  while  he  himself 
has  received  therefrom  substantial  benefit. 


JOHN  BRAGONIER. 


Princeton  numbers  among  her  population  many  men  who,  through  cultivating 
the  rich  soil  of  Scott  county,  have  met  with  a  success  that  now  enables  them  to 
spend  the  evening  of  their  lives  in  honorable  retirement,  and  it  is  to  this  class 
that  John  Bragonier  belongs.  He  was  born  in  Fulton  county,  Pennsylvania,  Feb- 
ruary 12,  1847,  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Matilda  (Thomas)  Bragonier,  who  were  like- 
wise natives  of  the  Keystone  state,  born  in  Franklin  county,  the  former  on  the 
nth  of  November,  1821,  and  the  latter  on  the  4th  of  December,  1826.  Following 
their  marriage  they  established  their  home  in  the  east  and  there  four  children 
were  born  to  them.  The  date  of  their  arrival  in  Scott  county  was  November  12, 
1854.  Here  the  father  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  raw  land  in 
Princeton  township,  paying  for  the  same  six  dollars  per  acre.  On  the  place  stood 
a  small  house,  one  and  a  half  stories  high,  but  the  dwelling  had  not  been  finished 
sufficiently  for  the  family  to  live  in  comfort.  The  father  finished  two  rooms  and 
here  took  up  his  abode.  He  at  once  began  to  cultivate  the  land  and  in  due  course 
of  time  the  fields  yielded  abundant  harvests,  so  that  he  was  able  from  time  to 
time  to  add  to  his  original  holdings  until  he  became  the  owner  of  seven  hundred 


1002  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

and  thirty-five  acres.  He  made  his  home  on  his  first  farm  for  eighteen  years  and 
during  this  time  six  more  children  were  added  to  the  household.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  went  to  live  in  another  part  of  the  township  and  there  made 
his  home  till  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  24th  of  November,  1898, 
when  he  was  seventy-seven  years  of  age.  He  had  survived  his  wife,  who  had' been 
called  to  her  rest  about  four  years  previously,  her  demise  occurring  July  20,  1894, 
when  she  had  reached  the  age  of  sixty-eight.  They  were  numbered  among  the 
county's  most  worthy  and  respected  pioneer  settlers  and  were  consistent  and 
faithful  members  of  the  Lutheran  church.  The  father  also  took  a  deep  interest 
in  all  public  movements  that  tended  to  improve  this  district  and  acted  as  road 
supervisor  and  as  school  director  for  many  years.  The  record  of  the  family  is 
as  follows :  John,  of  this  review ;  Abraham  J.,  who  was  born  March  29,  1849,  and 
lives  in  Omaha,  Nebraska ;  Henry  C,  who  was  born  September  5,  1850,  and  makes 
his  home  in  Tacoma,  Washington;  Martha  V.,  who  was  born  October  5,  1852, 
and  lives  in  Tama,  Iowa ;  Amy  A.,  who  was  born  March  24,  1855,  and  died  in 
1869;  David  J.,  who  was  born  July  9,  1857,  and  lives  in  CaHfornia;  George  M., 
born  June  29,  i860,  who  departed  this  life  in  1866;  Mary,  whose  birth  occurred 
on  the  25th  of  March,  1864,  and  has  also  passed  away ;  Clark  E.,  who  was  bom 
May  19,  1869,  and  lives  in  Tama ;  and  Howard  O.,  who  was  born  June  16,  1871, 
and  lives  in  Clinton,  this  state. 

John  Bragonier,  the  eldest  of  the  ten  children,  began  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  Pennsylvania  but,  being  a  lad  of  little  more  than  seven  years  when  the 
family  removed  to  Scott  county,  his  education  was  mostly  acquired  in  the  district 
schools  of  this  section.  As  soon  as  he  was  old  enough  to  work  in  the  fields  he 
was  assigned  various  tasks  incident  to  farm  life  and  as  his  age  and  strength  permit- 
ted he  assumed  larger  responsibilities,  assisting  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm  until 
he  was  twenty-eight  years  of  age.  He  then  engaged  in  farming  on  his  own  ac- 
count on  a  tract  of  rented  land,  but  in  1881  purchased  his  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  in  Princeton  township  and  thereon  took  up  his  abode.  Although  the 
farm  was  fairly  well  improved,  Mr.  Bragonier  made  more  modern  and  substan- 
tial improvements  until  it  is  now  one  of  the  valuable  properties  of  eastern  Iowa. 
He  was  identified  with  the  cultivation  of  that  place  for  many  years  but  in  1904  put 
aside  business  cares  and  removed  to  Princeton,  where  he  has  since  lived  retired. 
He  still  retains  possession  of  his  farm,  however,  and  its  rental  supplies  him  with 
d  good  annual  income. 

It  was  on  the  i8th  of  March,  1873,  that  Mr.  Bragonier  was  married  to  Miss 
Hyantha  Amelia  Zimmerman,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Houck)  Zim- 
merman. Mrs.  Bragonier  was  born  in  Franklin  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  both 
her  father  and  mother  passed  away  there.  She  is  the  seventh  in  order  of  birth 
in  a  family  of  thirteen  children,  the  others  being  Katherine,  William  H.,  Martha 
J.,  Marcile  C,  Sarah  M.,  Mary  E.,  Georgia,  John  M.,  Jeremiah  D.,  Amy  E.,  Car- 
rie E.  and  Joseph  S.  Mrs.  Bragonier  has  become  the  mother  of  six  children. 
Alice  is  the  wife  of  John  Hartman,  their  home  being  on  her  father's  farm.  They 
have  four  living  children,  Mildred,  Harry,  Ethel  E.,  and  Ruth,  while  the  third, 
Earl,  has  passed  away.  The  next  in  order  of  birth  died  in  infancy.  Cornelia  is 
the  wife  of  J.  A.  Fletcher,  a  resident  of  Princeton  township,  and  they  have  three 
children:  Harry  A.,  Earl  J.  and  Mervine.     Harry,  the  fourth  member  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  1003 

family,  died  when  a  youth  of  seventeen  years.    Lettie  M.  and  De  Witt  are  still 
under  the  parental  roof. 

The  fainily  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Princeton,  and  are 
prominent  in  social  circles.  Personally  Mr.  Bragonier  is  quiet  and  unassuming 
in  manner,  refusing  political  preferment  and  avoiding  publicity.  In  former  years 
he  led  a  busy  and  active  life,  finding  little  time  for  outside  interests,  and  yet  he 
was  not  unmindful  of  the  duties  of  citizenship.  His  greatest  pleasure  now  is  in 
the  companionship  of  his  wife  and  children  and  he  can  look  back  over  a  life  well 
spent  and  feel  that  his  rest  is  well  deserved,  for  it  has  come  not  through  the 
timely  aid  of  others  but  as  the  result  of  his  own  labors  and  the  careful  manage- 
ment of  his  business  affairs. 


WILLIAM  KOBERG. 


A  well  improved  farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  acres,  most  of  which 
lies  on  section  15,  Hickory  Grove  township,  stands  as  a  monument  to  the  thrift, 
economy  and  industry  of  William  Koberg.  He  was  bom  in  Germany,  his  natal 
place  being  Schleswig,  and  the  date  July  19,  1852.  His  parents,  Wilhelm  and 
Anna  (Moeller)  Koberg,  have  spent  their  entire  lives  in  the  land  of  their  nativity, 
as  has  also  the  eldest  son,  Frederick,  who  still  makes  his  home  in  Schleswig.  The 
second  son,  Detlef,  is  deceased,  while  Claus  is  a  resident  of  Davenport. 

William  Koberg,  the  other  member  and  the  youngest  of  the  'family,  was  reared 
in  Germany  and  was  there  educated  in  the  common  schools.  His  brother  Claus 
had  emigrated  to  the  new  world  after  reaching  mature  years  and  through  him  our 
subject  heard  favorable  reports  concerning  the  opportunities  here  offered,  and 
at  the  age  of  nineteen  he  was  induced  to  join  his  brother  in  America.  Accord- 
ingly, in  1871,  he  set  sail  for  New  York,  whence  he  made  his  way  direct  to  Dav- 
enport, arriving  in  the  latter  city  on  the  3d  of  July  of  that  year.  The  following 
day  he  joined  his  brother  Claus  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  he  having  lived  in  this 
section  for  three  years.  On  the  5th  of  July  William  Koberg  found  employment 
at  binding  barley  and  from  that  date  he  has  been  busily  engaged  to  the  present 
time.  He  worked  as  a  farm  hand  for  two  years,  all  the  time  his  ambition  leading 
him  to  something  higher  and  more  remunerative.  .He  then  purchased  a  threshing 
outfit,  which  he  operated  during  the  harvesting  season  for  nine  years.  In  the 
meantime  he  also  engaged  in  farming  on  his  own  account,  having  purchased  his 
present  place  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  acres,  all  of  which  is  under  cultiva- 
tion except  thirty-three  acres,  which  is  covered  with  timber  and  lies  on  sections 
16  and  9,  while  the  remainder  is  on  section  15,  Hickory  Grove  township.  When 
Mr.  Koberg  bought  this  property  the  only  improvements  were  a  small  shanty  and 
a  barn.  He  has  since  erected  a  substantial  country  dwelling  and  a  large  barn, 
while  sheds  and  granaries  afford  shelter  for  grain  and  stock.  For  nine  years  he 
also  operated  a  creamery  known  as  The  Country  Creamery.  He  did  a  big  busi- 
ness, amounting  to  from  twenty-six  thousand  to  thirty  thousand  dollars  per  year. 
One  month  he  handled  cream  to  the  amount  of  twenty-four  thousand  and  fifty 
dollars,  besides  the  cream  which  was  furnished  by  his  own  cows,  for  he  kept  a 


1004  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

number  on  his  farm.  After  giving  his  attention  to  this  business  for  nine  years  he 
abandoned  the  same  and  has  since  devoted  his  entire  time  to  general  farming.  He 
possesses  good  business  ability  and  is  meeting  with  success  in  his  work. 

Mr.  Koberg  was  married  on  the  4th  of  March,  1876,  to  Miss  Adelia  Meyer, 
who  was  born  in  Davenport  township,  January  14,  1856,  and  has  always  made 
her  home  in  Scott  county.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Hans  and  Cecelia  ( Stoltenberg) 
Meyer,  of  whom  extended  mention  is  made  in  connection  with  the  sketch  of  Ed- 
ward Meyer,  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Koberg,  on  another  page  of  this  work.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Koberg  have  been  born  seven  children,  as  follows :  Alvina,  who  be- 
came the  wife  of  William  Wunder  and  died  leaving  one  child,  Alvina,  who  lives 
with  her  grandparents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Koberg;  Cecelia,  the  wife  of  William  Rug- 
genkamp,  a  resident  of  Davenport  township ;  Herman,  a  resident  of  Davenport ; 
Laura,  the  wife  of  Rudolph  Weis,  of  Sheridan  township;  Carrie,  at  home;  and 
Hertha  and  Harvey,  also  still  at  home. 

Mr.  Koberg  is  a  most  public-spirited  citizen  and  has  been  called  by  his  fellow 
citizens  to  fill  various  offices,  having  served  as  road  supervisor,  township  trustee 
and  school  director  for  many  terms.  His  political  allegiance  is  given  to  the  dem- 
ocratic party.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Maysville  Shooting  Society.  Practical 
and  progressive,  he  has  not  always  confined  himself  to  the  limits  of  farming  but 
has  used  various  means  to  gain  a  start  in  life  and  in  this  way  has  acquired  a 
property  that  supplies  him  with  a  good  living  for  himself  and  family  and  enables 
him  to  lay  something  by  for  his  declining  years. 


HENRY  J.  WUESTENBERG. 

An  enterprising  and  progressive  spirit  has  characterized  the  life  work  of  Henry 
J.  Wuestenberg,  who  is  now  a  resident  of  Donahue.  He  was  born  in  Davenport, 
February  28,  1866,  a  son  of  August  and  Dorothea  (Schlapkohl)  Wuestenberg, 
both-  of  whom  were  natives  of  Holstein,  Germany,  the  former  born  March  6, 
1829,  and  the  latter  July  2,  1834.  They  were  married,  however,  in  Davenport, 
in  1852.  The  father,  who  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade,  followed  that  occupation  in 
the  land  of  his  nativity  and  also  for  some  years  after  coming  to  Scott  county.  In 
1870  he  engaged  in  farming  and  at  the  time  of  his  demise  had  acquired  three 
hundred  acres  of  land,  located  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  four  miles  north  of 
Donahue.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  August  Wuestenberg  had  ten  children,  the  record  being 
as  follows :  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Henry  Grell,  of  Aliens  Grove  township ;  Sophia, 
the  wife  of  Jacob  Hendrickson,  also  of  that  township ;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Conrad 
Hess,  a  resident  of  this  section  of  the  county ;  Henry  J.,  of  this  review ;  Lizzie, 
the  wife  of  Peter  Jacobson,  who  resides  in  Donahue ;  Ferdinand,  who  makes  his 
home  in  Aliens  Grove  township ;  Otto,  who  died  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years ;  Gusta, 
who  passed  away  in  1884  .when  about  eleven  years  of  age,  her  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  1873 ;  and  John  and  William,  twins,  who  were  born  in  1876.  The  for- 
mer makes  his  home  in  Aliens  Grove  township,  but  the  latter  died  in  1884,  when 
about  eight  years  of  age.  The  parents  have  likewise  been  called  to  the  home  be- 
yond, the  mother's  death  occurring  October  25,  1897,  while  the  father  survived 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  1005 

for  a  few  years  and  passed  away  on  the  28th  of  January,  1904,  when  in  his  sev- 
enty-fifth year. 

Henry  J.  Wuestenberg  was  reared  in  Davenport  to  his  fourth  year,  at  which 
time  the  family  took  up  their  abode  on  a  farm  in  Aliens  Grove  township.  As  soon 
as  old  enough  he  was  set  to  work  in  the  fields  and  continued  to  assist  his  father 
until  1888,  when,  a  young  man  of  twenty-two  years,  he  purchased  a  threshing 
outfit  and  began  operations  in  this  line.  In  1897  he  opened  a  feed  mill  in  Donahue, 
which  he  still  conducts.  In  1903  he  equipped  himself  for  moving  houses  and  has 
since  been  ready  to  meet  all  demands  in  this  line  of  activity.  Anything  along 
mechanical  lines  is  of  interest  to  him  and  although  his  business  is  diversified,  it 
will  be  seen  that  it  all  follows  in  this  particular  direction  and  is  conducted  success- 
fully. In  his  earlier  years  he  worked  at  railroad  construction  and  he  there 
proved  his  aptitude  in  mechanics,  which* he  has  since  made  his  life  work. 

Mr.  Wuestenberg  was  married  September  23,  1896,  tO'  Miss  Emma  A.  Quis- 
torf ,  who  was  born  in  Liberty  township,  Scott  county,  March  7,  1875,  a  daughter 
of  F.  A.  and  Lena  (Steffen)  Quisdorf,  both  natives  of  Holstein,  Germany,  whence 
they  came  to  Scott  county  in  1848  and  now  live  in  Dixon.  They  are  mentioned 
elsewhere  in  this  work.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wuestenberg  have  three  sons :  Raymond, 
Elmer  and  Clarence.  They  lost  their  only  daughter,  Adeline,  the  youngest  in 
the  family,  at  the  age  of  three  years. 

A  democrat  in  principle  and  practice,  Mr.  Wuestenberg's  interests  are  closely 
allied  with  everything  of  a  public  nature.  For  ten  consecutive  years  he  has 
served  as  township  assessor  and  he  has  also  been  assessor  of  Donahue.  Upon 
the  recent  incorporation  of  the. village  he  was  elected  street  commissioner  and  is 
still  the  incumbent  in  that  office.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Donahue  Savings  Bank 
and  takes  a  deep  interest  in  this  and  other  enterprises  of  Donahue.  His  fraternal 
relations  are  with  K.  P.  lodge,  No.  299,  at  Dixon,  the  Evening  Star  Lodge,  the 
'Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  at  Davenport  and  the  Home  Guards  of  the 
World  at  Dixon.  He  is  true  to  the  terms  of  a  contract  and  is  deserving  of  the 
success  he  has  attained  in  industrial  circles. 


JOSEPH  HELBLE. 


Joseph  Helble,  who  carries  on  general  farming  and  has  also  devoted  consider- 
able time  to  the  butchering  business,  was  born  in  Davenport,  August  6,  1858,  a 
son  of  Gerhardt  and  Amelia  (Snow)  Helble,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Ger- 
many. The  father,  who  was  born  in  Wurtemberg,  December  27,  1826,  came  to 
America  in  early  life  and  in  Wisconsin  wedded  Miss  Amelia  Snow.  They  are  still 
living  and  are  now  residents  of  Princeton.  The  father  has  followed  farming  dur- 
ing the  greater  part  of  his  life.  In  the  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gerhardt  Helble 
were  six  children,  namely:  Joseph;  WiUiam,  who  is  a  resident  farmer  of  Butler 
township  •  Mary,  who  died  in  Princeton  in  the  year  1906;  Clara,  the  wife  of  John 
Schlotfeldt  a  brewer  residing  in  Allensburg,  Washington;  Emma,  the  wife  of 
Herman  Schlotfeldt,  who  is  a  brewer  living  in  Port  Townsend,  Washington;  and 


1006  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

John,  who  married  Emma  Hening  and  is  a  farmer  residing  on  the  old  family 
homestead. 

Joseph  Helble  acquired  his  education  in  the  district  school  of  Butler  township 
and  early  became  familiar  with  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the 
agriculturist.  In  young  manhood  he  also  learned  the  butcher's  trade  and  he  has 
given  his  time  and  energies  to  that  business  and  to  general  farming.  He  has  al- 
ways been  diligent,  active  and  enterprising  and  his  success  has  come  as  the  reward 
of  earnest,  persistent  labor. 

On  the  17th  of  February,  1882,  Mr.  Helble  was  married  to  Miss  Sophia  Faes- 
ser,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Genevieve  Faesser,  both  of  whom  were  residents  of 
Princeton  township  at  the  time  of  their  death.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Helble  have 
been  born  seven  children :  Charles,  who  married  Rhoda  Carter  and  is  now  cashier 
and  manager  in  a  department  store  at  Falls  City,  Oregon,  where  he  resides ;  Car- 
rie, the  wife  of  Edward  Holtz,  who  is  living  on  a  farm  in  Butler  township  and 
has  three  children;  Lydia,  who  is  with  her  parents  in  Princeton;  and  Arthur, 
George,  Elmer  and  Ernest,  also  at  home. 

Mr.  Helble  gives  his  political  support  to  the  republican  party  but  has  never 
sought  nor  desired  office,  preferring  to  concentrate  his  time  and  energies  upon 
his  business  affairs.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and  the  Royal  Neighbors,  all  of  Princeton.  For 
a  quarter  of  a  century  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church  and  his  well 
spent  life  has  gained  him  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  all  who  know  him,  while 
his  activity  and  energy  in  business  have  been  the  source  of  the  success  which  has 
made  him  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  the  community. 


WILLIAM  ARP. 


William  Arp,  who  owns  a  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-nine  acres 
in  Sheridan  township,  is  one  of  Scott  county's  native  sons,  who  derives  a  ccan- 
fortable  income,  from  tilling  the  soil.  He  was  born  in  Walnut  Grove,  Butler  town- 
ship, A'pril  II,  1863,  his  parents  being  Peter  and  Minnie  (Fellener)  Arp.  The 
father  was  for  a  long  period  identified  with  the  agricultural  life  of  Sheridan  town- 
ship but  is  now  living  retired  in  Davenport.  He  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany, 
February  5,  1830,  and  is  a^son  of  Peter  and  Wiepke  Arp,  who  spent  their  entire 
lives  in  the  fatherland,  where  Peter  Arp,  Sr.,  worked  at  the  tailor's  trade.  Our 
subject's  father  was  about  twenty  years  of  age  when  he  decided  to  come  to  Amer- 
ica and  after  crossing  the  Atlantic  disembarked  at  New  Orleans,  where  he  took 
a  river  boat  to  come  to  Iowa.  He  was  two  months  ascending  the  Mississippi,  how- 
ever, as  quantities  of  ice  impeded  progress,  and  on  the  9th  of  March,  1850,  he 
landed  at  Davenport,  where  a  sister  was  already  living,  she  having  come  to  this 
state  in  1847.  After  his  arrival  Mr.  Arp  secured  employment  in  a  brickyard  and 
later  obtained  work  as  a  farm  hand,  but  he  was  frugal  and  industrious  and  in  the 
course  of  a  few  years  had  saved  enough  to  buy  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
prairie  land  in  Sheridan  township.    In  1853  he  married  and  that  he  and  his  wife 


MK 


.    AXT)  :^rR!^-  wiLT.TAM  .vrtr 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  1007 

might  have  a  home  he  bought  an  old  dwelling  which  he  moved  to  his  land,  making 
it  serve  for  his  residence  until  he  was  able  to  put  up  a  better  structure.  The  tract 
he  had  purchased  proved  to  be  rich  and  arable.  He  plowed  the  first  furrow  on  that 
farm  and  during  the  five  years  it  was  his  place  of  residence  it  gave  him  a  gratify- 
ing return  for  his  labors.  After  he  had  made  a  number  of  improvements  upon  the 
place  he  traded  it  for  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  acres  in  Winfield  township,  about 
twelve  miles  from  Davenport  on  the  Dubuque  road.  That  place  had  a  small  house 
upon  it  and  some  other  improvements  had  been  made,  but  Mr.  Arp  brought  the 
land  to  a  higher  state  of  cultivation  and  after  four  years  sold  it,  thereupon  return- 
ing to  Sheridan  township,  where  he  owned  a  tract  of  fifty  acres  and  also  rented 
some  land  from  Benjamin  Barr,  on  which  he  lived  for  a  year.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  he  removed  to  the  fifty  acres  he  owned,  bought  another  fifty  acres,  built 
thereon  a  house,  and  there  made  his  home  for  the  next  twenty-six  years,  or  during 
the  remainder  of  the  time  he  was  actively  engaged  in  farming.  In  the  meantime, 
however,  he  bought  land  as  he  was  able,  owning  more  than  half  a  section  at  one 
period  in  his  life,  the  extent  of  his  landholdings  indicating  the  success  which  at- 
tended his  labors  and  the  good  management  conspicuous  in  his  business  dealings. 
In  addition  to  being  a  prosperous  agriculturist  he  was  also  a  man  well  known  in 
his  township,  and  the  record  of  his  official  service  was  one  that  brought  him  the 
respect  of  his  fellow  citizens,  when  in  October,  1892,  he  decided  to  retire  and  re- 
moved to  Davenport. 

Mr.  Arp  was  married  September  2,  1853,  to  Miss  Minnie  Fellener,  a  daughter 
of  Earnhardt  and  Fredrica  Fellener.  She  was  born  in  Germany,  emigrated  to  this 
country  when  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  through  her  marriage  became  the 
mother  of  seven  children.  Charles,  now  deceased,  married  Kathryn  Runfeldt, 
and  they  had  two  children,  Minnie  and  Charles.  Emma  became  the  wife  of 
Henry  Jarchow>  of  Davenport,  and  they  have  two  sons,  William  and  Jacob. 
Henry  married  Louisa  Petersen  and  lives  in  Minnesota,  where  he  is  rearing  his 
two  children,  Mary  and  Paul.  William  is  the  subject  of  this  review.  John,  now 
living  in  Sheridan  township,  wedded  Bertha  Weise,  and  has  four  children,  Ella, 
Alfred,  Aileen  and  Edward.  Elizabeth  became  the  wife  of  Henry  Soil,  of  Daven- 
port, and  they  have  two  children,  Edna  and  Hugo.  The  other  died  in  infancy. 
The  parents  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  church,  ^yhile  Mr.  Arp  gives  stanch 
allegiance  to  the  democratic  party,  and  on  its  ticket  was  elected  to  the  office  of 
trustee  of  Sheridan  township. 

William  Arp,  whose  name  introduces  this  review,  was  about  one  year  of  age 
when  his  parents  removed  from  Butler  to  Sheridan  township,  and  in  the  latter 
township  has  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  He  was  a  pupil  in  the  school  of 
district  No.  6,  and  after  he  put  aside  his  text-books  engaged  in  farming  with  the 
intention  of  making  it  his  means  of  livelihood.  He  remained  with  his  father  until 
he  was  twenty-eight  years  of  age,  when  he  married  and,  desiring  to  establish  a 
home  of  his  own,  he  bought  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives.  It  is  a  fine  tract  of 
one  hundred  and  seventy-nine  acres  situated  upon  the  Long  Grove  road  in  Sheri- 
dan township,  on  which  Mr.  Arp  raises  the  cereals  best  adapted  to  soil  and  climate 
and  also  has  ample  pasturage  for  the  stock  he  raises  and  feeds  in  large  quantities. 
He  has  ever  been  a  man  who  is  not  only  industrious  and  frugal  but  also  ambitious 
and  determined  to  make  the  best  use  of  the  opportunities  that  lie  before  him.    That 


1008  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

he  has  been  successful  beyond  the  average  is  indicated  by  the  appearance  of  his 
property  and  the  fact  that  he  owns  stock  in  the  Eldridge  Elevator  Company. 

On  the  28th  of  January,  1891,  Mr.  Arp  was  united  in  marriage  to  Aiiss  Eliza 
Soil,  who  was  born  in  Davenport  township,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Christian  and 
Anna  Soil.  Her  parents  were  natives  of  Holstein,  Germany,  and  were  numbered 
among  the  early  German  settlers  of  this  section  of  Iowa,  for  her  father  came  here 
when  eighteen  and  her  mother  when  a  girl  of  nine  years.  They  are  now  living 
in  Minnesota.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arp  have  had  four  children  but  the  first  two  died  in 
infancy.  The  others  are :  Walter,  who  was  born  January  4,  1895 ;  and  Viola,  born 
October  2,  1897.    Both  are  at  home. 

Mr.  Arp  has  always  given  stalwart  support  to  the  democratic  party  and  upon 
its  ticket  was  elected  to  several  offices  of  public  trust,  for  he  served  as  trustee 
of  Sheridan  township  for  three  years  as  road  supervisor  for  thirteen  years  and  as 
school  director  for  another  long  period,  in  each  capacity  performing  his  duties 
carefully  and  honorably,  so  that  he  has  the  respect  and  esteem  of  a  large  circle 
of  friends,  many  of  whom  have  known  him  from  boyhood.  He  is  well  known  in 
Eldridge  and  belongs  to  the  Turners  Society  there. 


FRITZ  KARDEL. 


Among  those  in  Scott  county  who  through  the  cultivation  of  its  rich  soil  have 
gained  a  competency  that  now  enables  them  to  live  retired,  is  Fritz  Kardel.  Born 
in  Holstein,  Germany,  December  22,  1834,  his  parents  were  John  and  Minnie 
(Evers)  Kardel.  The  father,  a  carpenter  by  trade,  followed  that  work  as  a  means 
of  livelihood  in  his  native  land.  In  1853  he  emigrated  with  his  family  to  the  new 
world.  Landing  at  New  York  city,  he  continued  his  journey  to  Davenport, 
making  the  trip  by  rail  and  by  team  and  wagon  to  Rock  Island,  Illinois,  whence 
he  crossed  the  Mississippi  river  to  Davenport,  arriving  here  on  the  4lh  of  July, 
1853.  The  trip  was  a  long  and  arduous  one,  requiring  steady  travel  for  two 
months.  The  mother  died  about  four  weeks  after  their  arrival  in  the  new  world, 
and  the  father,  having  in  the  meantime  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  land  in  Hickory  Grove  township,  subsequently  removed  with  his  daughter  and 
two  sons  to  the  place.  The  daughter  acted  as  housekeeper  and  the  father  and 
his  two  sons  undertook  to  develop  and  improve  the  farm.  As  above  stated,  he 
was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  this  proved  a  valuable  asset  to  him  in  improving  his 
place.  On  the  farm  stood  a  small  shanty,  while  twenty  acres  of  the  land  had 
been  cleared  and  forty  acres  were  enclosed  with  fence.  In  addition  to  the  culti- 
vation of  the  farm  the  father  and  his  son  Fritz  also  did  carpenter  work,  building 
shanties  along  the  line  of  the  first  railroad  that  was  under  construction  through 
the  west.  In  his  later  years  he  put  aside  business  cares  and  removed  to  Daven- 
port, where  he  had  previously  purchased  a  nice  home  and  here  he  passed  away  in 
1886.  He  became  a  valued  and  influential  citizen  of  this  section  of  the  county 
and  although  he  had  to  face  many  obstacles  when  he  arrived  in  the  new  world,  he 
possessed  that  tenacity  of  purpose  that  led  him  upward  to  success  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  he  was  a  well-to-do  man.     The  daughter,  Frederica,  became  the 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  1009 

wife  of  Henry  Luwe,  of  Davenport,  but  she  is  now  deceased.  Henry  is  living 
retired  in  Davenport,  owning  six  hundred  acres  of  valuable  land  in  Hickory  Grove 
township.  He  wedded  Miss  Katherine  Hagedorn,  a  daughter  of  Claus  and 
Margaret  Hagedorn,  of  Scott  county,  on  the  i8th  of  November,  1864.  They 
have  three  children.  John  married  Katherine  Stoltenberg,  lives  in  Scott  county 
and  has  one  child,  Gilbert.  Amanda  is  the  wife  of  Ferdinand  Stoltenberg,  of  Du- 
rant,  Iowa,  and  they  have  two  daughters,  Lillie  and  Lulu.  Theodore,  who  lives  in 
Scott  county,  wedded  Anna  Koberg,  by  whom  he  has  one  son,  Robert. 

Fritz  Kardel,  the  other  member  of  the  family,  was  educated  in  the  schools  of 
Germany  and  was  a  youth  of  nineteen  years  when  he  accompanied  the  family  on 
the  emigration  to  the  new  world.  He  proved  a  valuable  assistant  to  the  father 
in  gaining  a  start  in  the  new  world  and  the  knowledge  he  himself  gained  also 
proved  a  factor  in  later  life  when  he  started  out  to  make  his  own  way  in  the 
world.  In  1880  he  purchased  two  hundred  and  one  acres  of  land  in  Cleona 
township,  to  which  he  removed,  and  after  operating  the  place  for  about  seven 
years  he  abandoned  business  pursuits  and  removed  to  Davenport,  where  he  owns 
and  occupies  the  residence  purchased  by  the  father  many  years  ago.  He  still 
owns  his  farm  and  the  rental  of  this  supplies  him  with  all  the  comforts  of  life. 

Mr.  Kardel  was  married  October  29,  1861,  to  Miss  Margaret  Klindt,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  and  Katherine  Klindt,  of  Scott  county.  Mrs.  Kardel  came  alone  to 
the  new  world  from  Germany  when  a  young  lady  of  eighteen  years.  Her  parents 
came  later  and  both  passed  away  in  Scott  county.  She  is  the  eldest  in  a  family 
of  five  children,  the  others  being :  Claus ;  Henry ;  Katherine,  the  wife  of  John 
Sindt;  and  Helen,  deceased.  Both  Mr.  Kardel  and  his  brother  are  members  of 
the  German  Pioneer  Society.  In  early  life  he  shared  with  the  other  members  of 
the  family  in  the  hardships  incident  to  establishing  a  home  in  a  new  country, 
where  the  language,  manners  and  customs  are  unfamiliar  to  those  of  foreign 
birth.  He,  however,  addressed  himself  to  the  task  and  his  activity  in  business 
not  only  contributed  to  his  individual  success  but  was  also  a  factor  in  the  devel- 
opment of  Scott  county  and  he  is  now  accounted  one  of  the  honored  pioneer  set- 
tlers and  retired  residents  of  Davenport. 


EDWARD  R.  TAYLOR. 

Edward  R.  Taylor  is  giving  his  entire  time  to  the  raising  of  fruit  on  forty  acres 
of  land  in  Bufifalo  township.  He  was  born  in  Preston,  Minnesota,  April  5,  1866, 
a  son  of  William  Murray  and  Carohne  R.  (Noble)  Taylor,  the  former  born  in 
Jamestown,  New  York,  in  1825,  and  the  latter  in  Essex  Junction,  Vermont.  The 
father  was  a  merchant  tailor  in  Preston  for  many  years  but  in  1894  came  to  Scott 
county,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home. 

Edward  R.  Taylor  was  reared  in  the  place  of  his  nativity  and  acquired  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools.  After  putting  aside  his  text-books  he  was  employed 
as  a  clerk  and  as  buyer  of  wheat  in  a  flour  mill  at  Preston  for  a  time  but  in  1886, 
seeking  the  broader  opportunities  to  be  enjoyed  in  a  city,  he  went  to  Minneapolis, 
md  for  several  years  was  engaged  as  reporter  on  the  Minneapolis  Tribune.     In 


1010  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

1894  he  came  to  Buffalo  township,  Scott  county,  with  his  father  and  mother,  and, 
the  latter  having  inherited  forty  acres  of  land  from  her  father's  estate,  the  tract 
having  been  settled  by  him  in  1836,  Edward  R.  Taylor  took  up  his  abode  on  the 
farm.  He  is  devoting  this  to  horticultural  pursuits,  his  principal  products  being 
grapes,  plums,  pears,  peaches  and  all  kinds  of  berries.  He  has  made  a  close 
study  of  fruit-raising,  understands  thoroughly  the  care  of  his  trees  and  shrubs 
so  that  they  will  bear  good  crops  in  their  respective  seasons  and  thus  he  is  meet- 
ing with  success  in  his  field  of  labor.  He  finds  no  difficulty  in  disposing  of  his 
products  in  the  Davenport  market,  where  it  demands  good  prices,  owing  to  its 
fine  quality. 

Mr.  Taylor  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jennie  McKim,  a  daughter  of 
Daniel  R.  McKim,  of  Troy,  Indiana.  The  father  now  makes  his  home  with  his 
daughter.  Mr.  Taylor  votes  for  the  men  and  measures  of  the  republican  party 
but  is  not  a  man  in  public  life  in  the  sense  of  office  seeking.  He  prefers  to  devote 
his  full  time  to  his  private  business  affairs  and  his  labors  are  bringing  him  a 
merited  reward.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  people  of  sterling  worth  and  com- 
mand the  respect  of  neighbors  and  friends. 


HENRY  A.  ARP. 


Henry  A.  AVp,  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1896,  has  practiced  in  Davenport  since 
1898  and  has  built  up  an  extensive  loan  and  mortgage  business.  As  legal  coun- 
selor he  has  been  active  in  promoting  the  interests  of  various  business  concerns  in 
this  part  of  the  state  and  in  general  practice  has  become  known  as  a  strong  and 
able  lawyer.  He  was  born  in  this  county.  May  3,  1868,  a  son  of  Heinrich  Arp, 
who  was  bom  in  Germany  and  came  to  the  United  States  in  1847,  landing  at 
New  Orleans.  He  at  once  left  the  Crescent  city,  however,  proceeding  by  boat 
up  the  Mississippi  to  Davenport.  After  a  short  time  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
Davenport  township,  where  he  engaged  in  general  farming  for  many  years,  bring- 
ing his  fields  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  adding  many  modem  improve- 
ments to  his  place.  He  retired  from  active  work  a  few  years  before  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1895,  when  he  had  reached  the  age  of  seventy  years.  It  was 
subsequent  to  his  arrival  in  Scott  county  that  he  married  Miss  Caroline  Fey,  and 
unto  them  were  born  thirteen  children,  of  whom  nine  are  yet  living.  The  mother 
had  come  to  this  county  in  her  girlhood  days  from  Germany  with  her  father,  Wil- 
liam Fey,  who  was  a  respected  and  representative  farmer  in  Davenport  town- 
ship in  pioneer  times, Heinrich  Arp  was  also  numbered  among  the  worthy  pio- 
neer settlers  whose  labors  had  constituted  an  important  element  in  bringing  about 
the  present  prosperity  and  progress  of  the  county.  He  never  had  occasion  to  re- 
gret his  determination  to  come  to  America,  for  in  the  improvement  of  the  oppor- 
tunities here  offered  he  won  substantial  success  and  enjoyed  the  friendship  and 
regard  of  many  of  the  residents  of  the  community  in  which  he  established  his  home. 

In  the  public  schools  Henry  A.  Arp  mastered  the  elementary  branches  of  learn- 
ing and  subsequently  attended  the  Duncan  Business  College,  receiving  there  a 
training  which  has  been  of  value  to  him  in  his  later  connection  with  business  af- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  1011 

fairs.  Taking  up  the  study  of  law,  he  completed  a  course  in  the  law  department 
of  the  Iowa  State  University  in  1896  and  opened  an  office  at  Le  Mars,  where  he 
practiced  for  two  years.  He  then  removed  to  Davenport  and  formed  a  partnership 
with  A.  J.  Noth.  For  eight  years  they  were  associated  and  since  that  time  Mr.  Arp 
has  been  alone,  conducting  a  successful  practice  in  the  conduct  of  various  litigated 
interests.  He  is  strong  and  resourceful  in  argument  and  in  the  presentation  of 
his  cause  his  deductions  follow  in  logical  sequence.  He  does  not  indulge  in  gen- 
erahties  but  gives  specific  proof  of  his  points,  and  is  seldom,  if  ever,  at  fault  in  the 
'application  of  a  legal  principle  or  a  precedent.  He  is  also  conductng  an  extensive 
loan  and  mortgage  business  and  he  has  assisted  in  organizing  a  number  of  country 
banks,  which  he  represents  in  a  legal  capacity,  these  including  banking  institutions 
of  Scott  and  adjoining  counties. 

On  the  8th  of  April,  1897,  Mr.  Arp  was  married  to  Miss  Clara  C.  Sindt,  a 
daughter  of  Thies  Sindt,  who  was  born  in  Germany  and  after  coming  to  the  new 
world  engaged  in  the  tinware  business  in  Davenport  in  the  early  days.  He  af- 
terward turned  his  attention  to  farming,  which  he  followed  in  Davenport  town- 
ship until  his  retirement  from  active  life  with  the  competence  which  had  been 
acquired  through  his  previous  earnest  and  unremitting  labor.  Mr.  Arp  gives  his 
political  allegiance  to  the  democracy  and  is  active  in  the  ranks  of  the  party  but  is 
not  an  office  seeker,  preferring  to  concentrate  his  time  and  energies  upon  his  pro- 
fessional and  business  interests,  which  are  now  extensive  and  of  an  important 
character. 


JOHN  C.  F.  PALM. 


John  C.  F.  Palm  makes  his  home  on  a  well  improved  farm  of  forty  acres  in 
Le  Claire  township  and  he  also  owns  another  tract  of  forty  acres  in  the  same 
township,  which  he  rents.  He  was  born  in  Germany,  October  24,  1828,  a  son  of 
John  and  Mary  (Jalt)  Palm,  who  lived  and  died  in  Germany.  The  father  was  a 
tailor  by  trade  and  he  also  engaged  in  farming  to  some  extent.  They  reared  a 
family  numbering  two  sons  and  two  daughters  but  our  subject  is  the  only  one  who 
survives,  the  others  being  Theresa,  Christopher  and  Mary. 

John  C.  F.  Palm  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  his  native  country  and,  ac- 
cording to  custom,  served  five  years  in  the  German  army.  He  also  learned  the 
carpenter's  trade,  which  he  followed  for  four  years  prior  to  his  emigration  to  the 
new  world,  he  being  a  young  man  of  twenty-five  years  when  he  sought  a  home 
in  America.  He  located  at  Le  Claire,  in  Scott  county,  and  owing  to  the  improve- 
ment which  this  section  was  then  undergoing,  he  had  no  difficulty  in  securing  work 
at  his  trade, -being  first  employed  by  a  Mr.  Longbottom.  He  carefully  saved  his 
earnings  and  in  course  of  time  purchased  of  his  employer  three  and  a  half  acres 
of  land  in  Le  Claire  township  and,  as  his  financial  resources  increased,  he  kept 
adding  to  his  tract  until  it  now  embraces  forty  acres.  There  had  been  some 
improvements  made  on  the  land  by  the  former  owner  but  Mr.  Palm  erected  a  new 
house  and  made  other  improvements,  so  that  the  place  is  now  supplied  with  sub- 
stantial buildings.     In  the  meantime  he  continued  to  engage  in  carpentering  and 


1012  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

also  cultivated  his  land,  his  time  being  thus  occupied  until  1890.  Today  a  large 
number  of  residences  in  this  immediate  section  stand  as  monuments  to  his  handi- 
work. 

Mr.  Palm  was  married  to  Mrs.  Mary  Kathryn  Church  in  1875.  She  was  like- 
wise born  in  Germany  and  was  left  an  orphan  at  the  age  of  four  years,  after 
which  she  was  reared  by  an  uncle  in  France.     Her  death  occurred  in  1903. 

Mr.  Palm  is  not  narrow  in  his  political  views  but  votes  for  the  men  whom  he 
regards  as  best  qualified  to  fill  office,  irrespective  of  party  ties.  His  first  vote 
after  coming  to  America  was  cast  for  Abraham  Lincoln  and  on  the  democratic 
ticket  he  was  elected  as  councilman  of  Le  Claire.  He  lives  on  his  farm  and  de- 
votes his  time  to  its  cultivation,  while  from  his  neighbors  and  friends  he  receives 
esteem  and  admiration. 


THEODORE  ZABEL. 


The  business  interests  of  Theodore  Zabel  are  those  represented  in  a  fine  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  valuable  land  on  section  8,  Lincoln  township, 
and  also  in  another  tract  of  eighty  acres  on  the  same  section.  He  devotes  his 
time  and  energies  to  farming  with  good  results  and  the  neat  and  thrifty  appear- 
ance of  his  place  is  indicative  of  the  progressive  spirit  of  the  owner.  He  was 
born  in  Mecklenburg,  Germany,  August  17,  1863,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and 
Sophia  Zabel.  The  father  was  a  blacksmith  in  his  native  country,  where  he 
remained  until  1869,  when  the  opportunities  of  the  new  world  attracted  him  and 
he  crossed  the  Atlantic,  landing  at  New  York.  He  at  once  made  his  way  to  Scott 
county  and  for  four  years  was  a  resident  of  Davenport,  after  which  he  removed 
to  Butler  township,  purchasing  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  whick 
he  occupied  for  thirteen  years,  when  his  wife  died,  and  he  returned  to  Davenport. 
He  still  makes  his  home  in  the  city  and  is  now  living  retired.  In  their  family 
were  eight  children ;  William,  a  resident  of  Winfield  township ;  Fritz,  a  resident 
of  Butler  township;  Charles  and  Albert,  who  make  their  home  in  Lincoln  town- 
ship; Amelia,  who  is  the  widow  of  Andrew  Schwartz  and  resides  on  the  old 
homestead  property ;  Meta,  the  wife  of  Henry  Thoede,  a  resident  of  Butler  town- 
ship; Alvina,  deceased;  and  Theodore,  the  subject  of  this  review. 

Theodore  Zabel  acquired  his  education  in  the  district  schools  and  has  followed 
farming  throughout  his  entire  life.  He  gave  his  father  the  benefit  of  his  services 
until  twenty  years  of  age,  after  which  he  secured  work  in  the  neighborhood  as  a 
farm  hand  and  was  thus  employed  until  the  time  of  his  marriage  in  1888.  Wish- 
ing to  have  a  home  of  his  own,  he  purchased  his  present  farm  from  his  father-in- 
law  and  has  now  occupied  it  for  twenty-two  years,  making  all  of  the  improvements 
here,  setting  out  all  of  the  trees  and  continuing  the  work  of  progress  until  his. 
property  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  valuable  and  attractive .  farms  of  the  district. 
As  the  years  passed  by  and  he  prospered  he  made  further  investment  in  land, 
becoming  the  owner  of  eighty  acres  which  was  the  old  Samuel  Stanley  farm. 

On  the  1st  of  March,  1888,  Mr.  Zabel  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Wilhel- 
mina  Horst,  a  daughter  of  Claus  and  Marietta  Horst,  who  were  early  settlers 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  1013 

here,  coming  to  Scott  county  about  1850.  The  father  had  served  in  the  war  be- 
tween Holstein  and  Denmark  from  the  year  1848  to  1850,  and  had  then  crossed 
the  Atlantic,  arriving  in  Scott  county  when  it  was  still  a  pioneer  district.  He 
purchased  prairie  land  and  turned  his  attention  to  farming.  In  the  course  of 
years  he  owned  two  good  farms  and  was  numbered  among  the  leading  agricultur- 
ists of  the  community.  Both  he  and  his  wife  and  three  sons  are  now  deceased. 
Mrs.  Z^bel  and  Mrs.  John  F.  Kuendel  were  born  in  Lincoln  township,  where  their 
girlhood  days  were  passed.  The  former  was  frained  in  the  work  of  the  house- 
hold and  pursued  her  early  education  in  the  district  schools.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Zabel  have  been  born  four  children :  Walter,  Alfon,  Grover  and  Hulda. 

Mr.  Zabel  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  camp.  No.  8971,  at  Eldridge, 
and  has  held  office  in  the  order.  He  is  also  connected  with  the  Turner  Society 
at  Eldridge  and  he  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  democratic  party.  He  has 
served  as  trustee  of  his  township  and  as  school  director,  and  the  cause  of  educa- 
tion finds  in  him  a  stalwart  champion.  His  attention,  however,  is  chiefly  given  to 
his  farming  interests  and  in  the  cultivation  of  his  fields  he  raises  diversified  crops 
and  he  always  keeps  on  hand  good  grades  of  stock.  He  has  been  diligent  and 
persevering  in  business,  watchful  of  all  details  pointing  to  success,  and  his  close 
application  and  energy  have  made  him  one  of  the  substantial  agriculturists  of  the 
community. 


SEVERIN  KRESS. 


The  characteristics  of  economy,  energy  and  determination  that  are  usually 
found  in  the  German  race  are  strongly  manifest  in  the  life  of  Severin  Kress,  who 
is  successfully  following  agricultural  pursuits  in  Buffalo  township.  He  was  born 
near  Coal  Valley,  Illinois,  October  7,  1859.  His  father,  who  was  bom  in  Hessen, 
Germany,  in  1830,  came  to  the  United  States  when  a  young  man,  and  in  i860  lo- 
cated in  Buffalo  and  commenced  mining  coal,  continuing  work  along  this  line  for 
two  decades.  In  the  meantime  he  had  purchased  farming  property  and  even- 
tually he  removed  to  his  tract  of  land  and  gave  his  attention  to  its  cultivation 
throughout  the  remainder  of  his  business  career.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1904,  he  owned  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  rich  Iowa  land.  Mr. 
Kress  was  married  to  Miss  Theresa  Weber,  who,  like  her  husband,  was  bom  in 
the  fatherland,  in  1837.  Of  this  marriage  there  survive  three  sons  and  two 
daughters,  those  besides  our  subject  being:  John  and  August,  who  operate  the 
dome  farm  in  Buffalo  township ;  Amelia,  who  makes  her  home  with  her  brothers  ; 
md  Margaret,  the  wife  of  William  Kolway,  of  Buffalo  township. 

Severin  Kress  was  but  an  infant  when  he  was  brought  from  his  native  state 
:o  Scott  county.  The  period  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  was  spent  in  assisting  his 
Father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm,  his  time  being  thus  employed  through  the 
spring  and  summer  months,  while  in  the  winter  seasons  he  pursued  his  studies 
n  the  district  schools  of  the  neighborhood.  He  remained  under  the  parental 
■oof  until  he  was  thirty-two  years  of  age  and  then  rented  a  tract  of  land,  which 
le  operated  for  a  few  years.     He  later  purchased  of  the  Brus  estate  one  hundred 


1014  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

and  sixty  acres  and  removed  to  that  farm  and  in  due  time  he  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  adjoining.  He  sold  this  entire  tract  in  1907  and  invested 
the  money  in  his  present  farm  on  section  7,  Buffalo  township,  and  is  now  giving 
his  attention  to  this  place.  His  farm  is  improved  with  substantial  buildings 
which  are  kept  in  good  repair,  while  through  the  rotation  of  crops,  the  use  of 
fertilizers  and  strict  adherence  to  practical  and  modern  methods  of  agriculture, 
he  keeps  his  fields  in  a  cultivable  state. 

Mr.  Kress  was  united  in  marriage  in  1891  to  Miss  Rose  Brus,  a  daughter 
of  Jacob  Brus,  whose  sketch  appears  on  another  page  of  this  work.  Three 
daughters  and  one  son  grace  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kress :  Ida,  Alice,  Theo- 
dore and  Clara. 

Mr.  Kress  is  a  democrat  in  his  political  views  but  aside  from  casting  his  bal- 
lot takes  little  interest  in  pubhc  affairs.  He  has,  however,  served  on  the  school 
board  for  six  years  and  in  more  direct  business  lines  is  a  stockholder  in  the 
Blue  Grass  Savings  Bank.  He  is  a  communicant  of  the  Catholic  church.  Quiet 
and  unassuming  in  manner,  he  thoroughly  enjoys  home  life  and  takes  great  pleas- 
ure in  the  society  of  his  family  and  friends,  while  in  his  business  affairs  he. 
ranks  among  the  substantial  men  of  this  section  of  the  state. 


THOMAS  CONVILL. 


Thomas  Convill,  an  enterprising  and  progressive  farmer  of  Buffalo  township, 
Scott  county,  who  for  many  years  was  identified  with  mining  interests  in  Illi- 
nois and  Colorado,  is  a  native  of  England,  his  birth  occurring  in  Manchester  on 
the  15th  of  April,  1855.  His  parents,  Alexander  and  Elizabeth  (Larety)  Con- 
vill, were  also  born  in  Manchester,  the  former  in  1806  and  the  latter  in  1821. 
They  emigrated  to  America  in  1857,  locating  first  in  Humphreysville,  Connecti- 
cut, and  later  came  west,  settling  in  Illinois.  In  1861,  at  the  time  of  the  outbreak 
of  the  Civil  war,  Alexander  Convill  was  residing  in  Monmouth,  that  state,  and  he 
enlisted  in  the  Union  army  as  a  member  of  the  Fiftieth  Illinois  Regiment,  serving 
for  two  years.  After  leaving  the  army  he  returned  to  the  Prairie  state,  where 
his  remaining  days  were  passed. 

No  event  of  special  importance  came  to  vary  the  routine  of  life  for  Thomas 
Convill  during  the  period  of  his  boyhood  and  youth,  which  was  mostly  spent  in 
Mercer  county,  Illinois.  There  he  acquired  his  education  in  the  country  schools, 
and  early  in  life  began  mining  coal  in  Illinois,  being  thus  engaged  for  some  time. 
He  later  took  up  agricultural  pursuits  in  connection  with  his  father,  in  which 
line  of  activity  he  continued  until  after  the  latter's  death,  when  he  went  to  Col- 
orado and  was  there  engaged  in  prospecting  and  mining.  In  1904  he  returned 
to  Illinois  and  continued  to  make  his  home  there  until  1908,  in  which  year  he 
sold  his  farm  and  came  to  Buffalo  township,  where  he  purchased  the  tract  of 
two  hundred  and  fifteen  acres  upon  which  he  now  resides.  He  has  since  de- 
voted his  energies  to  the  further  development  and  improvement  of  this  farm, 
which  he  has  brought  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  The  soil,  which  is  nat- 
urally rich  and  fertile,  responds  readily  to  the  care  and  labor  bestowed  upon 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  1015 

it  and  the^fields  yield  abundant  golden  harvests  as  the  result  of  his  industry  and 
energy.  Systematic,  methodical  and  progressive  in  his  methods,  he  is  carefully 
managmg  his  interests  in  a  way  that  is  bringing  to  him  a  creditable  degree  of 
prosperity,  and  he  is  ranked  among  the  representative  and  substantial  agricul- 
turists of  the  community. 

Mr.  Convill  holds  membership  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
at  Cable,  Illinois,  and  his  Hfe  record  is  in  harmony  with  the  basic  principles  of 
that  organization.  His  political  views  are  in  accord  with  the  principles  of  the 
democratic  party  and  he  keeps  well  informed  on  the  issues  and  questions  of  the 
day,  so  that  he  is  able  to  support  his  position  by  intelligent  argument.  He  does 
not  seek  nor  desire  office,  however,  but  prefers  to  concentrate  his  energies  upon 
his  business  affairs.  Although  one  of  the  more  recent  arrivals  in  Buffalo  town- 
ship, he  has  nevertheless  gained  many  warm  friends  during  his  brief  residence 
here,  and  by  reason  of  his  honorable  and  upright  manhood  has  commanded  the 
respect,  confidence  and  good  will  of  his  fellowmen. 


HANS  STOLTENBERG. 

The  strong  qualities  of  industry  and  frugality  which  are  marked  characteris- 
tics of  the  German  race  were  conspicuous  in  securing  for  Hans  Stoltenberg  the 
success  which  enabled  him  to  retire  from  the  active  life  of  the  farm  and  live 
in  the  enjoyment  of  many  comforts  in  Davenport.  He  was  born  in  Germany, 
September  20,  1828,  his  parents  being  Hans  and  Anna  (Mundt)  Stoltenberg. 
With  his  wife  and  twelve  children  the  father  came  to  America  in  1847.  He 
landed  at  New  Orleans  and  later  ascended  the  Mississippi  river  to  Davenport. 
In  Scott  "county  he  bought  seven  hundred  acres  of  fine  farm  land  about  five 
miles  from  the  city.  Unfortunately,  however,  he  was  not  permitted  to  enjoy  it 
or  to  see  the  success  of  his  children  for  he  died  about  two  months  after  his 
arrival. 

His  son  Hans  Stoltenberg  was  about  eighteen  years  of  age  when  he  left  his 
native  land.  He  had  received  all  his  education  in  the  public  schools  there  and 
after  coming  to  this  country  assisted  the  family  in  settling  upon  the  new  farm. 
After  the  father's  death  he  and  his  brother  Claus  remained  there  for  six  years 
and  the  tasks  were  many  and  hard  that  were  laid  upon  their  shoulders  in  order 
to  care  for  their  brothers  and  sisters  until  this  land,  which  had  been  but  little  culti- 
vated, was  producing  richly.  At  the  end  of  six  years  the  homestead  was  divided  be- 
tween the  children  and  for  the  next  twenty-two  years  Hans  Stoltenberg  re- 
mained upon  his  share  of  the  estate.  A  skillful  farmer,  he  soon  had  his  fields 
lighly  cultivated  and  his  place  well  improved,  winning  therefrom  large  and  ample 
■etums  for  his  labor.  With  advancing  years  he  determined  to  give  up  the 
ictive  operation  of  the  place  and  came  to  Davenport  in  1887,  where  he  devotes 
limself  to  looking  after  his  several  interests,  for  besides  retaining  possession  of 
lis  farm  he  holds  some  stock  in  the  Farmers  &  Mechanics  Savings  Bank. 

Mr.  Stoltenberg  was  married  in  1854  to  Miss  Elda  Baresa  and  they  had  seven 
hildren:  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Richard  Petersen  and  a  resident  of  Davenport; 


1016  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Henry,  who  wedded  Miss  Tillie  Speck  and  has  seven  children;  William,  who 
married  A.  Hoss;  Amelia,  who  is  the  wife  of  E.  Stoltenberg;  Louis,  who  wedded 
Melia  Deckman;  Edward;  Mrs.  Theresa  Miller;  and  Caroline  who  became  the 
wife  of  William  Mann.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Stoltenberg  wedded  Miss 
Elizabeth  Hoss.  The  family  have  been  raised  in  the  Lutheran  church  in  harmony 
with  whose  teachings  they  endeavor  to  order  their  lives  and  in  whose  support  Mr. 
Stoltenberg  has  always  been  liberal.  He  belongs  to  the  Society  of  Old  Settlers 
here  and,  having  witnessed  and  participated  in  the  growth  of  Davenport,  the 
memories  of  his  past  years  are  rich  in  reminiscences  of  the  early  days  and  the 
incidents  and  hardships  connected  with  them.  His  home  is  at  911  West  Seventh 
street. 


FRED  B.  SHARON. 


The  name  of  Fred  B.  Sharon  is  well  known  in  connection  with  banking  inter- 
ests of  Davenport,  and  to  the  Catholic  membership  throughout  the  country  as  the 
publisher  of  the  Catholic  Messenger,  one  of  the  strongest  church  papers  of  the 
United  States.  Moreover,  his  name  figures  largely  on  the  records  of  Catholic 
fraternal  and  beneficial  societies  in  many  of  which  he  has  been  a  guiding  spirit. 
He  was  bom  at  Sterlingville,  Jefferson  county,  New  York,  within  thirty  miles  of 
the  Thousand  Islands  that  for  miles  adorn  the  majestic  St.  Lawrence.  He  is  a 
son  of  Thomas  Sharon,  who  was  born  in  1816  and  in  his  early  youth  had  come 
with  his  father,  Patrick  Sharon,  from  the  ancestral  home  at  Trim,  County  Meath, 
Ireland,  very  near  the  famed  Hill  of  Tara,  with  Carthage,  New  York,  as  their 
destination.  Both  the  father  and  grandfather  of  Fred  B.  Sharon  were  pioneers 
of  northern  New  York  in  a  heavily  timbered  country  at  the  foothills  of  the  Ad- 
irondack mountains.  The  grandfather  died  while  Thomas,  the  oldest  of  his 
eight  children,  was  in  his  teens.  This  son  removed  the  family  to  Sterlingville,  a 
place  ten  miles  north  of  Carthage,  where  he  puchased  two  hundred  acres  of  forest 
land  which  was  cleared  by  cutting  down  the  trees  and  converting  them  into  char- 
coal for  the  blast  furnaces  at  Sterlingville.  From  that  time  on  Thomas  Sharon  was 
a  farmer,  continuing  to  cultivate  the  same  tract  of  land  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1871  at  the  comparatively  early  age  of  fifty-five  years.  He  was  a 
prominent  and  influential  citizen  in  his  home  locality  and  for  fifteen  years  held 
the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace.  He  was  also  called  to  many  positions  of  private 
trust,  being  noted  for  his  honesty  and  faithfulness  which  inspired  the  confidence 
of  all  who  knew  him.  His  wife,  who  in  her  maidenhood  was  Mary  Keon,  was  born 
in  county  Fermanagh,  Ireland,  in  1822,  and  accompanied  her  parents  to  this  coun- 
try in  1835.  She  was  married  in  1844  at  Sterlingville  to  Thomas  Sharon  and 
unto  them  were  born  ten  children.  The  mother  passed  away  in  1876  after  a  use- 
ful and  well-spent  life  filled  with  kindly  deeds  and  charitable  acts. 

Fred  B.  Sharon  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Jefferson  county.  New 
York,  until  1880,  when  he  came  to  Iowa  and  continued  his  studies  in  the  public 
schools  at  Cedar  Falls  until  the  close  of  1882.  In  December  of  that  year  he  came 
to  Davenport  with  his  brother,  Thomas  L.  Sharon,  who  a  few  months  before  had 
established  the  Iowa  Catholic  Messenger.     Since  that  time  Fred  B.  Sharon  has 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  1017 

been  connected  with  the  paper,  assuming  the  business  management  upon  the 
death  of  his  brother  in  1888.  He  has  been  pubHsher  of  the  paper  since  that  date 
and  his  management  has  been  attended  with  great  success,  for  the  CathoHc  Mes- 
senger circulates  over  a  large  territory  and  is  considered  one  of  the  best  Catholic 
papers  in  the  western  country. 

Since  coming  to  Davenport  Mr.  Sharon  has  been  connected  very  closely  with 
the  business  interests  of  this  city.  He  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Union 
Sayings  Bank  in  1891  and  for  eleven  years  was  its  vice  president.  He  was  also 
one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Citizens  Trust  &  Savings  Bank  in  1906,  and  is 
now  one  of  its  directors.  He  also  became  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Home 
Building  Loan  and  Savings  Association  in  1890  and  is  still  one  of  its  directors. 
In  1889  he  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Hibernian  Hall  Association  and 
is  now  secretary  and  manager  of  the  Hibernian  Hall  Building.  He  was  one  of 
the  charter  members  of  the  Davenport  Commercial  Club  and  is  now  one  of  its 
active  members. 

■  In  politics  Mr.  Sharon  is  a  democrat  and  while  he  has  never  held  public  office 
has  always  been  active  in  the  councils  of  his  party  and  a  willing  worker  in  its 
ranks  for  the  success  of  the  party  principles.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  Cathedral  parish  and  is  connected  with  the  different  parish  organizations 
in  which  he  is  an  active  worker.  In  1884  he  became  a  charter  member  of  the 
Davenport  division  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians,  and  has  held  many  local 
and  county  offices,  while  for,  four  years  he  was  Iowa's  state  president.  He  has 
also  represented  the  state  and  local  association  at  several  national  conventions. 
In  1900  he  became  a  charter  member  of  Loras  Council,  Knights  of  Columbus, 
was  its  treasurer  for  several  years  and  has  been  prominent  and  influential  in  local 
and  state  conventions  since  that  time.  He  belongs  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Mutual 
Protective  Society  of  Iowa  and  has  been  its  state  vice  president  for  the  past  fifteen 
years.  He  is  also  one  of  the  charter  members  of  Pelemorgues  Court,  Catholic 
Order  of  Foresters  of  Davenport  and  from  the  organization  in  1903  served  for  five 
years  as  its  first  chief  ranger.  He  has  been  a  delegate  to  all  national  conventions 
held  since  his  admission  to  this  society.  His  membership  relations  extend  to  the 
Western  Catholic  Union  and  to  the  Good  Samaritan  Society.  The  foregoing 
indicates  that  Mr,  Sharon  has  been  called  to  the  leadership  in  all  of  the  different 
walks  of  life  into  which  he  directs  his  steps.  Executive  ability  and  keen  insight 
well  qualify  him  for  management  of  important  affairs  and  his  cooperation  has 
therefore  been  sought  in  the  guidance  of  many  important  fraternal  and  political 
as  well  as  business  interests. 


ALPHONSE  W.  ARNOULD. 

Alphonse  A.  Arnould,  who  is  successfully  and  prominently  identified  with 
the  industrial  interests  of  Davenport  as  a  contractor,  enjoys  a  liberal  patronage 
in  this  connection  and  now  maintains  his  offices  in  the  McManus  building.  His 
birth  occurred  on  Rock  Island  street  of  this  city,  his  parents  being  Lewis  and 
Cotilde  (Hout)  Arnould.    The  father,  a  native  of  France,  obtained  his  educa- 


1018  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

tion  in  the  schools  of  that  country  and  there  also  became  familiar  with  the  car- 
penter's trade.  In  1847  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States  and  after 
residing  for  a  time  at  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  he  came  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  and 
began  work  at  his  trade. 

Alphonse  A.  Arnould  obtained  his  education  in  the  Davenport  schools  and 
when  about  fourteen  years  of  age  began  learning  the  carpenter's  trade  under  the 
direction  of  his  father.  This  line  of  activity  has  claimed  his  attention  through- 
out his  entire  business  career,  with  the  exception  of  one  year,  during  which 
period  he  followed  bridge  building.  When  eighteen  years  of  age  he  took  up 
contracting  in  association  with  his  father  and  the  partnership  was  maintained  with 
mutual  pleasure  and  profit  until  1884.  Subsequently  Mr.  Arnould  of  this  re- 
view turned  his  attention  to  stair  building,  which  is  a  trade  in  itself,  and  after- 
ward he  spent  about  two  years  in  the  shops  of  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pa- 
cific Railway  Company.  Twenty  years  ago  he  embarked  in  business  as  a  con- 
tractor on  his  own  account,  becoming  a  member  of  the  firm  known  as  the  Tri 
City  Construction  Company,  the  interests  of  which  he  capably  directed  in  the 
capacity  of  vice  president.  About  a  year  ago  he  severed  his  connection  with 
that  concern  and  spent  some  two  months  in  travel  for  educational  purposes. 
On  returning  to  this  city  he  opened  an  office  in  the  McManus  building  and  has 
here  since  carried  on  his  interests  as  a  contractor  with  excellent  success. 

On  the  27th  of  September,  1881,  Mr.  Arnould  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Downes,  a  representative  of  an  old  and  prominent  family  of  this 
city.  Unto  them  were  born  eight  children,  namely:  Marie  and  Lewis,  who  are 
deceased;  Edmond,  Albert,  Theresa  and  Aledo,  all  of  whom  have  completed 
their  education  and  are  at  home;  and  Elizabeth  and  Marie,  who  are  attending 
school.  Fraternally  Mr.  Arnould  is  identified  with  the  Knights  of  Columbus. 
His  close  application  and  unwearied  industry  have  brought  him  a  goodly  measure 
of  prosperity,  while  his  recognized  skill  and  ability  have  gained  him  recognition 
as  one  prominent  in  building  circles. 


EDWARD  KAUFMANN. 

The  life  record  of  Edward  Kaufmann  is  not  only  an  illustration  of  the  fact 
that  success  and  an  honored  name  may  be  won  simultaneously  but  is  also  an 
indication  of  what  may  be  accomplished  through  the  utilization  of  the  opportuni- 
ties which  America  affords  to  her  young  men.  In  this  land  where  labor  is  un- 
hampered by  caste  or  class  success  follows  earnest,  persistent  and  intelligently 
directed  labor  and  it  has  been  along  this  line  that  Edward  Kaufmann  has  reached 
his  present  important  position  as  cashier  of  the  German  Savings  Bank  of  Daven- 
port. 

Born  in  this  city  on  the  i8th  of  August,  1864,  he  is  a  son  of  John  and  Mary 
Anna  (Schissler)  Kaufmann,  the  former  a  native  of  Germany  and  the  latter  of 
Illinois.  The  father  came  to  the  United  States  in  the  early  '50s  and  after  spend- 
ing a  number  of  years  in  the  east  removed  to  Iowa  during  the  latter  part  of  that 
decade,  settling  in  Davenport  township,  Scott  county,  where  he  turned  his  atten- 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  1019 

tion  to  farming.  At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war,  however,  he  put  aside  all  business 
and  personal  considerations  and  in  1861  enlisted  in  the  Twelfth  Missouri  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  taking  an  active  part  in  the  war.  He  was  severely  wounded  at 
Vicksburg  in  1863  and  because  of  the  injury  he  there  sustained  was  honorably 
discharged.  Returning  to  Davenport  he  continued  his  residence  in  this  city  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1902. 

In  the  public  schools  Edward  Kaufmann  pursued  his  early  education  and 
afterward  had  the  benefit  of  instruction  in  a  business  college.  He  then  accepted 
a  position  in  the  office  of  a  flour  mill  and  in  1886  entered  the  German  Savings 
Bank,  with  which  he  has  since  been  connected.  His  initial  position  was  a  very 
humble  one,  but  gradually  he  has  worked  his  way  upward,  his  ability  and  energy 
winning  him  recognition  in  various  promotions  until  he  became  assistant  cashier. 
He  acted  in  that  capacity  for  a  number  of  years  and  in  1906  became  cashier  of 
this  important  institution. 

In  1898  Mr.  Kaufmann  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Tillie  Schmidt,  who 
was  born  in  Davenport  and  is  a  daughter  of  Hugo  Schmidt,  one  of  the  prominent 
and  respected  pioneer  residents  of  this  city.  Mr.  Kaufmann  was  a  member  of 
the  library  board  and  has  served  as  its  chairman.  He  is  interested  in  everything 
pertaining  to  the  promotion  of  education  and  the  welfare  of  the  community  and 
his  labors  have  constituted  a  cooperant  factor  in  many  measures  and  projects 
which  have  had  direct  bearing  upon  the  city's  growth  and  advancement.  He  has 
earned  for  himself  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  careful  man  of  business  and  in 
his  dealings  is  known  for  his  prompt  and  honorable  methods  which  have  won  the 
deserved  and  unbounded  confidence  of  his  fellowmen. 


P.  H.  LEBUHN. 


A  life  of  earnest  and  unfaltering  labor  has  brought  P.  H.  Lebuhn  a  goodly 
measure  of  success.  He  is  living  in  Le  Claire  township  where  he  and  his  brother 
William  own  two  hundred  and  seven  acres  of  land.  They  have  long  been  asso- 
ciated in  business  and  display  a  spirit  of  industry  and  enterprise  in  all  that  they 
undertake. 

P.  H.  Lebuhn  was  born  in  Le  Qaire,  Iowa,  April  22,  1859,  and  is  a  son  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Lebuhn,  who  were  both  natives  of  Germany.  The  father 
was  a  lock  and  gunsmith  and  conducted  a  shop  at  Le  Claire  for  a  number  of 
years.  He  died  November  28,  1890,  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine  years,  and  his 
widow,  long  surviving  him,  passed  away  in  1909.  She  was  the  mother  of  six 
children :  William  and  Peter  H.,  who  are  associated  in  business ;  Henry,  who  lives 
in  Canada;  Louis  and  Laura,  both  deceased;  and  Carl,  whose  home  is  in  Daven- 
port. William  and  Peter  H.  Lebuhn  have  always  been  associated  in  their  busi- 
ness interests.  They  were  both  pupils  in  the  schools  of  Le  Qaire  and  at  an  early 
age  were  sent  out  to  work,  since  which  time  they  have  provided  for  their  own 
support.  They  were  employed  by  different  farmers  and  by  hard  work  managed 
to  save  about  nine  hundred  dollars.  Peter  H.  Lebuhn  began  working  when  he 
was  twelve  years  of  age  and  when  about  twenty-three  years  of  age  he  and  his 


1020  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

brother  William  invested  in  farm  land  upon  which  they  now  live,  borrowing  two 
hundred  dollars  from  their  father  to  make  the  first  payment  on  the  place.  Later 
when  the  father's  house  burned  at  Le  Claire  they  paid  him  back  the  borrowed 
money.  From  E.  Penry  they  purchased  one  hundred  and  one  and  a  quarter  acres 
of  land  and  P-  H.  Lebuhn  afterward  bought  forty  acres  from  John  McCaffrey 
and  afterward  secured  about  forty-five  acres  from  Mr.  McCarthy.  Then  from 
Frank  Merry  they  purchased  two  and  a  half  acres  and  from  Mina  Werner  a 
tract  of  eighteen  acres.  Later  they  were  infiuenced  by  Sam  Kylor  to  enter  into 
a  deal  in  cattle,  grain  and  one  hundred  and  fifty-six  acres  of  land.  For  about 
eighteen  years  they  rented  from  two  to  three  hundred  acres  which  they  cultivated 
in  addition  to  their  own  farm.  In  the  cultivation  of  the  rented  land  they  made 
most  of  their  money,  securing  land  from  two  to  seven  miles  from  their  home.  In 
order  to  cultivate  this  they  camped  out.  The  life  was  pretty  hard  for  they  did 
not  always  have  j  ust  what  they  needed  and  were  often  caught  in  hard  storms,  but 
it  was  their  purpose  to  work  with  untiring  diligence  and  perseverance  when  they 
were  young  and  had  their  health,  so  that  they  might  enjoy  their  earnings  as  they 
giew  older. 

There  is  much  that  is  of  interest  in  the  life  history  of  the  Lebuhn  brothers. 
They  were  very  prosperous  about  nine  years  ago  and  were  recognized  as  among 
the  leading  farmers,  but  a  friend  aproached  P.  H.  Lebuhn  one  evening,  telling 
him  that  he  and  his  brother  were  going  to  be  put  out  of  business  by  some  people 
who  were  jealous  of  them.  Mr.  Lebuhn  said  he  did  not  see  how  it  could  be  done, 
for  they  were  practically  out  of  debt,  and  could  sell  the  following  day  enough 
stock  to  entirely  discharge  all  indebtedness.  The  brothers,  however,  are  perse- 
vering in  their  course  which  they  and  many  of  their  friends  and  neighbors  be- 
lieve to  be  right,  and  it  is  hoped  that  they  will  in  time  realize  the  full  benefit  and 
fruits  of  their  labors  and  enjoy  the  prosperity  to  which  their  earnest  toil  justly 
entitles  them.  They  are  worthy  and  enterprising  business  men  who  have  worked 
hard  to  attain  success  and  have  at  all  times  sought  to  deal  justly  with  their  fel- 
lows. They  are  still  the  owners  of  a  good  farm  of  two  hundred  and  seven  acres 
and  in  addition  to  its  cultivation  are  engaged  in  raising  hogs. 


SAMUEL  W.  PIERCE. 


Samuel  W.  Pierce,  who  was  long  prominently  identified  with  the  educational 
and  business  interests  of  Davenport,  is  now  living  retired  at  his  present  home  on 
Brady  street.  He  comes  from  the  east,  being  born  in  Westboro,  Worcester 
county,  Massachusetts,  on  the  19th  of  July,  1835,  and  is  a  son  of  Samuel  and 
Rebecca  (Vorrell)  Pierce,  the  former  a  native  of  Boston  and  the  latter  of  Wells, 
Maine.  The  father,  who  was  engaged  in  the  shoe  business,  never  left  his  native 
state. 

Like  most  of  the  boys  of  his  native  state,  Samuel  W.  Pierce  received  a  good 
practical  education  and  for  eight  years  he  successfully  engaged  in  teaching  school 
in  Massachusetts.  He  was  graduated  from  one  of  the  best  schools  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  also  took  a  course  at  Worcester.     On  coming  to  Iowa  he  first  located 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  1021 

in  Fairfield,  where  he  continued  his  educational  labors  and  organized  the  great 
school  system  now  in  operation  there.  In  1867  he  was  asked  to  take  charge  of  the 
Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  at  Davenport,  of  which  he  became  superintendent  and 
his  wife  matrqn.  For  about  twenty  years  he  was  connected  with  that  institution 
and  his  labors  won  the  unqualified  approval  of  the  public  and  also  of  those  espe- 
cially interested  in  the  school.  After  leaving  there  he  was  called  back  to  put  the 
organization  in  perfect  shape  again.  Having  retired  from  teaching,  Mr.  Pierce 
then  turned  his  attention  to  the  wholesale  boot  and  shoe  trade,  to  which  he  de- 
voted his  time  and  energies  until  he  retired. 

On  the  30th  of  September,  1858,  in  Massachusetts,  Mr.  Pierce  married  Miss 
Fannie  Lord,  a  daughter  of  David  and  Lydia  (Meserve)  Lord,  of  the  state  of 
Maine.  Five  children  have  been  bom  of  this  union,  namely:  Charles,  who  wed- 
ded Mary  Smith  and  has  two  children,  Mary  and  Franklin ;  May,  the  wife  of  E. 
L.  Hayward  and  the  mother  of  one  child,  Lou ;  Carrie,  the  wife  of  John  K.  Hall, 
of  Denver,  Colorado,  by  whom  she  has  a  daughter,  Edith;  Nellie  A.,  at  home; 
and  Joseph,  who  married  Frank  Hawes  and  has  two  children,  James  and  Phillip. 

In  his  social  relations  Mr.  Pierce  is  a  prominent  Mason,  having  attained  the 
thirty-second  degree,  and  is  a  member  of  Kaaba  Temple  of  the  Mystic  Shrine. 
Throughout  his  long  residence  in  Davenport  he  has  won  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact  either  in  business  or  social  life  and 
has  never  had  occasion  to  regret  establishing  his  home  in  this  city. 


CAPTAIN  JOHN  McCAFFREY. 

It  was  not  until  advancing  years  made  active  work  almost  impossible  that 
Captain  John  McCaffrey  was  able  to  resist  the  call  of  the  river  and  take  up  his 
residence  permanently  in  Davenport.  From  the  age  of  thirteen  the  Mississippi, 
its  rafts,  boats,  and  steamers  had  been  his  home,  and  that  despite  of  the  fact 
that  several  times  in  the  course  of  years  he  felt  inclined  to  seek  another  occupa- 
tion. He  was  born  in  County  Pronaren,  Ireland,  in  1842,  a  son  of  James  and 
Mary  (Murray)  McCaffrey.  The  parents  came  to  this  country  when  their  chil- 
dren were  young  and  in  Scott  county,  in  Davenport  and  later  in  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, the  father  became  a  man  of  wealth  and  prominence.  He  died  in  the  latter 
city,  but  his  wife  survived  him  many  years,  for  she  reached  the  remarkable  age 
of  one  hundred  and  three  years  before  death  called  her. 

John  McCaflfrey  received  his  early  educatibn  in  the  schools  of  St.  Louis  and 
of  LeOaire,  Iowa,  but  he  has  always  been  a  student  during  all  his  life,  so  that 
his  days  of  learning  did  not  end  with  the  period  of  his  youth,  when  he  started 
in  life  for  himself.  He  was  only  thirteen  when  he  secured  employment  as  a  raft 
hand  on  the  Mississippi,  working  out  of  St.  Louis.  As  he  grew  to  manhood  he 
decided  to  engage  in  other  pursuits,  but  the  spell  of  the  water  had  already  been 
exerted  upon  him,  and  he  was  almost  compelled  to  follow  the  old  life.  For  a 
few  years  he  was  clerk  upon  a  boat,  but  he  was  at  the  same  time  making  the 
best  use  of  his  opportunities  and  learning  the  science  of  navigation,  so  that  it 
was  not  long  before  he  was  able  to  assume  the  responsibilities  of  a  pilot.    The 


1022  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

first  year  that  steam  power  was  put  into  use  on  the  river  Captain  McCaffrey 
ran  his  first  boat.  It  was  one  of  two  owned  by  another  river  captain,  was  named 
the  Alvira,  and  was  the  beginning  of  forty  years'  devotion  to  that  field  of  occu- 
pation. During  that  time,  however.  Captain  McCaffrey  opened  the  coal  fields 
which  had  been  discovered  upon  his  property  in  this  county,  and  as  he  had  about 
four  hundred  acres  he  made  a  good  income  while  he  operated  them  and  later 
when  he  disposed  of  the  land  made  a  handsome  profit  upon  his  investment.  At 
that  time  he  had  two  steamboats  and  four  barges,  which  loaded  with  coal  sold  it 
at  various  places  along  the  river.  His  became  a  name  well  known  at  all  the  ports, 
while  the  story  of  his  life  and  success  was  repeated  again  and  again. 

It  was  on  the  24th  of  March,  1868,  that  Captain  McCaffrey  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  J.  Davenport,  a  daughter  of  A.  J.  Davenport,  who  was 
well  known  as  being  one  of  the  earlier  settlers  of  this  county.  Four  sons  were 
born  to  the  couple:  Frank  D.,  Henry  S.,  Jack  and  Duke.  Captain  McCaffrey 
has  always  been  deeply  interested  in  the  welfare  of  Davenport,  and  takes  a 
certain  pride  in  its  growth,  for  he  may  rightly  feel  that  his  labors  as  a  navigator 
contributed  no  small  share  to  the  advancement  which  has  been  so  conspicuous 
during  the  last  half  century.  As  a  river  man  he  was  able  to  know  most  certainly 
the  increase  of  its  commercial  importance  for  the  Mississippi  has  always  been 
one  of  the  prime  factors  of  its  life,  as  it  still  is.  'Although  his  career  really  began 
with  steam  navigation  he  can  well  remember  the  less  adequate  means  of  caring 
for  passengers  and  freight.  His  has  been  a  life  devoted  conscientiously  to  the 
hardest  toil,  which,  having  brought  rich  returns  to  him,  is  a  gratifying  record  of 
years  well  spent. 


PETER  JOENS. 


Among  the  representative  citizens  of  Blue  Grass  who  claim  Germany  as  the 
place  of  their  nativity  is  numbered  Peter  Joens,  who  first  opened  his  eyes  to 
the  light  of  day  in  Schleswig,  September  26,  1847.  He  is  a  son  of  Henry  and 
Christina  (Gibsen)  Joens,  also  natives  of  that  province,  the  former  born  on 
the  i6th  of  July,  1816,  and  the  latter  on  the  ist  of  July,  1818.  The  parents  came 
to  America  in  1865,  making  their  way  direct  to  Scott  county,  Iowa,  where  the 
father  worked  on  a  farm  until  his  demise,  which  occurred  in  1872. 

Peter  Joens  acquired  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Germany  and  was  a  young 
man  of  eighteen  years  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal  to 
this  country.  Since  his  arrival  here  he  has  devoted  himself  continuously  to  the 
occupation  of  farming,  first  in  connection  with  his  father  and  later  on  his  own 
account.  In  1885  he  went  to  Muscatine  county,  Iowa,  remaining  there  until 
1894,  when  he  located  in  Blue  Grass,  Scott  county,  where  he  has  continued  to 
reside  to  the  present  time.  He  owns  a  little  farm  near  the  corporation  limits  of 
Blue  Grass,  in  Buffalo  township,  where  he  is  successfully  carrying  on  general 
farming,  and  is  also  known  in  financial  circles  as  a  stdckholder  in  the  Blue  Grass 
Savings  Bank,  his  connection  therewith  being  an  additional  source  of  revenue  to 
him. 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  1023 

Mr.  Joens  has  been  twice  married.  In  1874  he  wedded  Emma  Kroeger,  a 
daughter  of  Jacob  Kroeger,  of  Scott  county,  and  unto  this  union  were  born  three 
children,  namely:  William,  a  farmer  of  Tama  county,  Iowa;  Ardelia,  the  wife 
of  Frank  Peterson,  of  Rock  county,  Minnesota;  and  Henry,  also  carrying  on 
agricultural  pursuits  in  Tama  county,  Iowa.  The  wife  and  mother  passed  away 
in  1884,  and  in  i886  Mr.  Joens  was  united  in  marriage  to  Gertrude  Luetke,  a 
native  of  Germany.  They  are  well  known  throughout  the  community  in  which 
they  reside  and  are  prominent  in  social  circles,  where  their  many  excellent  traits 
have  made  them  popular  with  a  large  number  of  friends. 

Mr.  Joens  holds  membership  with  Blue  Grass  Lodge,  No.  26,  Modern  Broth- 
erhood of  America,  and  also  with  the  Columbia  Sick  Relief  Society.  Politically 
he  votes  with  the  democracy  on  all  national  issues  but  in  local  matters  he  reserves 
the  right  to  cast  his  ballot  in  behalf  of  the  men  and  measures  which  in  his  opin- 
ion are  best  adapted  to  conserve  the  public  welfare.  He  has  never  been  active 
in  politics  as  an  office  seeker,  preferring  to  concentrate  his  time  upon  his  private 
business  interests  which,  successfully  and  carefully  managed,  claim  his  entire 
attention.  He  is  a  worthy  and  highly  esteemed  citizen  of  Buffalo  township  and 
is  known  among  his  business  associates  as  a  man  of  upright  principles  and  honest 
dealing. 


NICK  DENKLAU. 


Nick  Denklau,  a  prominent  citizen  of  Eldridge,  Iowa,  now  living  retired,  was 
born  in  Germany  on  the  loth  of  May,  1852,  and  is  a  son  of  Jacob  Denklau,  who 
was  a  brick  mason  by  trade  and  spent  his  entire  life  in  the  fatherland.  Our  sub- 
ject was  reared  and  educated  in  the  land  of  .his  birth  and  in  1871  came  to  the 
United  States,  landing  at  New  York.  His  destination,  however,  was  Scott 
county,  Iowa,  and  he  came  at  once  to  Davenport.  He  was  first  employed  here  as 
a  farm  laborer,  being  thus  engaged  for  several  years. 

In  December,  1877,  Mr.  Denklau  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Amelia 
(Diedrick)  Klindt,  a  native  of  Germany  and  the  widow  of  Peter  Klindt.  She 
was  the  owner  of  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Lincoln  township, 
this  county,  and  upon  this  property  they  began  their  domestic  life,  continuing  to 
reside  there  for  twenty-five  years,  when  Mr.  Denklau  retired  from  active  farming 
and  removed  to  Eldridge,  where  he  now  makes  his  home.  Having  prospered  in 
his  undertakings  he  was  able  to  add  forty  acres  to  the  home  farm,  making  a  tract 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Lincoln  township,  and  in  1894  he  purchased  a 
farm  of  two  hundred  and  thirty-five  acres  in  Sheridan  township,  to  the  cultivation 
and  improvement  of  which  he  devoted  his  energies  until  he  retired  from  active 
life.     Besides  his  farm  land  he  also  owns  town  property  in  Eldridge. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Denklau  were  born  six  children,  namely:  Gust,  a  farmer 
of  Sheridan  township,  who  married  Amanda  Stoltenberg;  Emma,  who  is  now 
the  wife  of  Herman  Miller,  living  on  the  old  homestead  in  Lincoln  township; 
Meta,  the  wife  of  Rudolph  Amhof,  of  Lincoln  township ;  and  Tilhe,  Laura  and 
Adolph,  at  home.     By  her  former  marriage  Mrs.  Denklau  had  three  children: 


1024  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Louis;  Minnie,  now  Mrs.  Stoltenberg;  and  Wilhelm.  All  are  residents  of  this 
county.  The  family  is  widely  and  favorably  known  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Denklau 
have  a  host  of  warm  friends. 


CHRISTIAN  G.  DUESER. 

Christian  G.  Dueser,  deceased,  was  for  some  years  a  prominent  merchant  of 
Davenport.  His  early  home,  however,  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  for 
he  was  born  in  Germany  and  was  there  reared  and  attended  school.  He  received 
an  excellent  education  in  his  native  land  and  also  continued  his  studies  after  com- 
ing to  this  country.  On  reaching  America  he  came  direct  to  Iowa  and  estab- 
lished his  home  in  Davenport,  becoming  identified  with  the  business  interests  of 
the  city  as  a  merchant. 

In  early  manhood  Mr.  Dueser  married  Miss  Matilda  Ficke,  a  daughter  of 
Senator  C.  A.  Ficke,  who  was  one  of  the  leading  lawyers  and  prominent  citizens 
of  Davenport.  Two  children  were  born  of  this  union,  namely :  Dr.  F.  H.  Dueser, 
who  married  Eliza  Lorenzen ;  and  Elizabeth,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  F.  J.  Lane 
and  has  one  child,  Frederick  S. 

In  his  social  affiliations  Mr.  Dueser  was  an  Odd  Fellow.  Starting  out  in  life 
with  no  capital,  his  success  was  due  entirely  to  his  own  unaided  eflForts  and  he 
may  well  be  classed  among  the  self-made  men  who  did  much  for  the  promotion 
of  Davenport's  interests. 


C.  RAY  KINDT. 


One  of  Davenport's  younger  business  men  is  C.  Ray  Kindt,  manager  of  the 
princess  theatre.  He  was  born  in  Milwaukee,  January  lo,  1888,  and  is  the  son  of 
Charles  T.  and  Nellie  (Stoddard)  Kindt.  His  father  is  a  very  prominent  the- 
atre manager,  who  has  charge  of  fifty-one  houses  in  Iowa  and  Illinois.  His 
principal  Davenport  interest  is  the  management  of  the  Burtis  theatre.  He  came 
originally  from  Sandusky,  Ohio,  and  he  and  his  family  have  made  this  city  their 
home  for  nearly  twenty  years.  The  grandfather,  Louis  Kindt,  was  born  in 
Germany  of  French  parentage  and  came  to  America  when  about  fourteen  years 
of  age. 

It  was  during  a  brief  residence  of  his  parents  in  Milwaukee  that  the  subject 
of  the  sketch  was  born,  and  while  he  was  still  an  infant  they  came  to  Davenport 
where  they  have  ever  since  resided.  Mr. -Kindt  attended  the  common  schools 
and  in  due  time  was  enrolled  among  the  students  of  the  high  school.  He  then 
entered  the  University  of  Chicago  and  took  a  course  in  electrical  engineering. 
He  subsequently  returned  to  Davenport  and  his  father  assisted  him  in  securing 
a  foothold  in  the  world  of  affairs,  a  thing  he  was  well  able  to  do  for  he  is  one 
of  the  principal  theatre  managers  of  the  west.  Mr.  Kindt  inaugurated  the 
Princess  theatre  a  few    months  ago  and  it  is  already   taking   its    place    among 


HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY  1025 

the  successful  amusement  houses  in  the  city,  the  greater  part  of  his  time  -and 
energy  bemg  devoted  to  its  management.  He  belongs  to  the  Greek  letter  society. 
Lambda  Sigma  Delta,  which  he  joined  when  in  college. 


O.  F.  MATTESON. 


O.  F.  Matteson  needs  no  introduction  to  the  citizens  of  Davenport  and  Scott 
county.  As  a  man  and  official  he  is  widely  known  and  his  record  as  deputy 
United  States  marshal  is  one  which  has  gained  for  him  wide  commendation.  A 
native  son  of  Iowa,  he  was  born  in  Marshall  county,  in  the  year  1871,  his  par- 
ents being  Orlando  and  Mary  (Karman)  Matteson.  The  father  was  a  farmer 
by  occupation,  following  that  pursuit  until  after  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war, 
when  he  put  aside  all  business  and  personal  considerations  in  order  to  protect 
the  interests  of  the  country  on  the  field  of  battle.  He  became  a  member  of  Com- 
pany E,  Sixteenth  Iowa  Infantry,  and  saw  four  years'  service,  during  which 
time  he  was  captured  and  incarcerated  in  Andersonville  prison.  The  Matteson 
family  came  from  the  east  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York  city.  The  ancestry  of 
the  Karman  family  is  traced  back  to  Bavaria,  Germany,  a  representative  of  the 
name  arriving  in  Scott  county,  Iowa,  in  1850. 

Owing  to  the  death  of  his  parents,  O.  F.  Matteson  was  educated  in  the  Sol- 
diers Orphans  Home  where  he  remained  for  about  six  years.  He  then  went 
to  Muscatine,  Iowa,  where  he  supplemented  his  previous  education  by  thorough 
study  in  the  public  schools.  Reading,  experience  and  observation  have  also  added 
to  his  knowledge  and  he  has  eagerly  availed  himself  of  every  opportunity  for 
advancement  in  educational  lines.  After  leaving  school  he  took  a  trip  to  the 
west  where  he  was  employed  as  a  cow  puncher  on  the  plains  and  in  1891  returned 
to  Iowa,  after  which  he  was  employed  in  various  ways  until  he  began  learning 
the  carpenter's  trade.  He  followed  that  pursuit  up  to  the  time  of  his  retirement 
from  the  industrial  field,  his  attention  being  now  devoted  to  his  official  duties. 

It  was  on  the  21st  of  June,  1893,  that  Mr.  Matteson  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Mary  L.  Beyer,  a  daughter  of  Gerhart  and  Louise  (Heike)  Beyer,  who 
were  of  German  and  Holland  lineage  respectively.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Matteson  have 
become  the  parents  of  seven  children,  Orlando  W.,  Evelyn,  Alice  A.,  Raymond 
H.,  Teddy  T.,  George  Christian  and  Hellena.  Mr.  Matteson  and  his  family  oc- 
cupy an  attractive  home  on  Harrison  street  near  Duck  creek  and  he  has  in  ad- 
dition to  his  residence  an  acre  of  fine  land. 

Retired  from  business  life,  he  is  giving  his  attention  to  official  duties,  filling 
the  office  of  deputy  United  States  marshal  for  the  southern  district  of  Iowa 
with  headquarters  at  Davenport.  He  was  one  of  the  prime  movers  in  securing 
the  establishment  of  the  United  States  federal  court  at  Davenport  and  because 
of  his  work  in  that  connection  the  entire  Scott  County  Bar  Association  endorsed 
him  for  the  position  of  deputy  United  States  marshal,  believing  him  to  be  well 
qualified  for  the  office.  He  is  familiarly  known  among  the  federal  employes 
through  the  east  and  west  as  "Pink"-Ta  name  suggested  by  the  efficiency  of  the 


1026  HISTORY  OF  SCOTT  COUNTY 

Pinkerton  men  and  given  to  him  in  recognition  of  the  fact  that  he  is  an  untiring 
scout  when  on  the  trail  of  criminals,  never  giving  up  until  he  has  placed  his  man 
behind  the  bars.  He  was  one  of  those  who  at  Council  Bluffs  took  part  in  the 
prosecution  of  the  famous  Mowbray  gang  of  notorious  swindlers,  fourteen  of 
the  fifteen  being  convicted  and  receiving  penitentiary  sentences,  most  of  them 
being  now  in  Leavenworth.  Unfaltering  in  the  performance  of  his  duty,  his 
name  has  become  a  menace  to  evil-doers,  and  brings  a  sense  of  security  to  all  who 
hold  themselves  amenable  to  law. 


INDEX 


A 

Abbott,   R.  M 273 

Adler,  E.  P 14 

Albrecht,   Nicholas    545 

Allen,  W.  L 60 

Alt,  C.  H 600 

Armil,  J.   L 783 

Amould,  A.  A 1017 

Arp,  A.  P 954 

Arp,  Claua 336 

Arp,  H.  A 1010 

Arp,  J.  A 114 

Arp,  John   447 

Arp,  Peter 427 

Arp,  P.  W 115 

Arp,  Rudolph   994 

Arp,  William    *.  . .  1006 

B 

Bailey,  W.  W. 635 

Baker,  Emma  836 

Baker,  G.  T 985 

Baldwin,  B.   S 190 

Ballord,   E.    S 348 

BallnfiF,  W.  M 328 

Bangert,  John    376 

Bannister,  L.  R 108 

Barewald,  C.  L 958 

Barnes,  J.  D 845 

Barnes,  W.   A 643 

Barr,   C.   W 731 

Bawden,   G.  W 968 

Bawden,   S.  P 151 

Becker,  Charles    334 

Becker,   Guatave    160 

Becker,  Henry    997 

Beh,  Frank  X 56 

Behrens,  John    771 

Beiderbecke,   Charles    565 

Bendixen,  J.  H 723 

Bendixen,  P.  A 399 

Benedict,  John   . 613 

Bennewitz,  Louis   586 

Bemick,  Fritz    456 

Berwald,  John    473 

Best,  L.  P 352 

Bettendorf,  J.  W 234 

Bettendorf ,  W.  P 366 

Betty,  H.  B 578 

Black,  A.  S Ill 

Blair,  W.  A... 243 

Blanchard,  G.  H 995 

Bluedorn,  Kathryn  W 63^ 

Boettger,  H.  H 551 


Boll,   Charles    920 

Bollinger,  A.  L 470 

Boudinot,  A.  R 395 

Bowling,  J.  M 993 

Bowling,   M.   E 535 

Bowman,   A.   W 219 

Bowman,   E.   S 351 

Bowser,  W.  F 337 

Boyle,  P.  A 598 

Brady,  E.  W 7 

Braithwaite,  William   650 

Braunlick,  H.  G 139 

Briceland,   Hugh    342 

Brockmann,  H.  J 475 

Brockmann,  Louis   973 

Bragonier,  John 1001 

Brown,    C.   J 745 

Brownlee,  Mary  A 797 

Brownlie,  A.  W 538 

Bruhn,  John   360 

Brus,  Edward  and  Theodore 440 

Brus,  J.  H 448 

Bms,  Theodore 781 

Bryson,  Alonzo 392 

Burch,  Ira , 385 

Burmeister,  J.   E 529 

Burrows,  P.  T 556 

Busch,  Diedrich   330 

Bush,  A.  G 187 

Buttenob,  Christoph   925 

C 

Cabel,  W.  G 195 

Cable,  G.  W 22 

Calderwood,  M.  H 799 

Calvert,  W.  0 534 

Cantwell,  A.  W 833 

Cantwell,   J.  D 891 

Carl,   E.  S 282 

Carroll  Brothers 933 

Chamberlin,  W.  M. 499 

Chenoweth,  W.  S 338 

Clapp,  C.  F 684 

Clapp,  D.J 379 

Clark,  W.  L 904 

Clausen,  Otto    364 

Clement,  J.  H 139 

Cody,  Isaac   820 

Collins,  Edward 730 

Collins,   M.   A 306 

Collins,   W.   S 305 

■Convill,   Thomas    1014 

Cook,    E.   E 854 

Cook,   H.   0 262 


INDEX 


Ora-wford,  J.  P 96 

Crook,   J.   1 350 

Crossett,  E.  S 16 

Crouch,  J.  B 260 

Crowley,  J.   W 542 

Curtis,    G.   W 824 

Curtis,  Phineaa    146 

D 

Daniels,  John   188 

Daurer,  Louis   926 

Davis,  James   409 

Day,    A.    0 315 

De  Armond,  J.  M 110 

De  Cock,  Frank 766 

De  Lap,  William 271 

De  Lescallle,  J.  J 655 

Denklau,  Nick   1023 

Denkmann,  Julius   758 

Denkmann,  Otto    117 

Dettmer,  Peter  655 

Diedrlch,  Kathryn  333 

Dlehn,  Henry,  Sr 408 

Dodds,    Jesse    509 

Doe,   A.   P 278 

Donegan,  M.  F 644 

Doolittle,  H.  B 476 

Dorman,  A.  H 649 

Dorrance,  D.   F 480 

Dougherty,  E.  J 237 

Dougherty,  Thomas    385 

Dow,  J.   F 517 

Dueser,  C.  G 1034 

Duncan,  J.  C 622 

Dutcher,  J.  G 313 

E 

Earhart,  E.  N 196 

Eckermann,   Gustav    343 

Eckhardt,  Louis    506 

Eekmann,   Claus    255 

Eckmann,  Tlmm   162 

Egbert,  Henry   30 

Egel,  John 591 

Egger,  L.  G 293 

Ehlert,  H.  J 240 

Ehlmann,  H.  D 131 

Eldridge,   J.   M 500 

Elmer,  A.  W 123 

Emler,  C.  F 364 

F 

Falkner,   Charles    50 

Fanning,  Melvina  P 896 

Feddersen,  Peter   873 

Feuerbach,  Henry   697 

Ficke,  C.  A 144 

Ficke,  E.  0 499 

Fidlar,  J.  B 70 

Fidlar,  W.  F 435 

Finefield,  H.  F 775 

Fisher,  L.  M 946 

Flick,  H.  J 976 

Follette,  Marie  L 740 

Francis,   Charles    250 

Frank,  H.  J 693 

Frauen,  George  608 

Freund,   Edward    886 

Fridley,  H.  H 690 


*ries,  Caspar   479 

Frye,   H.   H 387 

Fulton,  Ambrose  C 933 

G 

Garstang,  James   544 

Gartside,  B.  W. 316 

Gasseling,  J.  T 981 

Gast,  H.  C 798 

Gehrmann,    W.    H lOO 

Geisler,  E.  N.  J 383 

Gifford,  I.  L 835 

Gilchrist,  J.  W 828 

Gillmor,  Stewart   913 

Gillmor,  H.  H 915 

Glynn,   C.  B 590 

Goering,   W.  T 643 

Goettsch,  Henry    866 

Goldschmidt,  A.  G 573 

Gollnitz,  Louis   398 

Gould,  Daniel  198 

Gould,  G.  A 773 

Grabbe,  Ludolph    916 

Grace,  F.  C 809 

Greene,  J.  N 233 

Greer,  J.  H 939 

Grell,  Gus    734 

Grell,    James    830 

Grell,  Julius   686 

Grieve,    Thomas     810 

0  H 

Haak,  Ferdinand   303 

Haak,   John    631 

Haase,  August   780 

Hageboeck,   A.   L 964 

Hagedorn,  P.  H. 719 

Hagemann,  Franz   157 

Hagen,   Anne  H 311 

Hahn,  H.  T 988 

Hahn,  W.  F 853 

Haller,  J.  T 993 

Halligan,  T.   F 80 

Hamann,  A.  W , 571 

Hamann,  Charles   656 

Hamann,  J.  H 842 

Hamann,  J.  H.  J 172 

Hanley,  J.  A 880 

Hansen,  C.  J.  B 304 

Hansen,   J.    T 919 

Hare,  Marmaduke   757 

Harkert,  Hans   774 

Harned,  R.  H 537 

Harrison,  J.  H 388 

Hartz,   Theodor    65 

Hasler.  J.  C 525 

Hass,  C.  F 462 

Hass,  J.  H 416 

Hayward,  E.  B 418 

Hayward,   V.  E 832 

Heden,  A.  N 647 

Heinz,   Fred    574 

Heinz,  John    309 

Helbig,  Otto   701 

Helble,   Joseph    1005 

Hell,  Claus   234 

Hell,   Henry    557 

Hetzel,  C.  C 166 

Hetzel,  C.  F 421 


INDEX 


Heuer  &  Westphal   ^g^ 


High,  H.  J. 


159 


Hirschl,   Felix    ,^27 

Hoerach,  William 867 

Hoffbauer,  Hugo    .                     ana 

Hoffmann,  G.  O.           » re 

Holland,  A.  W .'■'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'."  ill 

Holland,  H.  Jj ' >  a. 

Holm,  Frank 882 

Horst,  H.  H.  [ 3^]^ 

Horst,  Ida   '  j^g 

Horton,  Mrs.  H.  A 744 

Huschke,  B.  A ! ! ! !  !  84 


Ihms,  E.  H 653 

Ineze,   Elizabeth    677 


Jacobsen,  P.  N 277 

James,  Elizabeth  A 785 

Jamison,  J.  W.    39 

Janseii,   Nicklaus    130 

Joens,  Peter   1033 

Johannsen,   Jacob    310 

Johnson,  William 203 


K 

Kahler,  C.  F 553 

Kahler,  Henry   464 

Kahler,  Jurgen 949 

Kardel,  Fritz    1008 

Kattenbrooker,  Alwin    923 

Kaufmann,  Edward 1018 

Kegel,  E.  T 746 

Keppe,  Charles   403 

Keppy,  F.  C 907 

Keppy,  Frank 893 

Keppy,  L.  A 739 

Ketelaen,  Hans    767 

Kindt,  C.  E 1034 

Kindt,  C.  T 831 

Kistenmacher,  H.  H '  743 

Klindt,  Albert    840 

Klindt,  Henry ' 344 

Klindt,  Henry,  Jr 662 

Klug,   Otto    367 

Knox,   John    800 

Koberg,  William    1003 

Koch,  Simon    132 

Koehler,  0.  C 724 

Koester,  G.  A 504 

Kohrs,  Henry   776 

Krabbenhoeft,  Theodore 903 

Krause,  Robert 396 

Kress,  John  and  August  986 

Kress,  Severin     1013 

Kreul,  D.  G 118 

Kroeger,  Claua   86 

Kroeger,  H.  L 675 

Knise,  Hans   109 

Kuelper,   Fritz    400 

Kulp,  0.  W 407 

Kulp,  R.  R 358 

Kylor,  S.  W.   711 


Lage,  Cathrina   133 

Lage,  H.  C , 915 

Lambach,  Frederick    455 

Lamp,  August  H. 391 

Lamp,  A.  H 422 

Lamp,  C,  H 734 

Lamp,  Christina 584 

Lamp,  G.  P 787 

Lancaster,  E.  J 510 

Lane,  D.  E 671 

Lane,  J.  R 5 

Lane,  J.  T 53 

Lange,    Rudolph    103 

Langseth,  John    603 

Lardner,  J.  F 791 

Lau,  Charles  W.    637 

Learner,  G.  W. 150 

Lebuhn,  P.  H 1019 

Le  Claire,  J.  A 433 

Le  Claire,  L.  A.,  Sr 750 

Lembke,  H.  F 153 

Lensch,  John    331 

Lerchen,  Charles   , 786 

Letts,  F.  D 996 

Lieberenz,  Dorothy 733 

Lillis,  W.  M 468 

Lindsay,  J.  B 8 

Littig,  J.  A 638 

Logan,  F.   T 518 

Lorenzen,    Jens    46 

Lueders,  George 254 

Luetje,  B.  F 768 

Lunger,  W.  W.    679 

M 

McCaffrey,  John    1021 

McCarthy,  D.  J 410 

MeCausland,  D.  C 663 

McClelland,  T.   W.    140 

McClelland,  Wilson  158 

McCowen,  Jennie,  M.  D 1026 

McFarland,  H.  J 940 

McMahon,  B.  M 536 

McMann,  Walter   727 

Maack,  Louis   434 

Maass,  F.  H 606 

Madden,  J.  G 459 

Maines,  W.  R 454 

Mann,  W.  J 128 

Marks,  M.  L 180 

Marriott,  J.  H 269 

Marti,  Chris   347 

Martindale,  Thomas   311 

Martzahn,  A.  F 314 

Mason,  J.  L 793 

Mason,  J.  T 794 

Matteson,  O.  F 1035 

Matthey,   Carl 241 

Matthey,  Heinrieh    241 

Maw,   Thomas  B 862 

Meier,  Charles 666 

Meier,    Fritz     714 

Meier,  Henry  W 670 

Mengel,   George    338 

Metzger,  J.  C 428 

Meyer,  Edward    349 

Meyer,  H.  H 197 

Miclot,  J.   B 975 

Miller,  Jacob    665 


INDEX 


Miller,  Severin   184 

Mitchell,  G.  C.  R 36 

Moeller,  C.  H 488 

Moeller,  Henry  27 

Moeller,  Hugo  536 

Moeller,  Louis  and  Henry 560 

Moeller,  W.   A 497 

Moeller,  W.  M 440 

Moflfatt,  F.  1 194 

Mohr,  J.  H 482 

Moorhead,  S.  H 246 

Morehouse,  D.  B 792 

Morgan,  J.  B 217 

Morgan,   Philip    580 

Morrison,  T.  N" 239 

Mueller,  A.  C 15 

Mueller,    Christian    71 

Mueller,  E.  C 73 

Mueller,   F.  W 73 

Mueller,  W.  L 74 

Muhs,  H.  F 59 

Mundt,  F.  W 233 

Murphy,  C.  H 107 

Murphy,  T.  A 417 

Murray,   Charles    404 

Murray,  J.  C .   819 

Murray,  W.  B 124 

Murrison,  William 702 

Myers,  R.  D 546 

N 

Nagel,  Thies   604 

Nebergall,  P.   B 171 

Neufeld,  Frank    765 

Nickels,  W.  L.  E 532 

Noel,  J.  T 284 

Niermann,  Anthony    154 

Nissen,  Hans    728 

Noth,   W.   G 429 

Nugent,  George  and  David 386 

0 

Oberleitner,  J.  P 283 

Oetzmann,  Minnie   732 

Otto,  J.  A 816 

Overdieck,   Elise    167 

P 

Padgham,  James  B.,  M.  D 641 

Palm,  J.  C.  F 1011 

Parkhurst,  M.  R 300 

Parmele,   Edwin    469 

Paustian,  August    79 

Paustian,  Charles    624 

Paustian,  James    453 

Peacock,   Thomas    908 

Peck,  W.  F SS 

Peekensehneider,  D.  P 135 

Peiffer,  N.  J 983 

Petersberger,  Isaac   183 

Petersen,   Adolph    888 

Petersen,   Detlef    307 

Petersen,  J.  H.  C 950 

Petersen,    Theodore    607 

Petersen,  W.  H 446 

Peto,  F.  B 64 

Peto,  F.  J 143 

Phelps,  J.  F 101 

Pierce,  S.  W 1020 


Pinneo,  C.  W 629 

Plambeck,  H.  C 121 

Plett,    August    927 

Pohlmann,  William,  Jr 978 

Pollock,  D.  Y 511 

Porstmann,  L.  J 519 

Porter,  J.   F 286 

Porter,  J.  R ' 401 

Porth,  Otto  335 

Postel,  Gustav  H 874 

Price,  Hiram    959 

Priester,  Adolph    549 

Priester,  Emil 695 

Priester,  Fritz    165 

Proudfoot,  Mathias   212 

Pruter,    William    664 

Puccinelli,  Pasquale    365 

Q 

Quinn,   Bert    531 

Quinn,  W.  1 788 

Quistorf,   F.   A 738 

R 

Rann,   Fritz    618 

Reek,  P.  W 861 

Reimers,  H.  F 762 

Richardson,   D.   N 294 

Roberts,  U.  N 814 

Robertson,  CM 871 

Robertson,  J.  G 319 

Rock,    Christian,   Sr 709 

Rock,    Frederick    568 

Rock,  W.  H 779 

Roddewig,  L.  E 698 

Roehs,  Henry   672 

Rogers,    0.    C 346 

Rohlf ,  Henry    45 

Rohlflf,  M.  F 176 

Rohwer,  Henry    261 

Ronge,  H.  E 960 

Roth,  Edward   514 

Roth,  John  F 290 

Runge,  Henry   434 

Ryan,   E.    H 256 

S 

Sander,    Julius     599 

Sanders,  A.  H 966 

Schaef er,  H.  G 393 

Schaefer,  Richard    931 

Schaefer,  W.  C 306 

Schaeffer,  Harriet  A 848 

Sehebler,  F.  J 485 

Schick,  George    895 

Schiele,  C.  L 373 

Schindler,    Severin    967 

Schlapkohl,  Ferdinand    558 

Schlapkohl,  Rudolph   58 

Schlichting,  Hans    676 

Schlichting,  John   315 

Schmalz,  Anna  C 487 

Schmidt,  B.  H 463 

Schmidt,  B.  L 573 

Schmidt,   Juergen    860 

Schmidt,  L.  H 760 

Schmidt,   L.   W 439 

Schmidt,    Maria     326 

Schmidt,  William    567 


INDEX 


Schneckloth,  Claus    934 

Sohneckloth,  E.  R. 910 

Schricker,  Lorenzo '  _  _  _  322 

Schroeder,  Ernst  D .'. . . .  526 

Schroeder,  Gustave  A.  and  Rudolf! . . .  . .  879 

Schroeder,   Henry    592 

Schroeder,   Henry    894 

Schroeder,  Louis    275 

Schuett,  Rudolph   885 

Schumacher,  Henry    839 

Scott,  6.  w ;;;  25 

Scott,  Thomas    115 

Sears,  I.  H 614 

Sessions,  F.  J 530 

Shannahan,  W.  P 669 

Shai-on,  E.  M 998 

Sharon,  P.    B 1016 

Shaw,  G.  S 654 

Shorey,  Joseph   136 

Shuler,  Anne  M 861 

Siebengartner,  M.  L 220 

Seig,  Relnholdt    491 

Sievers,  J.  H 381 

Simpson,  C.  S 877 

Sindt,  Henry    627 

Sindt,  Henry    373 

Sindt,  Thies    168 

Skelly,  J.  H 617 

Skinner,  P.  C 523 

Smith,  F.  E 841 

Smith,  J.  A 987 

Smith,  M.   J 806 

Smith,  W.  G 430 

Smith,  W.  M 413 

Snyder,  C.  B 971 

Snyder,  John    725 

Soenke,    Hans    394 

Soenke,   Peter    823 

SoUer,  John    847 

Speth,   Henrich    392 

Spink,  0.  R 312 

Stacey,  S.  P 450 

Starbuck,  T.  D 678 

Steffen,  August   937 

Steffen,  Henry   868 

Steflfen,  H.  H 856 

Steinberg,  L.  W 404 

Stender,  Henry    638 

Steward,  William    173 

Stichter,   Hattie    441 

Stoltenberg,  A.  H 839 

Stoltenberg,   daus    616 

Stoltenberg,  Hans   1015 

Stoltenberg,    Henry    442 

Stoltenberg,  John   . . .' 984 

Stoltenberg,  Peter  327 

Stouffer,  J.  H 963 

Strohbehn,  E.  F 127 

Struck,  H.  C 204 

Suhr,  Henry   928 

Suiter,  C.  H 648 

T 

Tabor,  L  E 189 

Taylor,  E.  R 1009 

Teele,  Warren 583 

Teufel,  J.  C 982 

Thede,  Johannes    597 

Thede,  P.  J 585 

I- 


Theophilus,  William   175 

Thode,   Carl    566 

Thode,  Henry   878 

Thodt,  Charles   704 

Thomas,  Davis   943 

Thomson,  J.  R 355 

Thompson,  Henry  6 689 

Thornbloom,  Pred   909 

Thuenen,  Henry   436 

Tobin,  M.  J 259 

Torring,   Chris    316 

Trombly,  Katherine    759 

U 

Untiedt,  William 772 

V 

Valentine,  G.  W 238 

Vanderveer,  W.  1 329 

Van  Evera,  Charles 901 

Van  Patten,  J.  P 414 

Vilmont,  J.  H ,.  752 

Vogt,  J.  C 974 

Vollmer,  Pred   106 

Vollmer,    Henry    85 

Vollmer,   Karl    270 

Voss,  C.  N 105 

W 

Wachter,  Kasper   225 

Wadsworth,    W.    C 66 

Walsh,  A.  E 449 

Walsh,  P.  T 374 

Ward,  E.  K 543 

Watts,  William   223 

Weber,  J.  S 308 

Weeks,  H.  E 589 

Weir,  W.  R 513 

Wells,  W.  D 137 

Wenzel,  Charles  H 359 

Wernentin,  Pred,  Jr 621 

Werner,   Albert    953 

White,  S.  T 680 

Wicks,  Z.  H 299 

Wiese,  Christina 297 

Wiese,  Christine    152 

Wiese,    Heinrich    341 

Wiese,    Henry    57 

Wiese,  J.  H 887 

Williams,  A.  P 74 

Wilson,  W.  H 512 

Wirth,  Cyrillus 691 

Witt,  C.  H 710 

Wolf,  Asmus    951 

Wolf,   Ferdinand 550 

Woods,  0.  C 520 

Wuestenberg,  H.  J 1004 

Wulf ,  Hermann    749 

Wulf,  Wilhelm   594 

WuHder,  H.  F 34 

Y 

Yocum,  I.  C 481 

Yohn,    S.   B 751 

Z 

Zabel,  P.  C.  A 717 

Zabel,  Theodore    1013 

Zoeckler,  J.  L 116 

Zoller,   Ernst    977